Minutes of February 6, 2007 Regular Meeting
Expo Center Conference Room

Present: Commissioners Sherry Bohn, Fred Duckwall, and Kathy Watson; Attorney Jerry Jaques; from staff, Michael McElwee, Mike Doke, Linda Hull, Linda Shames, and Laurie Borton

Absent: Commissioners Don Hosford and Hoby Streich

Media: Sue Ryan, Hood River News

1. CALL TO ORDER: President Bohn called the regular session to order at 5:30 p.m.
a) Modifications, Additions to Agenda by Staff: A website redesign proposal was added to the agenda as Action Items.
b) Information, Communications, Announcements: Operations Manager Linda Hull informed the Commissioners she would provide them with a Statement of Economic Interest, as required by Oregon Government Standards and Practices, that would need to be completed for submission no later than April 17.

2. PUBLIC COMMENT: None.

3. CONSENT AGENDA: The Consent Agenda items were read, by title only, by President Bohn:
· Approval of January 23, 2007 meeting minutes
· Ratify execution of Homeshield Building lease to Max Carver Design, Inc.
· Ratify execution of UTS Portsite Building lease addendum to Robichaud Batten Systems, Inc.

Motion: Move to approve the Consent Agenda as presented.
Move: Watson
Second: Duckwall
Vote: Aye: Bohn, Duckwall, and Watson
Absent: Hosford and Streich
MOTION CARRIED

4. COMMISSIONER, COMMITTEE REPORTS:
a) Industrial Lands Committee: Commissioner Duckwall commented the committee's findings and recommendations would need some minor tweaking before the final report is presented to the City Council and County Commission. Duckwall was happy to report that there should be no further meetings.

5. DIRECTOR'S REPORT: Executive Director Michael McElwee commented on House Bills being tracked by the Oregon Ports Group that would impact Port operations statewide; requested direction from the Commissioners regarding a review process on his 6-month annotated work plan and performance; and commented on the February 13 evening meeting of the Waterfront Recreation Committee in which impacts and issues regarding the Delta would be discussed, and the evening meeting on February 22 to discuss the upcoming development process for the waterfront . McElwee also commented that the RC (recreational/commercial) zone was discussed the previous evening by the planning commission. McElwee and Attorney Jerry Jaques had reviewed the language and, for the most part, felt comfortable with it, although McElwee stated he did have some concern regarding the Event Site and cruise ship dock if there cannot be any compromise in flexibility of setbacks when existing infrastructure exists. McElwee brought to the Commission's attention the possibility that a ground lease at the UTS Portsite may occur this summer with a local roofing company for material staging. Commissioners Bohn and Duckwall expressed as long as the area is cleaned up at the termination of the lease they did not see a problem. McElwee also noted that staff and counsel would be using the services of Portland attorney Jeannette Launer on an hourly basis, when needed, for potential waterfront development agreements.

6. REPORTS AND PRESENTATIONS: At the invitation of Executive Director McElwee, Jeremy Young presented the conceptual plans for the Western Antique Aeroplane & Automobile Museum that will be located north of the Ken Jernstedt Airfield. The 50,000 square foot building will house the nation's largest flying fleet of antique aircraft. Young informed the Commissioners that the building is targeted for completion in August and plans are underway for a September 7-9 grand opening and fly-in. Young invited the Commissioners to contact him if they wished to schedule an appointment for a tour.

7. ACTION ITEMS:
a) Authorize Modification of the Governance Policy to Increase from Five to Seven the Number of Public Members to the Airport Advisory Committee and Appoint Gennaro Avolio, Dayle Harris, Bill Veatch, Jeremy Young, John Benton, Richard Clarke, and Ed Drew: There was a brief discussion explaining this as an Action Item rather than a Consent Agenda item because of the January 23 meeting consensus to maintain the public membership at five. Marketing Manager Mike Doke recommended the addition of two public members based on the candidates' enthusiasm for the airport, and all of the applicants represented diverse perspectives that would add to the health of Ken Jernstedt Airfield.

