Road Permits
All work performed within a county road Right-of-Way or a public road Right-of-Way under the jurisdiction of Hood River County is governed by Title 10, Chapter 24 of the Hood River County Code, adopted by the Board of County Commissioners as Ordinance No. 367 on March 18, 2019. The Ordinance governs work such as utility installations, road approaches and driveways, tree removal, snow removal, and the installation of private services or structures. The Ordinance is applicable to both county roads as well as Local Access Roads, which are public roads outside of any city limits but not maintained by the County (i.e., privately maintained). Contractors, home owners and other persons wanting to perform work within the Right-of-Way are required to obtain a permit issued by the Public Works Department and may be required to provide a certificate of liability insurance and a performance bond before a permit is issued. For more details regarding permit fees or payment options, the application process, please review the requirements listed in Ordinance No. 367 and the appropriate application linked below. Other permits issued by Public Works include:
Right-of-Way & Utility Work
Right-of-Way Encroachment
Snow Removal
Over-Dimensional/Weight Trucks
Tourist Oriented (Blue) Signs
Special Events & Film Productions
Land Use and Building Permits
Right-of-Way & Utility Work Permit
If you need to construct a driveway connection, road approach, or install or maintain a public utility service above or below ground within a county road Right-of-Way, please review, complete, and submit a Right-of-Way Work Permit Application to the Public Works Department at ROWpermits@hoodrivercounty.gov. Please include all supporting documentation and allow at least 10 business days for review of small project applications and up to 60 days for larger project applications. Review and approval times may vary depending on the site location, complexity of the work involved, or if additional information is needed. A non-refundable fee of $50.00 is required before a utility permit may be issued, unless exempt under ORS 758.010(1).
Right-of-Way Encroachment Permit
If you need to install a drainage culvert, irrigation pipe, mailbox or perform any other private work within a county Right-of-Way, please review, complete, and submit a Right-of-Way Work Permit Application to the Public Works Department at ROWpermits@hoodrivercounty.gov. Please include all supporting documentation and expect to allow at least 10 business days for review of small project applications and up to 60 days for larger project applications. Review and approval times may vary depending on the site location, complexity of the work involved, or if additional information is needed. Encroachment permits are reviewed on a case-by-case basis and may be denied depending on a variety of factors. A non-refundable fee of $50.00 is required before an Encroachment Permit may be issued.
If you reside on a Local Access Road or along a portion of a County Road that is not maintained during the winter and want to perform snow removal yourself, or if you are a contractor who wants to provide snow removal services within a county road Right-of-Way, please review, complete, and submit a Right-of-Way Work Permit Application together with the Special Provisions for Snow Removal Within a Public Right-of-Way to the Public Works Department at ROWpermits@hoodrivercounty.gov. Please include all supporting documentation, including a Snow Removal Operations Plan and a legible, detailed exhibit depicting the roadways to be plowed, and expect to allow at least 10 business days for review of small project areas and up to 30 days for larger project areas. Review and approval times may vary depending on the extent of the Operations Plan, the proposed equipment to be used and if additional information is needed. A non-refundable fee of $50.00 is required before a Snow Removal Permit may be issued.
Over-Dimensional & Over-Weight Truck Permit
Any vehicle that is over the legal width, height or weight limit is required to obtain an Over-Dimensional Permit before travelling on a public road within the state. For vehicles travelling between municipal, county or state jurisdictions, operators can inquire about a permit through ODOT's Over Dimensional Operations Unit. For over-dimensional vehicles travelling strictly on county roads within Hood River County, please review, complete, and submit an Over-Dimensional Permit Application to the Public Works Department at ODpermits@hoodrivercounty.gov. Please include all pertinent vehicle information and a description of the route requested. Permits are authorized only for the roads and route listed in the permit application and are valid for a period of one (1) year. Applicant should expect to allow at least 5 business days for review of the application, however review and approval times may vary depending on the vehicle and the route requested. A non-refundable fee of $8.00 fee is required before an Over-Dimensional Permit may be issued.
Tourist Oriented Sign Permit
The department is not currently processing tourist oriented sign permit applications. The service is expected to resume in late 2021.
If you want to hold an event such as a bike race, marathon or road rally within a county road Right-of-Way or upon other county land, an Event Permit may be required. If you are unsure whether your event qualifies, please review the Special Events on County Property Ordinance and the HRC Event Permit Application for more details. If you have further questions, please contact either the Public Works Department or the Forestry Department. Generally, permits for events held within a county road Right-of-Way are issued by the Public Works Department and permits for use of trails or other county forest lands are issued by the Forestry Department. In either case, when a permit is necessary please complete and submit an application to the appropriate department at least 60 days prior to the event. Special Event Permits for the Public Works Department can be submitted to ROWpermits@hoodrivercounty.gov. Review and approval times may vary depending on the type of event, the number of participants, additional jurisdictional approvals, and if additional information is needed. A non-refundable $100.00 application fee is required at the time of submittal and is non-refundable regardless whether or not a permit is issued; some exclusions do apply. An additional surcharge ranging from $150.00 to $650.00, plus additional fees, may be required before a final permit is approved depending on the level of impact of the event. For information regarding film or other media productions, please review the Film and Media Production Ordinance or contact the County Administration office for more details.
Land Use and Building Permits
The Public Works Department plays an integral role in the review of Land Use Applications and Building Permits. If you have a building permit application that requires a signature by Public Works, please submit a copy of the application, together with a site plan and any relevant land use decision, to LUpermits@hoodrivercounty.gov. Applicant should expect to allow at least 5 business days for review of all building permit applications, however review and approval times may vary depending on the site location and any conditions associated with a land use decision. There is no fee associated with reviewing a building permit application.