A6 • Friday, April 22, 2022 | Seaside Signal | SeasideSignal.com
Estuary: Residents wonder if outlook can be saved
Continued from Page A1
Resident Ron Graham
said the entire estuary park-
ing lot should be purchased
by the city. “Let’s not beat
around the bush — at least
go and talk to them (the own-
ers) and say, ‘How can we
work this out so it’s a win-
win situation for both?’”
In December the Sea-
side School District sold the
former high school to TM
Development LLC, includ-
ing 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 par-
cels, 32,500 square feet are
zoned R-2 for medium-den-
sity residential use, allow-
ing 10 dwelling units per
one acre. The remaining
shoreline parcels are almost
28,000 square feet for
aquatic conservation. Over-
all, the nearly 12-acre for-
mer 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 over-
looking 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 estu-
ary waterfront to 80 feet.
While no plans have been
submitted for either the estu-
ary 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 view-
shed, which includes the
TM Development
Parking on Necanicum near the estuary.
‘I DON’T
THINK THE
START IS THAT
WE VACATE
— I THINK
THE START
IS THAT WE
COMMUNICATE.’
City Councilor Tita Montero
Mark Mead Engineering
A proposal to vacate two streets, in yellow, could combine land for a viewing area at the
estuary. The new confi guration is seen at right.
overlook deck. The remain-
ing land, some now owned
by the city, could be used for
residential development.
Seaside’s parks advi-
sory committee came to
the City Council more than
a year ago and considered
ways to fi nance a purchase
of the park, McDowell said.
When an interested pur-
chaser backed away from
the deal, the conversation
was discontinued.
McDowell
again
reached out to the develop-
ers, 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 peo-
ple are used to and view-
points that they’re accus-
tomed to.”
Others suggested that
the owners be encouraged
to donate the property or to
negotiate system develop-
ment charges that will be
incurred during the building
process.
Twelfth Avenue resident
Pam Bierly said the estu-
ary is one of only six con-
servation 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 Centen-
nial booklet calls it a park.”
Council
members
directed McDowell to pur-
sue 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 conver-
sation” 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 Devel-
opment team on Tuesday
afternoon, McDowell said,
and discussed options for
obtaining additional prop-
erty along the Estuary. “The
meeting was well received,
and all parties are eager to
work together on a possible
solution.”
NEWS NOTES
SOLVE cleanup on Seaside Library
Gearhart beaches presents April events
The Seaside Public
Library presents live events
throughout April.
On Saturday, April 30 at
2 p.m. the Friends of Sea-
side Public Library will host
long-time sportswriter Kerry
Eggers who will be discuss-
ing his most recent book,
“Jerome Kersey: Overcom-
ing the Odds.” This event
will be held in the Commu-
nity Room of the Seaside
Public Library with a Q&A
and signing following the
book talk.
Teen Tuesday, for teens
in grades six through 12,
takes place at the Seaside
Public Library. On April 26
at 4 p.m. belt out favorite
songs at “Karaoke!”
Storytime,
for
pre-
school age children, takes
place at the Seaside Pub-
lic Library. Sign-ups are
required to attend these
events so contact the library
to reserve your spot. In-per-
son Storytime on April 28 at
10:30 a.m. will feature the
theme “Superhero Day!”
facebook.com/Seasidesignal
DINING
on the
NORTH COAST
Seaside’s Future Business Leaders of America
made an unprecedented showing at the business
leadership conference.
Seaside’s Future Business Leaders
of America celebrate achievement
Thirty Seaside High School students went to the
Future Business Leaders of America 2022 State Busi-
ness Leadership Conference in downtown Portland ear-
lier this month. Seaside FBLA fi nished in the top three
in every competition, a fi rst for any of faculty member
Mike Verhulst’s chapters in 13 years as an adviser.
Their performance has qualifi ed every student to
participate in the National Leadership Conference
in Chicago this summer.
Great Restaurants in:
GEARHART • SEASIDE
CANNON BEACH
WANT TO KNOW WHERE THE LOCALS GO?
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
• Junior Menu
RESTAURANT & LOUNGE
• Lighter appetite menu
E
RIL Y’
S
Sign up for the Gearhart
Beach Cleanup on Saturday
from 10 a.m. to noon.
Meet at the Gearhart
Beach access off 10th
Street. There is limited
paved parking, with addi-
tional parking on the beach
recommended for hardy
vehicles only.
This event is part of
the annual Oregon Spring
Cleanup, presented by
PGE.
The beach cleanup is
family-friendly, and vol-
unteers of all ages will fi nd
the event fun and reward-
ing. Help protect marine
life and maintain the beauty
of our coast. Be prepared
by dressing for any weather
and wearing sturdy shoes.
Participants are encour-
age to bring their own reus-
able bucket/bag, gloves and
water bottle to help reduce
plastic waste. SOLVE will
provide bags and gloves.
Please keep dogs on a leash
and steer clear of roped off
snowy plover nesting areas.
BEST
BREAKFAST
IN TOWN!
Fish ‘n Chips • Burgers • Seafood & Steak
Friday & Saturday - Prime Rib
Lounge Open Daily 9-Midnight
All Oregon Lottery products available
1104 S Holladay • 503-738-9701 • Open Daily at 8am
Posalski: City councilor, restaurateur sees the world
not going anywhere at the
moment.
What is he most proud of?
“We are defi nitely known
for our pastrami, the tsunami
pastrami, which is our sig-
nature sandwich. The other
thing that I’m super proud of
is our people.”
Continued from Page A1
to three weeks. The emer-
gency prep package comes
with two basic buckets,
water barrels, bucket opener,
bung wrench and emergency
radio. Pre-order and assem-
ble on May 14 at the Seaside
Fire Department.
Posalski recently returned
from a journey to Egypt with
his son Berkley.
“I love traveling,” he said.
“I’ve traveled since I was a
kid. I think by the time I was
18, I’d probably been to 25
states. My son and I travel
for Christmas. That’s his
Christmas gift.”
In a separate trip, he was
joined by his mother in Ice-
land, where he fulfi lled a
Cannon Beach
Chocolate Cafe
CHOCOLATE BUNNIES AND
PREFILLED BASKETS! GET
YOUR EASTER TREATS HERE!
232 N. Spruce • Cannon Beach, Oregon
Open 10 am-5 pm Daily! • 503.436.4331
Call Sarah Silver
503.325.3211
ext 1222
R.J. Marx
David Posalski speaking to members of the Seaside Chamber
of Commerce.
dream of seeing the North-
ern Lights, followed by a
visit to Ireland where a pos-
itive COVID test delayed
their return.
With city budget season, a
new camping ordinance and
tourist time in Seaside, he’s
YOUR RESTAURANT
AD HERE.
Find Your Next Regular
Customers!