Motion: Move to authorize modification of the Governance Policy to increase from five to seven the number of public members to the Airport Advisory Committee.
Move: Duckwall
Second: Watson
Vote: Aye: Bohn, Duckwall, and Watson
Absent: Hosford and Streich
MOTION CARRIED
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Motion: Move to appoint th following public members to the Airport Advisory Committee: Gennaro Avolio, Dayle Harris, Bill Veatch, Jeremy Young, John Benton, Richard Clarke, and Ed Drew.
Move: Duckwall
Second: Watson
Vote: Aye: Bohn, Duckwall, and Watson
Absent: Hosford and Streich
MOTION CARRIED
b) Authorize Executive Director to Execute a Legal Services Retention Agreement with Law Firm Matthew W. Cockrell & Associates, P.C. for Environmental Insurance and Cost Recovery Services Associated with Ken Jernstedt Airfield: McElwee noted this item is a companion agreement to the Sesco environmental services agreement approved at the January 23 meeting and that the services are based on a contingency basis. Jaques further noted the Chicago-based attorney, recommended by Sesco, is very well qualified and has a strong background in recovery issues.
Motion: Move to authorize the Executive Director to execute a legal services retention agreement with law firm Matthew W. Cockrell & Associates, P.C. for environmental insurance and cost recovery services associated with the Ken Jernstedt Airfield.
Move: Watson
Second: Duckwall
Vote: Aye: Bohn, Duckwall, and Watson
Absent: Hosford and Streich
MOTION CARRIED

c) Agenda Addition: Website Redesign Project: Hull reported the website redesign was proposed last fall as part of the Community Relations Plan review process. Six responsive proposals were received as a result of the Request for Proposal issued in December.

Motion: Move to authorize the Executive Director to execute an agreement for the website redesign project with Web Rock Design in an amount not to exceed $5,000.
Move: Duckwall
Second: Watson
Vote: Aye: Bohn, Duckwall, and Watson
Absent: Hosford and Streich
MOTION CARRIED

8. COMMISSION CALL: Commissioner Watson commented that she was unsure of the two-week period in March that she would be on vacation but that she thought it may not affect the meeting schedule. President Bohn reported that she had spoken with a windsurfing magazine writer for over an hour regarding the Hood River Delta and she felt the writer had a much better understanding of the issues regarding the multitude of users.

9. EXECUTIVE SESSION: None.

10. ADJOURN: President Bohn adjourned the meeting at 6:08 p.m.

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Minutes of February 20, 2007 Regular Meeting
Expo Center Conference Room

Present: Commissioners Sherry Bohn, Fred Duckwall, Don Hosford, Hoby Streich, and Kathy Watson; Attorney Jerry Jaques; from staff, Michael McElwee, Mike Doke, Linda Hull, Linda Shames, and Laurie Borton

Absent: None

Media: Sue Ryan, Hood River News

1. CALL TO ORDER: President Bohn called the regular session to order at 5:32 p.m.
a) Modifications, Additions to Agenda by Staff: Two bridge change orders were added to the agenda as an Action Item. Executive Director Michael McElwee requested the Commission take formal action relative to a Letter of Support for the Port-City-County "coalition" projects that will be presented to various legislative delegations during the Pacific Northwest Waterways Association "Mission to Washington" trip to the District of Columbia the first week in March.
b) Information, Communications, Announcements: None.

2. PUBLIC COMMENT: Dean Cameron, owner of two parcels at the Wasco Business Park, updated the Commission on his plans for construction of flex business space. Cameron reported he was hopeful permits would be issued within the next thirty days and stated that construction would begin immediately, with construction of a second building following 30 to 60 days thereafter. Cameron did comment that the business park had just one one-inch water meter serving the business park and he would need four 1-inch meters and the challenge he faced was accessing the meter without cutting the street as the City had a moratorium on street cuts.

