Budget, Wireless Services Zoning Code Amendment, and South King Housing and Homelessness Partners Consortium
Council discussed their budget priorities and the merits of an interlocal agreement with the South King Housing & Homeless Partners (SKHHP) Consortium to address housing and homelessness.
New Parks Maintenance Staff
The City has hired four staff to form the new parks maintenance team. By bringing maintenance of parks in-house, the City can save money and provide better service to the community. The new staff will have offices in the Mathison House, next to Mathison Park.
Fox Cove Update
Council received an update on Fox Cove Apartments. As of November 14, 2018, people in 22 of the 36 units have received assistance and have moved or are moving soon. Each Fox Cove resident has a unique set of needs and challenges, which has affected how quickly they are able to find new housing.
South King County Housing & Homeless Partners (SKHHP) Consortium
Jurisdictions in South King County have been working together for the last three years to address affordable housing and homelessness needs in our communities. The pilot consortium program has helped cities address housing and homelessness in their Comprehensive Plan updates and other policies.
This collaborative model is based on similar approaches used in Snohomish County, East King County, and other areas across the country. By pooling resources, jurisdictions in South King County can create new staff capacity (2 FTE) that will:
- Work with each city to develop plans, policy legislation, and new programs.
- Work with private and nonprofit developers and potentially attract a housing trust fund to be used for rehabilitation and building new stock.
- Help South King County cities speak with one voice on these topics at regional and state forums.
The proposed interlocal agreement will solidify and build on the consortium’s current work. The City’s contribution will be up to $20,000 per year. Council authorized the City Manager to execute a final interlocal agreement.
Budget
Council continued discussion on the 2019-2020 budget, including review of a matrix of unfunded priorities. Council also received the Arts Commission’s recommendations for Arts and Culture grants.
Council approved the property tax levy and an increase in the Surface Water Management (SWM) charges.
The next budget discussion is scheduled for November 26, 2018.
Personal Wireless Service Facilities
The Council discussed amendments to Burien Municipal Code 19.50 regulating personal wireless service facilities. The next discussion and action on this proposed amendment will be on December 3, 2018.
The proposed amendments will bring Burien’s code into compliance with recent changes to the Federal Communications Commission’s Telecommunications Act. The changes address emerging technologies such as 4G and 5G and design criteria for new wireless facilities.