The City of Burien Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services (PaRCS) Department is developing a vision plan for future improvements at Hilltop Park. This planning process builds on the work begun by the Hilltop Park Activation and Reimagination Project, which gathered input on desired improvements from Hilltop Elementary School students and park neighbors through the Green Burien Partnership. Community input was also sought through the Shape Your City initiative.
Get Involved
There are several ways you can get involved:
Take a survey and provide feedback on the three vision plan alternatives
Sign up for the Burien Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services email newsletter for project updates
The Hilltop Park Vision Plan Project will facilitate future improvements to the park by performing environmental and geotechnical studies and a topographic survey, which will inform the design of park improvements in a vision plan and schematic design (or 30% design documents).
Environmental studies include a critical areas report and buffer mitigation plan for the wetland area, and environmental compliance review. Other work includes site surveying, select geotechnical borings and report, and preparation of land use permits.
Once the design team understands the limitations of the site based on these studies, they will combine that knowledge with the community’s priorities for park improvements and develop three vision plan alternatives and cost estimates. The alternatives will be presented to community members for input, which will be used to refine the alternatives into one final vision plan.
The vision plan will become the basis for 30% schematic design documents. Once, complete, the schematic design and cost estimate will be used in budgetary planning for the long-term capital improvements plan and to seek funding for final construction documents and construction of park improvements. This project is funded by the Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office (RCO) and the City of Burien.
Project Timeline
July 2023
Project kick-off
July-September 2023
Site investigations and environmental studies
August-October 2023
Vision plan alternatives
November 2023
Community feedback on vision plan alternatives
November-December 2023
Preferred vision plan
December 2023-January 2024
Community feedback on preferred vision plan
January -March 2024
Schematic design
The City of Burien plans to replace the playground equipment and associated park furnishings at Manhattan Park in 2023. Our goal is to replace the equipment within the same footprint and have play features for the two primary age groups: 2- to 5-year-old and 5- to 12-year-old youth. Watch the video and take the survey below to provide feedback.
The community is invited to take a survey and provide feedback on the theme of the primary play feature and secondary play toy options. The survey is open through May 21, 2023:
This project will replace the existing playground equipment and park furnishings that are 20 years old and have reached the end of service life. The new equipment will fit within the existing footprint and have age-appropriate features for the two primary age groups: 2- to 5-year-old and 5- to 12-year-old youth. Based on community feedback, City staff will work with a playground equipment manufacturer on the final design for the primary play feature and incorporate secondary play toys as space and budget allow.
Existing Manhattan Park Play Equipment.Option for new Manhattan Park Play Equipment.Option for new Manhattan Park Play Equipment.Option for new Manhattan Park Play Equipment.Option for new Manhattan Park Play Equipment.
Do you want to share ideas for other parks in Burien?
Help Us Take a Closer Look at Five Parks and Boulevard Park Neighborhood for PROS Plan
We are seeking your feedback on five parks in Burien: Chelsea Park, Hilltop Park, Jacob Ambaum Park, Salmon Creek Ravine Park, and Southern Heights Park. We also want to know your ideas for creating new parks, recreation facilities, and public art in the Boulevard Park neighborhood.
Project Timeline
April-May 2023
Gather community feedback
May-June 2023
Evaluate community feedback and finalize design
Fall 2023
Construction
Fall/Winter 2023
Playground re-opens for use
Healthy forested parks and green spaces have the power to strengthen neighborhoods, provide safe access to nature, and provide many benefits to the environment. Without a coordinated effort to restore and care for our forests, we are at risk of losing many benefits of these forests and natural areas.
The Green Burien Partnership brings together community members and private and public agency partners to restore and care for Burien’s parks and urban forests. The Partnership’s activities include:
Community outreach and engagement to guide project prioritization and implementation.
Development of a 20-year plan for restoring forests and increasing the amount of tree canopy across the three cities.
Implementation of projects and volunteer programs that organize local neighbors and community groups to plant trees, remove invasive plant species, and meet restoration goals.
Get Involved
Participate and Learn More:
Sign up for a volunteer event (watch the calendar)
The Green Burien Partnership relies on a network of individuals, organizations, staff, and volunteers. All partners are essential for the success of the project.
