UPDATED: Event Site / Waterfront regulations - 7/21

ldhr · Since 21 Jul 2009 1487 Posts Hood River XTreme Poster

NOTE: the big change is annual passholders only on weekends and no parking along the entrance street. And the marina is closed to kiting.

CROWDING FORCES CLOSURES, USE RESTRICTIONS AT HOOD RIVER WATERFRONT
Conflicting uses and overcrowding prompt restrictions

HOOD RIVER, OR – Crowded beaches and conflicting uses of limited space have raised safety concerns for recreational sites on the Hood River waterfront. The Port of Hood River owns and operates most of the recreational facilities and announces the following changes that will go into effect July 25. These rules will apply all days unless noted below as Saturdays and Sundays only. The Port will continue to monitor crowding and other safety conditions and may take further measures to close or restrict access to recreational sites if necessary.

EVENT SITE – (Saturdays and Sundays only) The Event Site parking lot will be open to annual pass holders only. No day use passes will be sold. The parking lot will close to all users if overcrowding on the beach occurs. The south curb of the Event Site lot will remain closed to parking. Event Site users are urged to comply with the state mandate requiring masks when 6 feet of social distance cannot be maintained. Picnicking and group gatherings at the Event Site are discouraged, as this is a very active site used primarily for windsurfing and kiteboarding.

SANDBAR – The Sandbar is an area of intense kiteboarding use and can be dangerous for spectators unaware of the sport’s space requirements. This area is accessed via the Spit parking lot and is not recommended for picnickers.

LOT 1 – Closed to all vehicle parking.

N. 1ST STREET PARKING LIMITED – (Saturdays and Sundays only) [b]There will be no parking allowed along the entire east side curb of N. 1st Street. This closure is to discourage crowding at Nichols Basin and Frog Beach. [/b]

NICHOLS BASIN DOCK – Closed to the public due to overcrowding.

FROG BEACH – Frog Beach will remain open, but users are urged to spread out or use the Marina Beach instead when the small beach area becomes too crowded. This beach has been very crowded with children and groups the past couple of weekends, raising alarm in the local community. Beach users are reminded to wear masks when 6 feet of social distance with people not from your own household cannot be maintained.

MARINA BEACH – The Marina Beach will be closed to all kiteboarding activities, all days. This includes rigging, launching, and pump and dry on any dry sand or lawn area. Picnickers and family groups using the Marina Beach are urged to spread out and comply with the state mandate requiring masks when 6 feet of social distance with people not from your own household cannot be maintained.

WATERFRONT PARK BEACH (City-owned facility) – The Waterfront Park beach is open, but users are reminded to spread out and wear masks when 6 feet of distance cannot be maintained.

WATERFRONT PARK PLAYGROUND (City-owned facility) – The playground area is closed until further notice.

The Port received a notable number of calls, emails, and messages from residents and businesses alike after the weekend of July 18-19 urging closure of the recreational sites in response to overcrowding and non-compliance with mask mandates. The Port encourages weekend visitors to stay closer to home and urges all users of Port recreational facilities to comply with all COVID-related safety mandates as well as use and parking restrictions, or further use limitations or closures may be imposed. City and Port officials also urge visitors to all waterfront areas to come prepared to pack out their garbage and remind dog owners to keep dogs on leash and ensure proper disposal of dog waste.

tgautier · Since 22 Oct 2016 49 Posts

This seems so incredibly short sighted. Closing the Marina just means more people at the Event Site. And I own a pass so I’m not impacted but this is insulting to anyone using the Marina responsibly to both give ES users more space and to get away from the overcrowding for their own protection.

Also as a point of order - per my understanding of Oregon law regarding waterways - the Port does not (can not) own the land under high tide so they can not regulate it. Therefore unless I’m mistaken while they can close kiteboarding activity on the grass and the sand beach just adjacent to the green grass out to the marshy area further out is under high tide and should legally be ok regardless of what the port says.

tgautier · Since 22 Oct 2016 49 Posts

ldhr · Since 21 Jul 2009 1487 Posts Hood River XTreme Poster

Singlemalt · Since 21 Jun 2015 474 Posts White Salmon Obsessed

The marina guys can still get to the slider project from the spit parking. They just gotta move camp and get setup again at the spit. They are an adaptable, hardy breed.

