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Council approves Neighborhood Improvement Commission's TOT project list and council allocations
Summary
Seaside’s council approved the NIC’s recommended $393,849 list of neighborhood improvement projects (parks, medians, benches, utility‑box art, Havana Solis pathways) and selected additional council‑funded initiatives. The package funds small capital, beautification and safety projects across neighborhoods.
The Seaside City Council on June 18 approved the Neighborhood Improvement Commission’s FY2026 recommendations for Transient Occupancy Tax‑funded neighborhood improvement projects and finalized the council’s discretionary allocation.
Assistant City Manager Dan Miwis presented the NIC’s vetted list totaling about $393,849, which included items such as Seaside Stars plaques and QR codes, median landscaping, additional pet‑waste stations, pathway improvements at Havana Solis Park, an annual bench replacement allocation, utility‑box artwork, a Cal‑Trans mural design RFP, and small playground and pedestrian safety improvements. The NIC held five meetings and a retreat this year and prioritized projects across parks, medians and gateways.
Council members asked for clarifications on the greenhouse‑of‑the‑month pilot proposed by the Environmental Commission, the scale and timing of a proposed CALTRANS mural, and safety/maintenance issues at Laguna Grande and other parks. Staff clarified that the $20,000 recommended for the Cal‑Trans mural is for a design and RFP process and that any larger mural construction would require separate funding decisions and potentially multi‑year allocations. Council also discussed guardrails against scope creep and asked for follow‑ups on design details before construction.
After rolling through council preferences for each NIC item, council approved the NIC recommendations and the city allocation package, with staff to proceed to implementation and to return with more detailed designs and outreach plans for projects that require additional vetting. Council emphasized that unencumbered funds must be under contract by June 30, 2027 or they will revert to the general fund.
Public commenters and commissioners urged attention to maintenance‑heavy projects — notably pathways at Havana Solis and Manzanita‑Stewart Park concrete repairs — and asked that the mural planning account for maintenance, safety and Caltrans permitting. Council and staff agreed to more design details and return visits on larger projects before construction.
