On October 23, 2023, the Burien City Council adopted a five-year strategic plan to help both the City Council and staff identify areas where we need to focus our efforts. The plan will set the tone for budgeting priorities and staff work planning. The strategic planning process was a collaborative effort between the City Council and City of Burien staff. Feedback from community gathered through public workshops and the Community Survey guided the strategic planning process. Progress will be regularly reviewed by the City Council and the City staff and updates will be shared with the community on this dashboard.
Burien’s Focus for the Next Five Years
Through 2028, the City of Burien will prioritize:
Achieving Financial Stability
Achieving Racial Equity
Centering Community Accountability
Reshaping Community Through Smart, Mindful Development
We will continue to strive to deliver core services, meet regulatory requirements, and ensure the community’s key infrastructure needs are met. This strategic plan identifies how the Burien City Council and City of Burien staff will advance these shared commitments through 2028. A forecasted revenue gap, however, may affect our ability to meet community needs.
Achieving Financial Stability
Strategic Direction Progress:
50
GOAL: Define current and future financial outlook and budget needs
Strategy
Status
Confirm structural deficit and define long-term budget needs
Complete
Evaluate and present councilmanic and voter-approved revenue options, including ballot measures, permit fees, utility taxes, solid waste fees, B&O tax, etc.
In progress
Work with the community, City Council, and staff to determine service-level cuts that will be required if voter-approved ballot measures fail
Not started
GOAL: Implement Councilmanic revenue options
Strategy
Status
Act on revenue options
Complete
GOAL: Implement voter-approved revenue options
Strategy
Status
Develop a ballot measure plan that involves the development of an advisory committee, gathering community feedback on defining services that new revenues would fund, and creating a community education campaign
In progress
Consider creation of a Metropolitan Parks District
Not started
Success Metrics for Achieving Financial Stability
Financial consultant has completed financial outlook
Staff and financial consultants have made presentations to the City Council
Councilmanic options and ballot measure implemented
Achieving Racial Equity
Strategic Direction Progress:
40
GOAL: Understand current programs, hiring, and practices through an equity lens
Strategy
Status
Develop equity impact tool for all departments and City Council to support identification, evaluation, and communication of potential impact, both positive and negative, of a policy, plan, or program on equity
In progress
Audit current programs and practices using an equity impact tool
In progress
GOAL: Establish internal framework and structures to support equity goals
Strategy
Status
Finalize the charter for the Advancing Racial Equity (ARE) Committee
Complete
Develop an ARE Action Plan with metrics (inclusive of internal and external audit and community engagement)
Not started
GOAL: Establish a training program for the City of Burien organization
Strategy
Status
Implement a training program for the City of Burien organization
Not started
Success Metrics for Achieving Racial Equity
Committee has clarity about focus, goals, roles, and responsibilities
Burien policies, plans, and programs advance opportunity and reduce harm to our community members
All staff have a common understanding of anti-racism and their role in that work
Burien has clarity about a vision and action steps for the 2025-26 biennium
Centering Community Accountability
Strategic Direction Progress:
58
GOAL: Customer service experience improved in prioritized areas
Strategy
Status
Launch online permit system
Complete
Launch and maintain new community service request system and internal customer service workflow (issue reporting)
Complete
Launch external Laserfiche electronic content sharing and management system
In progress
GOAL: Strengthen citywide community engagement and communications capacity
Strategy
Status
Internal Community Engagement Committee formed
Complete
Community engagement training opportunities offered to staff
In progress
Community engagement and communications plan co-created with community stakeholders developed and implemented
Not started
Maintain Burien Community Connectors program
Complete
Contract with community-based organizations to collaborate on engagement activities
In progress
City 101 virtual program launched
In progress
GOAL: Digital engagement infrastructure maintained, expanded, and adapted to meet community need and expectation
Strategy
Status
New Burien website (burienwa.gov) launched
In progress
Update digital communications and engagement strategy
Not started
Launch and maintain capital projects public dashboard
In progress
Success Metrics for Centering Community Accountability
Time to respond to issues reduced
People impacted by projects, programs, and policies are more engaged
New and more members of community participating in civic processes
Community can find essential information and access online City services easily in formats that are accessible and meet their needs
Reshaping Community through Smart, Mindful Development
Strategic Direction Progress:
54
GOAL: Achieve major planning and policymaking efforts
Strategy
Status
Economic Development Action Plan approved
Complete
Comprehensive Plan update approved
Complete
Transportation Master Plan approved
Complete
Parks, Recreation, and Open Space Plan approved
Complete
Critical area policy updates approved
In progress
Comprehensive Plan for five-year anniversary underway
Not started
GOAL: New zoning and design standards approved
Strategy
Status
Ambaum and Boulevard Park zoning code amendments with design standards adopted
Complete
