By SUE RYAN
News staff writer

The Hood River Planning Commission gave full approval April 24 to a condominium project planned for the waterfront.

The approval comes with some conditions, especially pertaining to traffic.

Portland developer Bob Naito plans to build a 42-condominium project at the former Nichols Boat Works site located between the port-owned road known as the Spit and the 76 station owned by Hattenhauer Distributing Co.

The conditions came from a more thorough examination of traffic impacts and off-site transportation infrastructure and improvements. These include an independent traffic analysis and the following requirements:

- Cascade Avenue/Second Street intersection — Install a “pork chop” median and appropriate signing and striping on the eastbound approach of Cascade Avenue to restrict movements to right out only, while preserving the function of all turn movements on the remaining intersection approaches.

- Oak Street/Second Street intersection — Install a traffic signal with crosswalk striping, pedestrian heads and pushbuttons; add an overlap signal phase for the southbound right-turn lane on Second Street; add protected/permitted left-turn signal phasing for the eastbound approach on Oak Street and the southbound approach on Second Street; lengthen the storage of the southbound right-turn lane on Second Street from 50 feet to 150 feet through the removal of on-street parking up to Cascade.

Although a feasibility study is still underway for the possible improvement and extension of Frontage Road, the city and ODOT recommend improving the stretch along the property frontage to a city standard street of 25 feet curb to curb. While ODOT will likely approve only two access points until there is an improved frontage road, the current road would be used for emergency access only for the development’s purpose.

The vehicle entrance to the condos would be from the northwest corner road in front of the 76 station. While people will be able to walk or bicycle out onto Frontage Road from the rear of the condo development, bollards will be installed so vehicles can’t drive through.

Demolition crews began dismantling the former boat works building last week, which will take another week or more to complete. The project also includes building two small beaches at the site upon approval of a permit by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.