Burien officially incorporates on February 28, 1993.

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On February 28, 1993, the city of Burien incorporates. Residents had voted two to one in favor of incorporation on March 10, 1992. Burien becomes Washington's 22nd-largest city, behind Lynnwood, but ahead of Walla Walla. Although residents had rejected the idea four times before, unchecked growth, plans for a third runway at Sea-Tac Airport, and a proposal to build a floating bridge through the community generated new interest in becoming a city. The new city consists of approximately nine square miles between Seattle and Normandy Park and between the City of Seatac and Puget Sound and has a population of about 27,700.

Burien was named after pioneer Gottlieb Van Boorian whose name was misspelled to Burien. The idea of becoming a city was presented to voters four times including 1954, 1960, and 1984, but in each case they voted the measure down, the last time by a margin of three to one. The only direct political influence the unincorporated area had on local government was through a single member of the King County Council and the county executive.

By 1989, plans for a third runway at Sea-Tac International Airport and uncontrolled urban growth were enough for citizens to form a committee to investigate incorporation once again. Multifamily dwellings had increased by 33 percent during the previous 10 years and committee chairman Arun Jhaveri stated that Burien had become "a dumping ground for the county to have the apartments" (The Seattle Times, February 13, 1992).

The committee commissioned a study that projected that existing taxes would cover projected expenses of a new city. In December 1991, the King County Boundary Review Commission approved the boundaries of a proposed city of Burien, which did not include the White Center area. Incorporation critics claimed that this was to exclude the low-income neighborhood from the new city's tax base. Proponents stated that during community meetings, White Center residents did not express an interest in incorporation.

A few weeks before the election, consultants hired by the State of Washington published recommendations for a floating bridge to connect the Kitsap Peninsula to Vashon Island to Burien. This possibility of a major state highway cutting through the community would dramatically change its character. On March 10, 1992, Burien voters approved incorporation by a margin of two to one.

A primary election on May 19, 1992, narrowed city council candidates from 22 to 14. On September 15, 1992, the voters selected a seven-member interim city council and Mayor Arun Jhaveri. The official incorporation was set for midnight, February 28, 1993 and the community celebrated the event starting at 9:00 p.m. on the 27th.

Sources:
HistoryLink.org, the online encyclopedia of Washington State History, "King County Historical Bibliography, Part 3: King County Incorporations" (by Charles Payton), http://www.HistoryLink.org/ (accessed March 7, 2006); Bob Ortega, "No New Taxes Seen for City of Burien," The Seattle Times, October 2, 1991, p. F-1; Katherine Long, "City Dreams: Four Communities in King County Seek to Incorporate," Ibid., February 9, 1992; Charles Aweeka, "From Baby to Boomer," Ibid., February 13, 1992, p. F-1; "Southern Exposure," Ibid., March 5, 1992, p. F-1; "A Tunnel Under Puget Sound? -- Study Would Put It, Or A Bridge, From Kitsap Peninsula To Vashon To Burien," Ibid., February 18, 1992, p. B-2; Charles Aweeka, "5th Time's the Charm; Burien Votes to be a City," Ibid., March 12, 1992, p. A-1; Charles Aweeka, "Burien City Council -- Burien Chooses Its First City Council," Ibid., September 16, 1992, p. C-7; Joe Mooney, "Battle Lines are Drawn in Burien," Seattle Post-Intelligencer, December 12, 1991, p. B-2; Kathy George, "Burien May Vote Again On Being A City White Center Not Expected To Be Inside The Boundaries," Ibid., December 12, 1991, p. B-1; Joe Mooney and George Foster, "Burien Voters to Select First City Council," Ibid, May 13, 1992, p. B-2; Joe Mooney and George Foster, "Runway, Growth Are Prime Issues in Burien," Ibid., May 14, 1992, p. B-2; Joe Mooney, "Burien Crosses That Bridge into Cityhood," Ibid., March 12, 1992, p. B-2; Sherri Nee and Gregg Harrington, "A Tale of New Cities," Columbian (Vancouver, WA), July 14, 1996, p. 1.
Note: On March 1, 2007, the date of this essay was changed from the date of the vote to the date of actual incorporation.

By David Wilma, March 09, 2006

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Downtown Burien, 1940s
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