3. CONSENT AGENDA: The Consent Agenda items were read, by title only, by President Bohn:
· Approval of February 6, 2007 meeting minutes

Motion: Move to approve the Consent Agenda as presented.
Move: Watson
Second: Duckwall
Vote: Aye: Bohn, Duckwall, Hosford, Streich, and Watson
MOTION CARRIED

4. COMMISSIONER, COMMITTEE REPORTS:
a) Waterfront Recreation Committee: President Bohn reported the February 13 meeting was well attended and positive in that the Columbia Gorge Windsurfing Association (CGWA) and Columbia Gorge Kiteboarding Association (CGKA) were meeting to discuss policies on designated zones for the safety of the users, school concessions, and the public. Bohn also stated that consultant Andrew Jansky of Flowing Solutions had a good presentation that was very informative. Bohn stated the committee would meet again to continue discussions with additional input from Jansky and the users. McElwee referenced the Northwest Hydro, Inc. agenda action item that will augment the ground survey and allow the hydrologist to model various pool levels. McElwee also stated he is still trying to verify ownership boundaries and the Port would need to take proactive steps to determine guidelines regarding limitations or restrictions to reduce the Port's liability.

5. DIRECTOR'S REPORT: Because of the February 28-March 9 Mission to Washington trip by McElwee and Bohn, the March meeting schedule was discussed. There was consensus that the March 6 meeting would be canceled and the Commission's next regular meeting date of March 20 would be held. March 27 was discussed as a date for a planning work session; however Commissioners Streich and Watson said they would not be available on that date so a morning planning session was tentatively scheduled for the morning of Thursday, April 5.
McElwee reported the Marina Center project had begun and that staff was pleased with contractor JWC. McElwee asked the Commissioners to review his annotated Work Plan and provide feedback in anticipation of his annual review. Bohn stated she had reviewed the Work Plan and it was exactly what she was looking for; Watson commented the Work Plan framed the issues in a way that allowed her to know what questions to ask. Commissioner Duckwall asked where zoning changes fit into the Work Plan and commented he was concerned that progress was not being made to address firms that needed space to grow. Bohn commented it was time for the Commission to set policy regarding waterfront property sales or leases and Duckwall suggested that businesses identified in the E. D. Hovee & Company marketing report should be recontacted regarding Letters of Intent. McElwee reported that planning grants had been submitted to the Oregon Economic and Community Development Department's (OECDD) Port Planning and Marketing fund for the following three projects--waterfront sustainability infrastructure, wetlands land bank feasibility, and strategic planning update. The initial outreach meeting to start dialogue with the public on the waterfront development strategies has been noticed for February 22 at 6:00 p.m. The meeting will be held in the conference room at the Expo Center and McElwee stated the public objectives would feed into the Group Mackenzie work. Sesco, Inc. has begun a review of airport files and initial indications regarding environmental claims to the insurance companies are positive.

6. REPORTS AND PRESENTATIONS: None.

7. ACTION ITEMS:
a) Authorize the Executive Director to Execute a Personal Services Agreement with Northwest Hydro, Inc. to Provide Survey Services in an Amount Not to Exceed $5,120: McElwee noted the bathymetric (underwater) survey will provide 1-foot contour modeling and that the baseline mapping will link to data being provided by Andrew Jansky of Flowing Solutions. The Scope of Services includes the Delta area from the Event Site and Cruise Ship Dock east to the Hood River Marina. McElwee did not recommend inclusion of the Boat Basin at this time.

Motion: Move to authorize the Executive Director to execute a Personal Services Agreement with Northwest Hydro, Inc. to provide survey services in an amount not to exceed $5,110.
Move: Hosford
Second: Duckwall
Vote: Aye: Bohn, Duckwall, Hosford, Streich, and Watson
MOTION CARRIED

b) Agenda Addition: Bridge Change Orders: Finance Manager Linda Shames explained Change Order #5 was the result of additional excavation and disposal of heated concrete under the pavement in the area of the old tollbooth that required more fill to achieve grade; and Change Order #6 was a change out from quartz lights at the tollbooth canopy to metal halide lights, which will cost more but the illumination life and reduced maintenance of the halide lights will result in significant savings over time.

