Message from Port HR - 5/21

ldhr · Since 21 Jul 2009 1472 Posts Hood River XTreme Poster

Sales of Event Site Parking Passes- The discounted preseason pass sales end on Wednesday, May 26th. The only way to purchase them is online. Passes purchased after today will not get mailed. They will be put in will call and available for pickup when the booth when it opens on Friday, May 28th.
Regular- $100 preseason, $125 after 5/26/21
Overlength (vehicles over 22’)- preseason $140, $200 after 5/26/21
Passes are transferrable to equal size other vehicles.
Passes are not replaceable if lost or stolen, so please keep your windows closed so it doesn’t disappear.

Event Site Parking- All vehicles must pay to park in the Event Site Lot parking lot. Day passes, season passes, and payment at the Kiosks if the booth is closed.
The Port Parking Enforcement is alive and well and roaming the waterfront. Please be sure to pay or have a pass in order to avoid a ticket.
Overflow parking- Lot #1, the dirt lot behind the Event Site is for overflow parking when the Event Site fills up. Season passes, day passes and payment at Kiosk are all valid.
On street parking- Payment required. Season Passes and Day passes are not valid. Payment by kiosk only.
The entrance to the Event Site Parking Lot closes at 9p.m. and all cars must be out by 10p.m.
No parking along the red curbs. That equals a ticket. Active loading and unloading along the yellow curbs.
Season Passes must be affixed to the windshield on the lower driver’s side window where parking enforcement can see it. Passes must be displayed at all times, even once the car is in the lot.
Day Passes must be on the dashboard clearly visible at all times for parking enforcement.
Regular length parking spots are for vehicles up to 22 feet. Overlength vehicles, Vans with racks extending past 22 feet and cars with trailers may not park in regular length spots, or take 2 regular length spots. Violators will get tickets.
Overlength parking spots are for vehicles 22 feet and over. This includes vans with racks off the back and cars with trailers. Regular length vehicles parked in overlength spots will get ticketed.
There is no overnight parking/camping allowed on any Port Property.

Kite launch pad- Launching from the Event Site grass ends on Wednesday, May 26th. All launching and landing must take place out on the sandbar. The grass area is for pump and dry only. Due to safety concerns from the increase in usage from so many user groups, the grass area will remain closed until Mid-September. Signage will change on Wednesday.
Port Staff will chalk a line from the east edge of the restroom running North to South. The west side is for non-kite user groups, the east side of the line to the edge of the walkway to the sandbar is for kites. Please do not put down kite lines to the west of the line or on the sidewalk.
When accessing the sandbar, please use the west side of the bushes for outgoing, the east side for incoming. It gets tricky with beachgoers setting up camp right in the middle of it all. Please practice kindness and patience with them, they have the right to use the beach just like you!
We are working on additional signage to warn people of the dangers of kite lines and kites landing near the entrance to the Sandbar. The Sandbar is owned by the Department of State Lands, so the Port does not sign or manage that area.
Please work together to educate people on the importance of following the rules. The reason the beach gets closed is for safety. If there were to be an accident the possibility of losing the privilege to launch and land from the Event Site could go away for good, and we certainly don’t want that.

Event Site Host- Our rock star Host, Doug Newcomb, is back for another season. He does have a full time job besides hosting to so he may be in and out. His RV has signs letting people know if he is available listing his phone number in case someone needs to get in touch with him. Our Host is a general peacekeeper, collector of lost items, beach etiquette educator, dog owner educator, and a wealth of information. Please stop by and introduce yourself if you haven’t met him.

Lost and found- Inexpensive items will go in the brown bin on the east side of the Event Site restroom. More expensive items will be held throughout the day at the Host’s RV. In the evening parking enforcement will pick up items from the Host to bring back to the Port office for storage. Pick up of lost items needs to be coordinated with the Host. He will have a list of all items that were taken to the Port office. The office is still closed to the public.

Event Site Restroom- One of my favorite topics! The Port plans to get the restroom open in time for Labor Day Weekend. Port-a-potties will remain due to the crowds and high use. The other restrooms will open as soon as the Port finds summer help to clean them.

Picnic Shelter- Currently closed for reservations until July 1st. Hopefully we will be able to offer reservations and Event bookings at that time. Much depends on the state of Covid and hiring staff to clean and manage the shelter.

Trash- Additional dumpsters have been added around port property. The Port hopes to resume trash can service as soon as summer help gets hired.

MrGie · Since 17 Feb 2015 55 Posts

Thank you for the update

Marcus O · Since 30 May 2018 98 Posts

jasonq · Since 12 Jan 2009 242 Posts hood river Stoked

"The west side is for non-kite user groups, the east side of the line to the edge of the walkway to the sandbar is for kites. Please do not put down kite lines to the west of the line or on the sidewalk"

does this mean that running lines on the grass is OK?

MrGie · Since 17 Feb 2015 55 Posts

If the sand bar goes underwater completely and there is no room to launch from, can we still launch from grass or cannot launch at all?

ldhr · Since 21 Jul 2009 1472 Posts Hood River XTreme Poster

ldhr · Since 21 Jul 2009 1472 Posts Hood River XTreme Poster

AC · Since 04 Jul 2012 66 Posts **CGKA Member**

For those that don’t know, LD is mostly winging (not launching or landing at ES), so all his efforts to keep ES activity efficient via communication with port and kiters is done solely for the benefit of others. Let’s help him out by complying with the rules. Thanks.

ldhr · Since 21 Jul 2009 1472 Posts Hood River XTreme Poster

Thanks AC!

SO.... the Port has informed me that the grass launch will remain CLOSED even in the event of high water.
The Port recently came to the decision that the entire waterfront is way too crowded to allow kiters to launch from the grass.
There's an interesting article in his weeks Columbia Gorge News about the crowds causing issues. I had no idea of the conflict between boaters, sup'ers and swimmers at the Nichols boat basin.

This means that if the water rises and the sandbar is not useable - you cannot kite at the Event Site.

IMO - the only solution is for the Port to allocate a new position - something like a park ranger to help manage the crowds. More signs are not the solution.

hilton · Since 15 Aug 2008 789 Posts Opinionated