Other key partners have played an essential role in defining the goals of the partnership, volunteering in their community, offering their expertise, and increasing canopy cover by planting trees in their yards or patios:
City of Burien
Port of Seattle
Washington State Department of Natural Resources
King County Conversation District
Highline Public Schools
Elected officials
Nonprofit, faith-based, and community groups
Businesses
Youth groups and clubs
Landowners
Individuals like you
How is it funded?
The Green Burien Partnership receives funding from the City of Burien General Fund and grants.
The City of Burien is re-imagining the long-term future of our city through a coordinated planning effort combining major updates to the Comprehensive Plan, a new Transportation Master Plan, and an update to the Parks, Recreation and Open Space Plan.
Specifically, this planning process focuses on land use, economic development, human services, environmental protection, infrastructure, transportation, parks and open spaces, recreation programs, public art, and cultural services.
Results of this planning effort will guide policymaking, operational plans, and budgets for the next twenty years. It’s vital that community voice guides these important planning processes.
Comprehensive Plan
The City of Burien is embarking on a major update to its Comprehensive Plan. This effort will help Burien plan and build for the next few decades. Planning for this growth helps us build a city with an equitable, sustainable, and healthy future.
The Transportation Master Plan helps determine our community’s current and future transportation needs, guiding how we invest in transportation over the next 20 years.
The Parks, Recreation and Open Space Plan is a six-year strategic plan for the Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services Department. The plan will look at the existing conditions, identify gaps in facilities and programs, and offer strategies, projects, and programs to address those gaps.
The Economic Development Action Plan will contain specific economic development goals, strategies, and implementation measures and an implementation plan, outlining the timing, anticipated cost, and funding source of each implementation action.
Develop a shared vision to guide planning and policy development.
November 2022-March 2023
Draft Strategies and Projects
Staff will communicate what we have heard to date and present draft strategies and projects for feedback.
May 2023-November 2023
Plan Development
Community will provide feedback on draft plans.
November 2023-March 2024
Legislative Process
Plans go before Burien City Council for review and approval. Public comment accepted.
March 2024
Plans Adopted
PROS Plan and TMP Plan adopted and incorporated into other updates to the Comprehensive Plan.
The Parks, Recreation and Open Space Plan (PROS Plan) is a six-year strategic plan for the Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services Department. The plan will look at the existing conditions of our facilities and programs, listen to community desires and priorities, identify gaps in facilities and programs, propose strategies, projects and programs to address those gaps, and finalize those strategies and a prioritized capital improvement plan in the final PROS Plan. The PROS Plan was last updated in 2018.
Get Involved
There are several ways you can get involved:
Mark your calendars for one of our upcoming events.
Subscribe to email updates using the form on this page.
Send your thoughts to the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board via email.
Upcoming Events
There are no upcoming events.
Subscribe to Updates
Subscribe to Shape Your City email updates:
Project Contact
Casey Stanley, Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services Director
We will be evaluating the location, quality, and barriers to accessing our current parks, recreation programs and facilities, and cultural services programming. The plan will make recommendations for improving existing facilities and services, priorities for public art, and evaluate feasibility of new parks in key neighborhoods.
We will be asking neighbors to provide feedback on all parks, but with a specific focus on needs for a few key parks including: Hilltop Park, Community Center Annex and garden, Jacob Ambaum Park, Chelsea Park, Puget Sound Park, Hazel Valley Park, Southern Heights Park, Manhattan Park, Moshier Memorial Park, and Salmon Creek Park/Salmon Creek Ravine.
What is a PROS Plan?
A PROS plan is a functional plan that develops strategies to implement the policies adopted in the Comprehensive Plan. The plan evaluates the current inventory of assets and the community’s desired level of service for future assets, then identifies gaps in the system. It also prioritizes capital project investments in the community for use in the City’s budgeting process and to make the City eligible to apply for grants to fund those priority projects.
Key Concepts
Park level of service: Level of service (LOS) is a term that describes the amount and quality of park and recreation facilities that are needed to serve the community at a desired and measurable standard.
Park Facilities: This is a general term that refers to the types of recreational amenities in parks or recreation centers such as sport fields, sports courts, picnic areas, playgrounds, or arts classrooms.
