City of Hood River

Providing Public Safety, Utilities, and Community Development

    ::    Engineering    ::    When Do You Need an Engineering Permit

Engineering permits and reviews by the City Engineer are generally required for all projects under the jurisdiction of the City that involve the:

  1. Construction of public facilities,
  2. Work within public right-of-way,
  3. Construction of private facilities discharging to public facilities,
  4. Construction of facilities, including grading, that may have an impact on storm water runoff or downstream water quality,
  5. Dedication of public right-of-way,
  6. Construction and removal of retaining walls or structures located within or impacting the right-of-way,
  7. Demolition of significant surfaces or structures located within or impacting the right-of-way,
  8. Placement or removal of trees in the right-of-way,
  9. Repaving existing public and commercial parking lots,
  10. Installation or alteration of signs (freestanding and affixed).
A Construction Site/Right-of-Way Permit is required when one or more of the following apply:
  1. Any work in the public right-of-way (including temporary use of City owned property).
  2. Construction site preparation including, but not limited to, excavation, rock removal, rock crushing, earth moving, fill, or other similar activities.
  3. Planting, pruning, and/or tree removal in the public right-of-way.
  4. Imported fill (borrow) or excavation will exceed 50 cubic yards, including asphalt or concrete surface removal. (Note: a separate storm water report/design is required when 250 cubic yards or more is excavated/filled).
  5. Excavation or fill will result in elevation changes exceeding two feet (2’) on any portion of the site excluding landscaping on developed property, for which a permit is not otherwise required under the Engineering Standards.
  6. One (1) acre or more of land will be disturbed or when a DEQ 1200-C permit is required.
  7. 3,000 square feet, or more, of new impervious surface will be added to the site (i.e. new parking lots, structures, or other impervious surfaces that individually or in combination replace 3,000 square feet, or more, of existing impervious surface).
  8. A combination of 6,000 square feet, or more, of impervious area will be added and/or reconstructed (i.e. 4,000 square foot of existing building reconstructed with the addition of a new 2,000 square foot parking lot, structure, or other impervious surface OR reconstruction of 6,000 square feet, or more, of existing impervious surface).
  9. Infrastructure will be constructed and dedicated to the City.
  10. Site will be converted to a use that is a potentially significant source of water or air pollution (e.g. reconstruction of a neighborhood grocery into a gas station).
  11. Construction and removal of retaining walls located within or impacting the right-of-way,
  12. Demolition of significant surfaces or structures located within or impacting the right-of-way.

Fill out and download a City of Hood River construction site / right-of-way permit application online here

A Sign Permit is required when one or more of the following apply:
  1. Installing a new sign on a building face, awning, pole or otherwise freestanding
  2. Altering an existing sign on a building face, awning, pole or otherwise freestanding
  3. Relocating an existing sign on a building face, awning, pole or otherwise freestanding

All signs within the City of Hood River are regulated under the provisions of the Hood River Municipal Code Chapter 18 – for more information regarding sings, visit the Signs and Sign Ordinance page

A site plan is required with every Construction Site/Right-of-Way permit application. Small projects only require a Level 1 Site Plan, larger projects require a Level 2 Civil Engineering Plan.

The following projects require a Level 1 Site Plan:

  1. Curb cuts – driveway approach
  2. Sidewalk construction
  3. Excavation for purpose of installing utility service lines only
  4. Landscaping within the public right-of-way
  5. Tree planting, pruning, and/or removal in the public right-of-way
  6. Grading for construction of one single family dwelling that does not result in elevation changes exceeding two feet (2’) on any portion of the site or require a storm water management plan

Please see the City of Hood River Site Plan Check List for detailed information required for a complete Level 1 Site Plan.

For all projects not listed in the requirements of a Level 1 Site Plan, a Level 2 Civil Engineering Plan is required. Please refer to Chapter 4 of the Engineering Standards for additional details.