These are fairly small tweaks, and I think it will fall short of the mark. The Port properties were overrun last weekend. Hood River waterfront looks like the beaches of Alabama.

I feel for the poor kid who’ll have to sit in the sun at the event site entry, turning dozens of irritated drivers away. I’d say bring em cold beers, but they a little young for that. Maybe a cold Gatorade. And a smile. It’s going to be some long shifts.

A time limit needs to be implemented at the event site. You’d get a entry time from the booth and put it on your dash. Four hours, plenty of time to wear yourself out. Overstay your time a get a ticket. Otherwise, folks will park a rig in the morning and use it as a base of operations all day. AKA “the hatchery plan” I see the same big rigs there all day, everyday. Weekends need to see more turn over.

Just my $.02

I think even the season pass holders need to give a little, like everybody else.

ay · Since 11 Oct 2008 111 Posts HR - ME Stoked

The waterfront has been a transmission disaster since June. Long overdue for this kind of action. ES & marina have been a joke and numbers need restriction.

WEAR YOUR MASK

shred_da_gorge · Tue Jul 21, 20 8:57 pm

IMO it's not a fair trade. The Port regulates event site usage by vehicle, not by person. You'll see when the passholders rule is in effect that there is generally one or two watersports people per carload and the "beachcombers" (sitters is more like it) come as families - and this year where they are parking (their butts) has been one of the more disruptive in my observation.

What about creating signage suggesting that the Waterfront Park (and beach) is an alternative for non-watersports users?

I've learned to let logic go but we fought and worked hard to build the Waterfront Park - the Port were not so cooperative back then. Spacing there has seemed reasonable (although my observations are walking my dog when many are at dinner). Why people would want to sunbathe at the precise corner of the sandbar where kites flail in the wind shadow behind the bushes is beyond me, or let their kids swim dead between where the beginner kiters are parked at 12:00 and others are trying to launch just to the north of the rocks and shallows mid-sandbar... well, that's beyond my reach, let alone the topic at hand (COVID management).

On the flip side, seems there are less dogs running around pooping out there now... ;-)

FreerideWhiteSalmon · Since 17 May 2012 64 Posts **CGKA Member**

I agree that signage is needed, and should be included in Spanish as well. This is a good move in the right direction IMO because it acknowledges the spot is unique for wind sports users, and gives beach goers an alternate at the Marina, but without significant signage it won’t be easy.

Agree that the Marina kiters can use the spit effectively like we all did earlier this season. It’s a short walk.

tgautier · Since 22 Oct 2016 49 Posts

FreerideWhiteSalmon · Since 17 May 2012 64 Posts **CGKA Member**

Dude you should’ve joined me for dawn patrol this morning. I was the only one out, two guys fishing, and a horse on the sandbar. Felt like Planet of the Apes!

Thatspec · Since 17 Mar 2008 119 Posts Ptucky Stoked

Way to motivate Freeride! There's a lot of space out there if one is flexible and willing to drive.

Celilo to Rufus today Cool

tgautier · Since 22 Oct 2016 49 Posts

bgkiter · Since 20 Oct 2008 92 Posts

teabagger · Since 15 Jun 2012 68 Posts **CGKA Member**

So let me get this straight. They are closing the ES to anyone but pass holders on the busiest days and also closing the Marina to kiting which is 2 launches and forcing everyone to 1 launch (the Spit) which has less parking than either closed spot to... HELP? with overcrowding?

Make that make sense.

wannabekiter · Since 14 May 2015 269 Posts Hood river Obsessed

What we really is a gate on the freeway off ramp. Kind of like what meadows does. Evil or Very Mad

ldhr · Since 21 Jul 2009 1487 Posts Hood River XTreme Poster

shred_da_gorge · Tue Jul 28, 20 5:33 pm

Did you see the group of say 15 people out floating on something off of the sandbar tonight? I couldn't even count how many of them were sitting side by side on something slightly submerged. Some people just don't get it...