SDC exemption, federal flood plain ordinances passed

HOOD RIVER — Hood River City Council held two public hearings on Sept. 14, later passing both articles into law. No one from the audience provided public comment at either hearing.

The first, System Develop Charge (SDC) Exemption for Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU), presented by Finance Director Chris Longinetti, “formally codifies existing city practices and seeks to eliminate any confusion because of residential scaling for system development charges.”

Identified as Ordinance 2098, it provides water and sewer SDC waivers for accessory dwellings that share water and sanitation connections with a primary dwelling. SDC charges for transportation, stormwater and system development charges from school and park districts remain unchanged.

Longinetti said that, since 2019, when council identified SDCs as a barrier to construction, the city has issued 26 certificates of occupancy for ADUs, or 11% of all residential units developed within that period.

Councilors Grant Polson and Anna Cavaleri questioned whether creating a “separate but equal” class of building over another as policy was necessary.

“My argument would be that we not advantage a class or type over another class or type,” Polson said.

“ADUs contribute to the load of city water in the sewer system … why are we exempting this SDC?” Cavaleri said.

Longinetti said the ordinance is based on a previous council’s decision, is codifying what the city already does, and does not include ADUs with separate hookups.

Council passed the ordinance by a vote of 6-1, with Polson dissenting.

Adoption of the second, Flood Insurance Rate Maps and Hood River Municipal Code 15.44, presented by Planning Director Dustin Nilsen, is required by the federal government for the city to maintain its participation in the National Floodplain Insurance Program (NFIP).

Hood River has been a priority update for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), as the city’s existing floodplain code had not been updated in 30 years. Nilsen said adopting the ordinance ensures compliance with minimum standards for participation in the NFIP.

“In the last decade, we have never implemented this because of so few properties within the city that are impacted, plus additional regulations on riparian corridors that have a little additional environmental bias and sensitivity that keep a lot of this development out of the flood plain as well as the flood way,” Nilsen said.

The ordinance passed unanimously.

Near the close of the meeting, City Recorder Jennifer Gray took motions for the first and second readings by title only for both ordinances, which council approved unanimously. Mayor Paul Blackburn said both will become law in 30 days.