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Seaside development director reports 153 apartment permits; warns of limited buildable land
Summary
Seaside's Community Development director told council the city permitted over 153 apartment units this year and faces a 20-year need for 1,500+ units; limited buildable lands, slopes and wetlands constrain growth and staff flagged upcoming planning code updates and a June 2 planning commission hearing on the comprehensive-plan rewrite.
At the May 11 Seaside City Council meeting, Community Development Director Jeff Forey presented the department's annual report and a snapshot of local housing activity.
Forey highlighted that the city issued permits for more than 153 apartment units in the current year, a notable increase driven in part by multi-unit projects such as the Pacifica development. He referenced the state's Oregon Housing Needs analysis that sets a one-year production target of 112 units and identifies a 20-year need of more than 1,500 housing units for Seaside.
Forey warned the council that available land inside the city's urban growth boundary is limited and much of what remains contains significant slopes, wetlands or other constraints that increase construction complexity and costs. He noted that engineering requirements for steep lots can make projects more expensive and that system-development charges and construction costs deter ADU (accessory dwelling unit) development.
The presentation covered housing costs, rentals and short-term rental inventory: the department reported an average rental listing price of about $1,750 (Zillow-based figure in staff materials) and said the city had 440 permitted short-term rental units at the end of 2025. Forey also discussed the housing-code update and the need to review short-term rental regulations if the city pursues infill and higher densities.
On planning-process matters, Forey announced that the planning commission will hold the first public hearing on the comprehensive-plan rewrite on June 2. He said consultants are compiling comments from the Department of Land Conservation & Development (DLCD) and other stakeholders into a matrix that will be published for public review.
Councilors asked how the city could encourage more infill and ADU development; Forey said a forthcoming code update could spur activity, but noted that system-development charges, infrastructure limits and land constraints remain major hurdles. He also encouraged council to consider targeted funding tools to support projects that produce legally affordable units.
Council members recognized the permitting activity and stressed the need to pair growth strategies with infrastructure planning, including sewer-system upgrades and a long-term capital plan.