Envision the future of parks, recreation, and cultural services in our community.
Spring-Summer 2023
Strategies Development
Develop and get feedback on proposed strategies to meet community needs.
Summer 2023
Draft Plan
Draft and get feedback on plan with capital project and program priorities.
Summer 2023
Advisory Board and Council Review and Approval
Draft final plan and gather community feedback.
Summer/Fall 2023
Final Plan Development and Adoption
Present plan to Parks and Recreation Advisory Board, Arts Commission, and City Council for adoption by January 2024. Public comment encouraged.
January 2024
Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office
Submit plan to Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office.
The City of Burien is embarking on a major update to its Comprehensive Plan. This effort will help Burien plan and build for the next few decades. Planning for this growth helps us build a City with an equitable, sustainable, and healthy future. The Comprehensive Plan covers many topics including land use and zoning, economic development, public services, environmental protection, and infrastructure, meeting the community’s needs and reflecting the community’s vision.
Get Involved
There are several ways you can get involved:
Mark your calendars for one of our upcoming events.
Identify and implement the community’s vision and priorities
Extend Burien’s planning horizon to 2044
Comply with the State’s Growth Management Act and regional planning requirements
Incorporate updates from Transportation Master Plan and Parks, Recreation and Open Space Plan, which set infrastructure priorities for the next 6–20 years
Comprehensive Plan Focus Areas
The Comprehensive Plan update will focus on the following:
Integration of equity into the planning and engagement process and policy development
Housing to meet state requirements and local household needs for affordable ownership and rental housing, especially “missing middle” housing
Employment opportunities and jobs capacity to meet growth targets and improve jobs-housing balance
Regulations and incentives to realize Burien’s vision for mixed uses, gathering spaces, affordable housing, and job opportunities in Downtown, 1st Ave, Five Corners
Avoiding and addressing displacement risks for housing and jobs
Equitable access to parks, recreation, and services
Supporting transportation by all modes including active transportation like pedestrian and bike facilities, long-term maintenance, and capital investments
Airport policies and compatibility
Healthy communities promoting clean air and water, trees, and noise management
Climate resilience to adapt and protect our places and people from extreme heat, flooding or sea level rise
Critical areas (streams, wetlands) restoration and green infrastructure (like rain gardens)
Human services and meeting people’s needs
Creating effective, streamlined, and implementable plans that guide and direct development and investment
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Comprehensive Plan? A Comprehensive Plan guides Burien’s physical development over 20 or more years including desires for housing and job growth, community character, capital investments in infrastructure and services, and policies and regulations. The Plan is informed by and addresses community values and needs.
How will this affect me? An updated Comprehensive Plan can impact housing choices, the location of jobs, walking/biking/car mobility, parks and recreation opportunities, and overall public services. The Comprehensive Plan and updated policies can help all of Burien.
Why do we have to accept growth? In Washington State laws and policies determine that growth be directed to some areas and away from others. Burien is in an urban area that will always have growth directed to it, and we’re required to accommodate the growth distributed to our city while protecting critical areas and providing for parks and open space. Growing “up not out” helps protect regional natural resources like farmlands and forests.
Why are we updating the Plan now? Why not wait? The GMA requires Comprehensive Plans to be updated periodically. The State deadline is December 31, 2024. Also, updating housing, transportation, economic development and other elements can meet critical community needs.
When will there be community engagement for the Comprehensive Plan? Burien has developed multiple ways for the community to be involved in this update. We are trying to make sure we are reaching people where they are at and making it easy to participate in this process.
Environmental Impact Statement
The Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is an environmental review of growth alternatives to help guide community discussion on growth options and priorities. The Environmental review for the Comprehensive Plan update will meet the State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) requirements and will consist of a number of natural and built environment elements.
The environmental review will be shared with the community in draft and final stages of the Comprehensive Plan.
Burien 2044 Comprehensive Plan Advisory Committee
The City of Burien established a committee in early 2023 to help advise City staff on a major update to Burien’s Comprehensive Plan. The advisory committee is one of many groups of stakeholders advising the City on the Burien community’s needs and wishes for its future. The committee will provide recommendations to the Burien City Council. Learn more about the committee and how to watch and participate in their meetings.