Expansion of Multifamily Tax Exemption (MFTE) or affordable housing zoning adopted as part of Ambaum Boulevard Park Subarea Plan
Complete
Subdivision section of the zoning code amendments adopted
South King Housing and Homelessness Partners (SKHHP) affordable housing monitoring program established
Not started
Extend or expand the Affordable Housing Demonstration Program
In progress
Align City policy and planning documents with Washington State Affordable Housing Finance Commission scoring criteria for affordable housing tax credit awards
Not started
Advocacy with state and federal delegations for increased Low Income Housing Tax Credit funding for development of affordable housing
In progress
Consider or create an inclusionary affordable housing code standard when market conditions would make such a program feasible
Not started
Deepen the affordability requirements associated with MFTE when market conditions would make such a change feasible
Not started
Create a shared parking program in downtown to reduce the cost of building new parking in new housing developments
Not started
Attract developments that benefit the local community, including walkable amenities and services
In progress
GOAL: Attract new businesses and development
Strategy
Status
Permit system goes live for improved permit tracking and customer service
Complete
First round of targeted investment attraction campaign complete
Complete
Developer and property owner economic development opportunity sessions: Boulevard Park, Urban Center, Ambaum
In progress
Outreach to regional developers to consider Urban Center development in advance of rezones
In progress
Boulevard Park targeted development attraction campaign to begin once zoning code amendments are in process or complete
Not started
If MFTE program is expanded, a targeted marketing campaign to inform developers
In progress
Redesign of Burien’s gateway at 1st Ave S and SW 148th St
In progress
GOAL: Optimize opportunity sites
Strategy
Status
King County issues request for proposals for downtown transit-oriented development site
In progress
Kinect@Burien development complete and open
Complete
Mary’s Place affordable family housing under construction
In progress
Evaluate highest and best use for downtown City-owned properties
In progress
DESC permanent supportive housing construction complete
Complete
Port of Seattle issues RFP for a 10+-acre site on S 152nd St and Des Moines Memorial Drive
Not started
Success Metrics for Reshaping Community through Smart, Mindful Development
Increase in the quality and diversity of jobs citywide
Increase in housing citywide
Increase in housing affordable to all income bands
Preservation strategies in place for naturally-occurring affordable housing
Comprehensive Plan (Burien 2044), Transportation Master Plan, Parks, Recreation and Open Space Plan, Economic Development Action Plan approved
Increased development potential for commercially-zoned properties
Middle housing zoning in place
Urban Center and 1st Ave S mixed use/commercial zoning in place
Ambaum and Boulevard Park zoning in place
Design standards for residential/commercial sites in neighborhood centers in place
Affordable housing monitoring staff capacity and systems in place through SKHHP
Integrated, online permit system/customer service system launched and supported
Increase in number and valuation of commercial development permits issued
Increase in sales tax revenue
New housing development that meets community needs
More development for government-owned lands in the pipeline
Background Information
How was the Strategic Plan developed?
The strategic planning process was a collaborative effort between the Burien City Council and City of Burien staff. Feedback from community gathered through public workshops and the Community Survey guided the strategic planning process. See Background below for more details.
How will the Plan be implemented?
The Strategic Plan will be central in guiding our actions and investments in the coming years, helping us:
Stay focusedon what is most important, keeping community priorities in front of elected officials and City staff, partners, and community members
Establish aligned efforts across the City organization
Prioritize the use of resources, guiding staff development on budget proposals and framing the City Council’s adoption of a final budget
Progress will be regularly reviewed by the City Council and the City’s Leadership Team and updates will be shared with the community.
Burien Community Vision
A vibrant and creative community, where the residents embrace diversity, celebrate arts and culture, promote vitality, and treasure the environment.
Our Five-year Vision
In the next five years, as a result of our efforts we will see:
Smart, mindful development that equitably accommodates growth
Equal access to opportunity and quality of life
Resources to meet our community’s level-of-service needs
Informed, engaged, connected, diverse community
A sustainable budget that accounts for future growth
Root causes of homelessness addressed and housing in place for all
Our Obstacles
We recognize that we are blocked from our vision by:
Undefined and differing priorities about level-of-service standards
Limited public awareness of how government works and the need to partner externally in many areas
Ineffective and outdated systems
Limited revenue sources, fear about affordability, and honesty about what we need to fund core services
Incomplete and outdated approaches to community engagement
Ineffective ways of hearing from our diverse community
Background
The City Council adopted a four-year strategic plan in 2016, with updates in 2017 and 2018. The priorities that were identified included nurturing a safe, healthy, and dynamic community and supporting a strong City organization.
In 2021, the City Council approved budget for strategic planning. Creative Strategy Solutions was hired to facilitate the strategic planning process.