Motion: Move to approve Toll Plaza Improvement Project Change Order No. 5 in the amount of $5,700 and Change Order No. 6 in the amount of $1,223, for a total of total $6,923.
Move: Duckwall
Second: Streich
Vote: Aye: Bohn, Duckwall, Hosford, Streich, and Watson
MOTION CARRIED

8. COMMISSION CALL: Commissioner Streich asked guest Josh Sceva, Hood River Yacht Club "Port Committee" member, if the Delta affected boaters. Sceva stated a buoy marking the channel entrance into the Hood River Marina may be helpful for visiting yachts. Streich commended McElwee, County Administrator Dave Meriwether, and City Manager Bob Francis for a job well done on the appropriations package that would be lobbied for in Washington, D.C. Commissioner Watson asked if the policy to waive tolls when traffic backups exist should be revisited as the queuing area between the intersection and the temporary tollbooth is shorter and backups would occur more frequently as more visitors come into the area. Shames commented a meeting of the toll collectors was scheduled for next week and the policy would be discussed. Watson also announced that she was opening a new restaurant in Hood River. Nora's Fish House will be located in the lower portion of the building at the corner of Oak and Fifth.

9. EXECUTIVE SESSION: President Bohn called the Commission into Executive Session under ORS 192.660(2)(e) Real Property at 6:15 p.m. At 6:35 p.m. Commissioner Watson requested to be excused from Executive Session due to work emergency, and at 7:20 p.m. Commissioner Duckwall indicated a potential conflict of interest and requested to be excused from Executive Session. Upon conclusion of Executive Session, the Commission was called back into regular session at 7:30 p.m. No action was taken as a result of Executive Session.

10. ADJOURN: Prior to meeting adjournment, there was consensus from Commissioners Bohn, Hosford, and Streich directing staff to prepare a formal Letter of Support for the Coalition's projects. President Bohn then adjourned the meeting at 7:30 p.m.

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Waterfront Recreation Committee
Minutes of Delta Discussion
February 13, 2007

Attending: Members Steve Gates, Lori Stirn, Michael Schock, Laney Gale, Doug Archbald; Commissioner Sherry Bohn; Staff Members: Michael McElwee, Linda Hull, Mike Doke, Laurie Borton, Linda Shames; Others: Andrew Jansky (Flowing Solutions), Bob Leitch (Corps of Engineers) Media: None

Absent: Committee Members Richard Sassara, Ann Frodel; Commissioner Hoby Streich

Introductions / Meeting Expectations & Outcomes: Sherry Bohn opened the public meeting at 6:05 p.m. and welcomed the audience of approximately 60 people. Bohn said the purpose of the meeting was to gather facts and information about the impact of the larger delta on recreation, listen to concerns, identify issues for resolution, and plan for next steps. She asked those who speak to state name and address (none did) and to keep comments as brief as possible so that the meeting could end by 8:00 p.m.

Overview of Situation / Photos: Michael McElwee stated the Hood River debris from the November 2006 upper valley landslides created the expansion of the Delta area. Since November, the Delta has expanded even more. The Port is analyzing its current state: How big is it? How wide is it? What are the elevations? The aerial photos taken on January 22, 2007 will be used for topographical mapping and survey work. Gathering this information will assist in planning for its uses and management, both long-term and short-term. By working with Mr. Jansky, the Corps of Engineers, and State Lands the Port is studying ownership issues, dredging responsibilities and the future of the Nichols boat basin area. For this summer's recreational season, however, the area will not be dredged. The Port is pursuing federal funding for feasibility studies of the lower Hood River reach and its long-range impacts on the Delta. This might be an opportunity to enhance the recreational experience here in Hood River. The Waterfront Recreation Committee will be discussing those issues brought up at this meeting to determine how all waterfront users can utilize the area cooperatively. McElwee told the audience he appreciated their attendance tonight and participation in the process.

Andrew Jansky, Flowing Solutions, Slide Presentation: Andrew Jansky outlined his experience with water mechanics and fluvial action. He will be able to calculate the volume of materials and elevations once the survey mapping is completed. Jansky's slideshow depicted the Delta area from 1930 to current state, showing that the Delta region is a result of the Hood River (moving faster) and Columbia River (moving slower) meeting together and existed before the dam system was built. The Delta also changes with the movement of the sand itself by water and wind. Even if the area were dredged, it would continue to fill in over time as nature tries to reestablish its balance and equilibrium; similar delta patterns exist all along the Columbia River.

