An aerial view of the empty Lower Hanel Mill property. Nestled between Neal Creek Mill Road (left) and Highway 35 (right), the Dominguez Family Enterprises’ news warehouse will neighbor Cardinal Glass Industries, Lester Moving & Storage, the G.S. Long Company, Neal Creek Forest Products and several other businesses.
An aerial view of the empty Lower Hanel Mill property. Nestled between Neal Creek Mill Road (left) and Highway 35 (right), the Dominguez Family Enterprises’ news warehouse will neighbor Cardinal Glass Industries, Lester Moving & Storage, the G.S. Long Company, Neal Creek Forest Products and several other businesses.
HOOD RIVER — After commissioners voted not to extend a sales agreement on Tuesday, Amazon now has less than a week to purchase 11 acres from the Port of Hood River, with the fate of its proposed 49,000-square-foot warehouse and distribution center outside of Odell still uncertain.
Selling the old Hanel Mill land would net the port $3.41 million, the highest rate for an industrial parcel of that size and location in the mid-Columbia region to date, but getting Hood River County’s stamp of approval has proved difficult for Amazon.
Since warehousing is an allowable use under county zoning code, planning staff tenatively signed off on the proposal in February, which land use advocacy group Thrive then appealed. At issue was the scope of a traffic study that found minimal impact on four nearby intersections, despite the site generating at least 548 daily trips.
Oregon’s Department of Transportation and county public works endorsed the traffic study, but planning commissioners sustained Thrive’s appeal on May 27, followed by another challenge from Amazon. Hood River County’s Board of Commissioners is scheduled to hear the matter on Aug. 17.
Last month, Amazon requested the port commission hold a special meeting to extend the sales agreement, which expires before the county’s August session. A sales extension would end Sept. 3, with the port receiving an unrefundable fee of $15,000.
Amanda Rose, director of real estate and asset management, recommended the extension in her report to commissioners, calling it a “good faith” gesture recognizing Amazon’s efforts to date. While port commissioners saw merit in that point, they ultimately voted 2-3 against an extension.
“They’re either committed to this, or they’re not,” Commissioner Tor Bieker said during Tuesday’s meeting. “I actually think the time we lose is more valuable than another $10,000 or $15,000.”
Commissioner Kathryn Thomas concurred, joining Bieker and Commissioner Ben Sheppard in opposition. Commission president Heather Gehring and Commissioner Kristi Chapman favored the extension.
Amazon now has until Monday to formally advise the port, through an “approval notice,” of its intent to purchase. This would obligate Amazon to buy the property regardless of any subsequent land use decision by the county commission or, should Amazon appeal an adverse county ruling, by Oregon’s Land Use Board of Appeals. It would have 30 days to fulfill that obligation.
If Amazon does not give notice by Monday, the port could place the property back on the market as early as July 21.
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