Burien council adopts expanded public-camping ban in 5-2 vote amid public opposition

Burien City Council on Jan. 27, 2025, adopted Ordinance 8-64, amending Burien Municipal Code 9.85.150 (unlawful public camping) and 10.15.100 (parking), by a 5-2 roll-call vote. Councilmember Stephanie Mora moved to adopt the ordinance as an emergency measure; Councilmember Linda Akey seconded the motion. The council's vote followed a 34-minute public-comment block in which many residents urged the council to reject the measure or delay it until shelter capacity increased.

The ordinance makes it unlawful to "camp" or "store" sleeping materials on public property across the city and adds language prohibiting parking in the public right-of-way for the principal purpose of camping. City Attorney Carmen Newsom described the draft as a clearer, shorter prohibition than the city's prior "reasonable time, place and manner" approach and said it was drafted in light of recent court rulings: "cities have the right, the ability, the authority to try different things in order to figure out what works." Newsom also said implementation would rely on administrative policies and that, where available, law enforcement…