The major Hood River flow events in 1996 and 2006 caused significant change to the configuration of the Delta. The high Columbia flows existing today for fish transport are also eroding and changing the sandbar conditions. As the Delta searches for equilibrium, it is continually changing and large weather events are unpredictable. Jansky estimates that 750,000 cubic yards (cy) have been added onto the top of the existing sandbar with the 2006 flow event and an additional 26 acres (750,000 cy) of sandbar have been created. Cost to remove this sand varies by method ($3-$10 cy); the costs are large and the event recurrence is unpredictable. Two main issues identified by Jansky were Recreation (opportunities, separation, uses, safety), and Commerce (Event Site, tour boat access).

Identification of Issues for Recreation / Alternative Approaches: McElwee said most of the Delta area appears to be owned by the Division of State Lands (DSL). Its representative was unable to attend this meeting. McElwee stated there is a public process to determine specific rules of use, which may be a long and involved process, or an agreement can be made among the user groups in how to use it. After asking for input, the following issues and questions were brought forward for discussion: (from flipchart notes)

Delta Composition
Logs, debris, rocks/boulders: Jansky said logs add stability to the sand and are beneficial to fish habitat; however, they are dangerous to recreational users. Floating them off in the water is a beneficial and will stay in the eco-system. The recent high pool levels are also the result of changed fish management by the Corps of Engineers. All work must go through a permitting process for any project below top of bank by DSL, Corps, and Fish and Wildlife. It is also not a static beach area and conditions day-to-day will change.

Future Planning: Permits Required & Timeline Issues
Can logs be repositioned?
Can channel be dug to the west?
Can new channel be recreated?
Can material be sculptured?
Can the Bonneville pool be lowered and water held back at The Dalles to create a volume of water to flush debris off?
Feasibility study would be needed
Effect of shift, if any, unknown
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers have fish and power agreements that need to be considered
Can material be moved to create beach at Lot 6?

Congestion & Public Safety
User conflicts with more people accessing the Delta from the Event Site
Debris covered by higher water levels present danger to windsurfers & kiters
Swimmers, picnickers, pets in same area as gear and kite lines
Beginners in area more appropriate for advanced level
Compression of users into a single area-no wake zone?
Contained low water gone for beginning kite instruction on west side of spit
No place for schools' jet skis in boat basin
Who's Liable? Land access is through Port property - public safety issue
Marina entrance not affected

Short-term Planning
Multiple lines of demarcation, by use of cones or flags, to specify uses
Differentiate cones or flags for public use, for students of schools
Water levels will impact zones
What about windsurfing race events that need the whole area?
Self-enforcement by all user groups
Formation of authorized group of persons who would meet daily (?) to determine conditions
Educate by use of signage/brochures/website links
Create Port emergency budget for communication
Speed zones
Use designations
Rights-of-way
Turning radius (use jibe buoy?)
Event Site/Sandbar Canal
Use floating dock for safe crossing
Use of water taxi? (i.e., Port of Everett)
Use motorized vehicle to shuttle people and gear?
Who governs the use of motorized vehicles on the sand?
(Jones Beach at Clatskanie, Port of St. Helens: negative example)

Policies needed for high water / low water
Diverse group of users and "real time" policies needed

Lot 6
Bring City into the discussion
Can Lot 6 be opened for use?
Can Port lift restrictions so the City can begin using Lot 6 as a park for recreational access?
Users should contact the City Manager, the Mayor, or Councilors

Nichols Boat Basin
Water Quality (relative to heath issues) - who tests - DEQ/Health Department?
Basin used by swimmers, waverunners
Flush Water
Create channel to the Hood River?
Pump?
Aerate?

Other
What is the parking capacity?
Designate sandbar north of marina beach as the dog area?
Use of swimming buoys?
Water levels change
Sand is unstable - hydraulic action takes a long time to stabilize
Use of volunteer lifeguards; beach patrols; rescue business (would need to be Port concession?)
Liability questions

Next Steps
McElwee said the time for any in-water work (dredging, excavation equipment) ends annually on February 28; however, the Port will be evaluating any projects that need permitting for next year's timeframe and have those prepared. He will be meeting with DEQ tomorrow and will ask the boat basin water quality questions.

