Seaside — During public comment Thursday, a resident urged the Seaside City Council to stop a pizza business proposed near Roberts Lake and to preserve the lakeside open space.

Robin Jensen, a Seaside resident, told the council she saw workers uprooting landscaping on the west side of Roberts Lake and was told the work was preparation for “a pizza establishment.” She described Roberts Lake as her regular walking route and said she was distraught at the idea of converting a section “set aside for nature” to commercial use. “I beseech, beg, and plead with you to terminate the common commercial contract. Let the open section remain just that,” Jensen said.

City response: City staff and council members replied during the same meeting. The city manager said no development permits for property on the Seaside side of Roberts Lake have been issued and that the city’s code enforcement had been notified and was investigating the complaint. Staff also explained the area in question lies within or adjacent to Coastal Commission jurisdiction, and that any formal proposal would require review by the Coastal Commission and a planning process before construction could proceed.

Why it matters: Residents value Roberts Lake and the surrounding trail system as open space and habitat. The exchange highlighted the limited scope of city authority over lands in or near Coastal Commission control and the procedural steps required before commercial development can occur.

Next steps: City staff will follow up with code enforcement and keep the council apprised; the council said it would expect any formal development proposal to come through regular planning and Coastal Commission reviews.

Ending: The city’s immediate action was procedural — code enforcement will investigate and staff confirmed that, to date, no permits have been pulled for development on the city side of Roberts Lake.