Burien Planning Commission hears public concern, asks staff for options on proposed housing code and citywide rezones

Shelly Park, chair of the City of Burien Planning Commission, opened a special meeting and public hearing on April 30, 2025, to consider proposed amendments to Title 19 of the Burien Municipal Code and a citywide rezoning intended to implement middle‑housing requirements and portions of the Burien 2044 comprehensive plan. The hearing began at 6:10 p.m. and closed at 6:23 p.m.; the commission extended the public‑hearing record for further discussion at a subsequent meeting.

Senior Planner Chaney Skadsen told the commission the proposals respond to recent state bills and the city’s new comprehensive plan. “The vision for the future is that all types of homes are affordable, abundant, safe, and accessible to all Burien residents, now and in the future, regardless of income, race, family structure, household size, personal ability, or life stage,” Skadsen said, summarizing the housing chapter that guides these amendments.

Nut graf: The package would replace several single‑family zones with a three‑tier residential suite (R‑1, R‑2, R‑3), update dimensional standards and unit allowances, establish middle‑housing typologies, add limited neighborhood commercial in some residential areas, and create bonuses for proximity to qualifying transit and for preserving naturally occurring affordable housing. Commissioners and residents debated parking, shoreline and tree protections, open‑space minimums, and how to define qualifying transit stops; the commission directed staff to return with clarified options and additional definitions before making a final recommendation to city council.

What staff proposed: Skadsen summarized the main elements of the draft code and map amendments. The amendments replace existing single‑family zone labels (for example, RS 7,200 and RS 12,000) with R‑1, R‑2 and R‑3. Key numeric changes described in staff materials include:

- R‑1: minimum lot size proposed at 6,000 square feet; baseline maximum units per lot of three (counting ADUs); a bonus unit is available (maximum four) if the lot is within the defined proximity to a qualifying transit stop or if one unit is income‑restricted and protected by a recorded restrictive covenant for 50 years.

- R‑2: smaller minimum lots and reduced front setbacks than existing single‑family rules; baseline of four units per lot; a preservation bonus can add one unit (for example, raising the maximum to six units) if an existing structure that serves low‑ or moderate‑income households is preserved.

- R‑3: the most permissive of the three new zones; proposed minimum lot size is 3,000 square feet and front yard setback as small as 10 feet. R‑3 has a baseline of four units with up to two bonus units available (up to seven units in specific bonus scenarios). Skadsen cautioned that meeting all development standards…