A well-visited Seaside estuary outlook is being eyed for housing development.

Acting on a proposal by Public Works Director Dale McDowell, the city proposed street vacations on North Holladay Dr. to consolidate two separate city-owned 40-foot streets and provide a path to retain at least a portion of the property for public access. If adopted, the city would lose spaces, but would still have a public parking area with a view.

At last Monday’s City Council meeting, residents suggested that setting aside a portion of the estuary parking lot was not enough.

Resident Ron Graham said the entire estuary parking lot should be purchased by the city. “Let’s not beat around the bush — at least go and talk to them (the owners) and say, ‘How can we work this out so it’s a win-win situation for both?’”

In December the Seaside School District sold the former high school to TM Development LLC, including Tom Utti and Mark Utti, for $3.2 million.

“One of the things we talked about was the parking lot,” Public Works Director Dale McDowell said. “That was owned by the school district — the entire area except the two city streets 19th and 20th. They’re undeveloped streets at this point, even though one of them is paved as part of the existing parking lot. There’s no curb or sidewalks.”

Of three shoreline parcels, 32,500 square feet are zoned R-2 for medium-density residential use, allowing 10 dwelling units per one acre. The remaining shoreline parcels are almost 28,000 square feet for aquatic conservation. Overall, the nearly 12-acre former school parcel is zoned R-2, with more than 454,000 square feet.

If the street vacations are adopted by City Council, the public parking area overlooking the estuary on North Holladay Drive, listed in the city’s visitors’ guide as one of the city’s attractions, could shrink down from more than 300 feet of estuary waterfront to 80 feet.

While no plans have been submitted for either the estuary area or the land east of North Holladay, McDowell presented drawings of the overlook before and after the proposed street vacation. If approved by City Council, developers would transfer a portion of land along the west side of the street to form a continuous 80-feet viewshed, which includes the overlook deck. The remaining land, some now owned by the city, could be used for residential development.

Seaside’s parks advisory committee came to the City Council more than a year ago and considered ways to finance a purchase of the park, McDowell said. When an interested purchaser backed away from the deal, the conversation was discontinued.

McDowell again reached out to the developers, who, he said, “are very approachable.”

Resident Thomas Schwenzer said the city could receive assistance in a purchase from the North Coast Land Conservancy or in city grants. “I’m going to suggest that we take a look at a larger acquisition by the city from the current land owner,” Schwenzer said. “We might end up with the sort of parking lot that people are used to and viewpoints that they’re accustomed to.”

Others suggested that the owners be encouraged to donate the property or to negotiate system development charges that will be incurred during the building process.

Twelfth Avenue resident Pam Bierly said the estuary is one of only six conservation estuaries on the Oregon Coast, and should be conserved, maintained or restored in that natural state.

“Unlike other district properties, it has always been a public place and even is labeled on various tourist maps and reviews,” Bierly said. “It’s also listed online at the city of Seaside parks information and most recently, the Prom Centennial booklet calls it a park.”

Council members directed McDowell to pursue discussions with the owners.

“I love the idea of doing this,” Randy Frank said. “I think it would behoove us to explore all the options we might have. Currently we don’t know what those are.”

Councilor Tita Montero called it a “two-way conversation” between the city and developers. “‘What are you thinking about?’ ‘What does the city need?’ ‘What do the citizens need?’ I don’t think the start is that we vacate — I think the start is that we communicate.”

McDowell and Barber met with the TM Development team on Tuesday afternoon, McDowell said, and discussed options for obtaining additional property along the Estuary. “The meeting was well received, and all parties are eager to work together on a possible solution.”

‘I don’t think the start is that we vacate — I think the start is that we communicate.’

— City Councilor Tita Montero