Steve Gates said the Committee's next steps would be to take this information from tonight along with the contour mapping data and suggested delineation of space needs for various users and any other new information and meet in mid-March. The goal would be for the Committee to recommend a logical and rational set of guidelines for uses around the Delta area.

McElwee emphasized how important it is to communicate among all the entities and stakeholders. The Port will post a Delta Sandbar webpage with photos, mapping information, and FAQs regarding the issue. The new website will have a forum for Port issues but it is not completed at this time. Audience members were encouraged to email additional questions and other concerns to porthr@gorge.net, if not addressed tonight.

Sheriff Joe Wampler stated his office has one marine deputy on duty in the summer season and only for the weekends and they are limited by budget constraints to provide any enforcement or rescue assistance. He believes signage is a must and that the schools and/or watersports people should continue to help in rescues. The buoys tend to get intentionally broken because they are in the way of people using the water, so they might not be a good idea.

McElwee said the user groups need to communicate with their members and be prepared to work together to solve any conflicts during the summer season. The six schools will be meeting when all owners are here in the spring because they have separate issues regarding their concessions.

Next Meeting: Mid-March: Date to be determined.

Meeting was adjourned at 8:25 p.m.

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Waterfront Development Outreach Meeting
Minutes of February 22, 2007
Expo Center Conference Room - 6:00 P.M.

Attending: Staff Members - Michael McElwee, Mike Doke, Linda Shames, Laurie Borton; Commissioners - Fred Duckwall and Hoby Streich; Port Waterfront Development Consultant - Mark Clemons, Group Mackenzie; Media - Sue Ryan, Hood River News

Introductions: Michael McElwee opened the public meeting at 6:05 p.m. by welcoming the audience of approximately 25 people and thanked them for attending the meeting to initiate a conversation on development plans for the waterfront. McElwee commented that even though he has been at the Port of Hood River for a little over seven months, he is familiar with past history and realizes a lot of good people, commitment, and planning has taken place and he is looking forward to the collaborative efforts that will be necessary to integrate different uses in a positive way in order to make the development successful. McElwee then asked audience members to introduce themselves.

Overview of Recent Waterfront Activities / Actions and Waterfront Development Strategy: McElwee said there are a range of known and unknown projects involving the Port, City, Park Development Committee, Oregon Department of Transportation, and private entities as was illustrated on Group Mackenzie's conceptual development plan. McElwee also referenced the January aerial photo of the Delta, which also represents a lot of unknowns for the 2007 recreation season. Specific mention was made, however, of Naito Development's rezone of the Nichols property at the boat basin, sale of the Jantzen Building on Riverside Drive to the Hood River Juice Company, the purchase of Luhr Jensen's smoker division by Bear Mountain Forest Products, who has subleased the Portway Avenue building (which is under a long-term land lease from the Port), and the short-term leases of the Port's Kearney Western Power Building. McElwee also commented on the following:

· Expo Center - A commitment has been made by the Port Commission to adapt the building for commercial re-use. A corollary implication is that the Hood River County Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Information Center will need to find a new home by the end of this year.
· Marketing Study - E. D. Hovee & Company completed a market study in 2006 that emphasized the fact that if expansion needs of local companies could not be met then businesses and jobs may be forced to relocate to other communities within the Gorge or elsewhere.
· Sustainability - David Evans & Associates has made a presentation to the Commission on sustainable designs for the waterfront. McElwee said that environmentally and financially this makes sense. Sustainable building designs, practices, and property management could be considered; other possibilities include solar use, some type of heat exchange system providing energy sources to businesses and use of recycled water for retention ponds for irrigation.
· Lot 6 Park - The property was deeded to the City of Hood River by the Port in 2006 and the Park Development Committee is actively engaged in the park's design and identifying funding sources to develop the waterfront park within the 7 year timeline.
· Rezone of the Hook and Spit - Next week the City will hear the rezone from Light Industrial to Recreation/Commercial.
· Wastewater Treatment Plant - McElwee said he believes the odor problem will have a significant impact on waterfront development and there needs to be a collective interest to resolve the issue. McElwee then asked Bob Francis, City Manager, if he would like to add further comments. Francis stated the City also recognizes there is an odor problem and they are looking at funding resources. Francis said a Request for Proposals for a clarifier cover would probably be developed and he believes the primary cause of the problem is the acceptance of privy waste. The City intended to do an experiment of not allowing the waste for a 90-day period, but Francis said the trial was not done because the U.S. Forest Service and local farmers complained about the distance and expense to haul the material elsewhere.
· Frontage Road - A study is planned to determine the feasibility of a frontage road for local traffic between Exits 63 and 64. McElwee commented that at first the frontage road did not make much sense to him but the more he understood the project he could see the future project made sense and needs to be considered.
· Delta - The Delta created by the November 2006 flooding has blocked Nichols Boat Basin and the cruise ship dock. The future of the basin, in terms of access, habitat, and water quality is unknown and likely poses a question for Naito's planned use of the basin for a marina. The Delta has been estimated at 1 million cubic yards of sediment and may continue to grow, and if left alone vegetation will grow which also presents a danger to the public.
· Kearney Western Power Building - McElwee commented that this building comes up quite often in conversations. The newest tenant, Boeing, provides services for Insitu; and Maritime Services relocated to the building to build floats when access to the boat basin was cut off. McElwee said that the boat basin is currently the only industrial water access and now that it's cut off he asked the audience if it concerned them as well and long term it was worth thinking about. The Marina launch is for recreational boating and although Maritime Services did use the Marina to launch a float, it was a one-time use and very expensive.
· Waterfront Housing - McElwee asked the audience for their opinions. Someone questioned the advantage, and another had the opinion the land was too valuable for residential development.

McElwee stated this brief summarization indicates there is momentum, which he believes to be positive, for the future of the waterfront. McElwee then introduced Mark Clemons of Group Mackenzie and said the Commission and consultant team are looking at an implementation strategy versus master planning and that tonight's dialogue would start to identify and define public objectives in determining how various uses of the waterfront will coexist. McElwee stated he understands there will be disagreements during the collaborative efforts but that everyone needs to recognize it's a natural part of the process. Mixing an industrial and recreational waterfront is at the heart of many discussions. McElwee said the Port would be challenged to accommodate both uses while carrying out its statutory duty and mission of job creation and economic development

Issues Discussion: McElwee then invited discussion from the audience.

