Hotel and cable park at Nichols Boat Basin

[Mulekick84]

I'm all for the cable park! Can't wait to take my first pull!

The Hotel, conference center, shops, traffic, tourists, construction chaos...not so much!!

[arthurb]

A few notes on process:
Once a formal proposal is made, the hotel/ office project and the cable park all require approval by the City Planning Commission to determine compliance with city zoning and land use rules. Their decision may be reviewed by the City Council. There will be time for anyone with a position on this to submit comment. All meetings and documents will be public. You'll get a chance to examine detailed site plans, traffic studies, etc.

No proposal has been made yet, but you can contact the Planning Department if you want to be notified about meetings and comment deadlines once a land use process starts. It's important to know that decisions are made based on the "record." A post on iWindsurf or a Letter to the Editor is not part of the record. You need to submit a written or verbal comment during a hearing period if you want decision makers to consider it. The process can be pretty technical, especially since it is near the water and near a freeway ramp. The Planning Department can help explain how the decisions are made and when you can comment. I can tell you based on personal experience that comments really do get read and play an important role.

The cable park proposal also requires action by the Port of Hood River (leases/easements for towers, water use). As a public entity they hold public meetings and take public testimony. I'm also told it will require permits from the Army Corps of Engineers for floats/docks.

I'm not trying to discourage informal discussion such as this thread, just making sure that everyone knows the role of public comment in the official hearings.

[CUSalin]

Thank you arthurb. You da man!

[NaitoDevelopment]

Hello, I was just made aware of this discussion thread yesterday. I'm sorry I wasn't online earlier to address some of your concerns about the Nichols Boat Works.

I think most of you will really enjoy the improved, pedestrian-friendly streetscape and other improvements we’re making.

In the coming months we’ll be holding several voluntary town hall meetings in Hood River to gather input on the cable park and our project from the community. I hope to meet some of you there there.

In summary, we’re building:

- An 85-89 room Hampton Inn & Suites Hotel
- A gastro-pub with a large deck overlooking the water
- A watersports retailer / pro-shop
- Office space
- The cable park

We’re committed to being as transparent as possible and listening to the community and other waterfront users.

[CUSalin]

Hotel & pedestrian friendly streetscapes sound very appealing!

Cablepark not so much.

[NaitoDevelopment]

[NaitoDevelopment]

[CUSalin]

[westender]

Mr. Naito: It seems like such a small space for a cable park. If a rider navigated his board device, directly under the cable I suppose hitting the shore or a rider going the other way couldn't happen? Are there plans to enlarge the channel?

[NaitoDevelopment]