HOOD RIVER — With new members now sitting on city council, the Hood River 2025-2026 Work Plan was reviewed to ensure it lines up with city goals. Councilors discussed the prioritization of projects and initiatives in three categories: critical, significant and other.
“First-Tier Critical” items are the most important and receive the most resources. “Second-Tier Significant” are also important but should not receive resources at the expense of first-tier projects. “Third-Tier Other” are “operational, preliminary, or already underway” and should not require substantial city resources for completion.
The work plan is a high-level to-do list that will guide in the allocation of city resources, and councilors mentioned wanting more time to adequately discuss the details and funding of each point of priority. City Manager Abigail Elder said that subcommittees could be set up to address each project as it advances and each initiative can be fleshed out further in future meetings.
Board Chair Gladys Rivera advocated to move a year-round shelter up in priority, which majority of council agreed and moved it to the first item in the second tier. Majority also agreed to move mobile home park preservation up to the second tier. More discussion of the priorities will be on future agendas and while the work plan was not yet approved, it was presented as follows:
First-tier projects
1. Development Code Update, Phase 2
2. System Development Charges
3. New Affordable Housing Project
4. Complete Heights Jurisdictional Transfer
5. Bond Funding
6. City Facilities
7. Create Frameworks for Community Outreach and Equity
8. Hood River County Energy Plan
Second-Tier projects:
1. Year-round Shelter
2. Infrastructure to Enable Housing
3. Future Parks and Open Space
4. Employee Investment
5. Sense of Belonging for City and Community
6. Bike Improvements in the Transportation System Plan
7. Downtown Open Space
8. Development Review Process Improvement
9. Mobile Home Park Preservation
Third-Tier projects:
1. Taxicab and rideshare code update
2. Youth Outreach
3. Fat, Oils, and Grease (FOG)
4. Levels of Service for City Parks
5. Columbia Cascade Urban Renewal District
6. Historic Columbia Highway and West Cascade Integrated Land Use Plan
Commented