o Hood River Distillers (Linda Maddox) - What are their plans regarding expansion? McElwee responded that he did not have any specific information.
o River Access (Doug Hattenhauer) - Who's responsible for keeping the access open and shouldn't it be a priority since the city benefits from the cruise ship tourism dollars? McElwee responded that the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers would be responsible for dredging, but the reality is that the maintenance funds the Corps does have would be used for other West Coast ports having a much higher priority. McElwee said he did not know if there is an option to fill the basin and the water quality may be questionable. David Ryan asked if the cruise ship area were to be dredged, could the silt be used elsewhere on the waterfront. Babitz questioned the effort when it could happen again. Mike Doke commented the cruise ship business has not been lost entirely as the smaller vessels will continue to use the Marina basin dock. Babitz asked how the quality of the Nichols Basin differed from the sloughs by the railroad tracks. One response was the plant life, while Ryan responded there might be some natural percolation in the Nichols Basin and that a culvert to the Hood River may help and if the culvert was angled with the river flow it should not fill with sediment. The question was also asked about the water quality at the Event Site with water flushing from the Basin, and was there a concern for shutting down the Event Site for health reasons? The question was also asked if a long-term contract with the Corps for regular flushing events could be requested. McElwee responded to the discussion by saying these were all good questions and discussions he could have with the Corps.
o Marketing Draw (Mark Zanmiller) - Is sustainability branding a marketing draw? McElwee noted sustainability could be an attractive draw. Christine Knowles, co-chair of the Park Development Committee commented the park design is pushing towards sustainability as well. Knowles also stated there is a need for open space and that the use needs to be flexible and not designated specifically for windsurfing, or kiteboarding, or dog walking.
o Western Power Building (Babitz) - Is there a limited life on the building? McElwee responded that size is the limitation.
o Delta - Commissioner Hoby Streich asked McElwee to talk about the Division of State Lands (DSL). While access to the Delta is through Port property, McElwee said it appears as though the DSL owns the larger portion of the Delta, although ownership still needs to be verified and meetings will continue next week. And because DSL does not have the people power or budget to manage the Delta, they have suggested the community would need to agree to informal, non-binding (and not legally enforceable) guidelines for the various uses. Babitz commented the future of the Delta is unknown and there needs to be flexibility for different seasons. Francis asked if there were any predictions about the spring runoff and possible flushing of the sediment. McElwee responded that a big runoff was unlikely as snow packs were low, and a shifting of the Delta may also depend on pool levels. McElwee further commented that underwater survey work to obtain topographical heights and levels is underway which will assist in modeling various pool level assumptions.
o Parking / Road Ownership (multiple) - Pepi Gerald agreed with Babitz saying that recreational flexibility was needed as he believes there is potential for more people using the Event Site, which is historically used by windsurfers, and there will be conflicts with families, dog walkers, and kiters. Gerald said he didn't believe the Event Site lot could accommodate all the parking needs and asked if any plans had been considered to use the gravel area or Lot 1 south of the paved Event Site lot. Knowles said she thought a parking management plan was needed for the entire area. Ryan inquired about the ownership of the waterfront roads. McElwee responded that North 1st, North 2nd, and Portway are Port-owned, and that Riverside and North 8th were City-owned. Ryan suggested the area needs to be monitored by way of ticketing trucks parked along the streets, or use of meters, a permit system or some type of transit system. Regarding the truck parking, Francis did mention that enforcement could be accomplished through the City/Port Intergovernmental Agreement and that the Port would pay the City accordingly for enforcement requests.
o Business Development - McElwee asked for thoughts on the nature of the development. Kris Gann said the interior should be developed by the Port for flexible, tilt-up buildings that use a lot of glass on the façade, with walkways and green space around the buildings, with truck traffic and docking on the interior side. Gann said there are tax benefits to companies who lease, so the Port could control the building design. Gann said she envisioned a mix of office, tech, assembly, and light manufacturing businesses. Zanmiller said the Waterfront Park will be seen as an amenity either to light manufacturing or commercial, but his personal preference would be for tech or smaller companies with room to grow. Babitz suggested a small commercial core, but he also thought people would be interested in walking to a nearby sandwich shop for lunch. Maddox suggested the Port should concentrate on development of the interior area and the solution to development of Lot 1 would, in time, reveal itself while becoming more valuable in the meantime. Maddox said the development should be something that draws the waterfront to the town; she also said she was against residential development as it was a waste of valuable space and she believed it would be a "dark neighborhood" with the homes being used as secondary rather than primary residences. Josh Sceva said he hoped the development would be mindful of pedestrian compatibility.
o Windshadow - McElwee asked for comments about windshadow concerns related to development. The audience responded that structures do have an effect and the windshadow impact is felt downwind of buildings. Maddox commented that Wells Island has an effect on Lot 6 where she often windsurfs. McElwee then asked if the Hook could be used as an "Event Site?" The audience responded that the area just to the west of the Western Power Building, or Lot 7, has a dirt beach and parking and is already being used by both windsurfers and kiters.
o Zoning Setbacks - McElwee asked if anyone else was curious about the setbacks and stated it was his personal opinion that there needed to be some flexibility. McElwee cited the cruise ship dock as an example-if it were no longer a viable use the setback precluded closer access to the water, which didn't make sense for people, often elderly, who would like to enjoy that access. Babitz said he could not speak for the other City Councilors, but stated that people are not eager to remove setbacks especially if a specific project isn't in mind.

Next Steps: McElwee reminded the audience that meeting notes had been taken which would be reviewed by staff, the Port Commission, and the Group Mackenzie team. The date of the next public outreach meeting has not been determined but McElwee said there would be other opportunities for public input and he thanked everyone for coming tonight and was appreciative of the conversations.

Adjourn: The meeting was adjourned at 7:43 p.m.