skibum
New member
After my two visits last season, I didn't think they would survive, let alone expand.
from today's Laconia Citizen:
Ragged unveils plans to expand
By LORI INGHAM
Newfound Area Bureau
DANBURY — Ragged Mountain Ski and Golf Resort has unveiled a 10-year plan to build homes, a hotel, aquatic center, add 1,100 parking spaces, and expand skiing at the recreation facility.
Ragged Mountain officials gave an overview of the massive project to the Danbury Planning Board as they showed them around the property off Route 104.
Calling the plan "dramatic," Planning Board officials said they would need to weigh the impact the project would have not only on Danbury but on neighboring communities as well.
The resort's plan would encompass 310 acres, with 3.2 acres dedicated to single-family housing aimed at the second home market. Three multi-family and attached housing units are also included in the plan, as well as a 12,000-square-foot golf clubhouse and a village core area totaling 309,075 square feet.
The village area will include a hotel and an aquatic center which will include an entire water recreation area. A total of 1,110 parking spaces will also be added to the area, with some of those spaces being under the hotel.
New ski lifts and trails are also part of the plan. The trails would run through the single family areas and allow people to ski to and from their front doors.
According to SE Group representative Mark Cain, the project will be designed in a traditional New England style, which is not often explored with ski resorts.
"We want to build upon the natural character of the location," he said.
Cain took the audience and the Planning Board around the area in golf carts on the grounds, informing them at certain stops where things were planned on the conceptual maps. On the trip, several people could be seen pointing to various locations on the grounds.
Project attorney, Bill Green, said that part of the process would be finding out how many units would be allowed in the area, and making sure not to go beyond that.
"We want to make sure it satisfies the Planning Board's needs," he said.
Green explained that the homes would be built in 10-lot subdivisions, and that the current plan is to build the entire project over a 10-year period. However, Planning Board Chair Linda Wilson had concerns about the project being considered abandoned after four years if it was going to take that long to build.
"Do you know if the RSAs allow a vested project beyond four years?" she asked.
Owner Al Endriunas said that the reason they wanted to get approval now for the project was because they wanted to ensure that it would be protected under the current zoning laws when the board changes and new zoning laws are put into place.
"Each project would be approved by (the board)," he said. "We want to lock it in now."
Wilson said that the size of the project concerned her, and wanted to look into the regional impact the project would have on the area.
"We are looking at something very dramatic," she said.
The board voted 7-0 to discuss the impact on the neighboring towns of Hill, Andover and Wilton, as well as getting in touch with the Lakes Region Planning Commission on the project.
The Planning Board is scheduled to meet on July 11 to discuss hiring a lawyer to help with the coming negotiations.
Endriunas will be submitting his application in August for the project, and will be holding a public informational meeting in July.
from today's Laconia Citizen:
Ragged unveils plans to expand
By LORI INGHAM
Newfound Area Bureau
DANBURY — Ragged Mountain Ski and Golf Resort has unveiled a 10-year plan to build homes, a hotel, aquatic center, add 1,100 parking spaces, and expand skiing at the recreation facility.
Ragged Mountain officials gave an overview of the massive project to the Danbury Planning Board as they showed them around the property off Route 104.
Calling the plan "dramatic," Planning Board officials said they would need to weigh the impact the project would have not only on Danbury but on neighboring communities as well.
The resort's plan would encompass 310 acres, with 3.2 acres dedicated to single-family housing aimed at the second home market. Three multi-family and attached housing units are also included in the plan, as well as a 12,000-square-foot golf clubhouse and a village core area totaling 309,075 square feet.
The village area will include a hotel and an aquatic center which will include an entire water recreation area. A total of 1,110 parking spaces will also be added to the area, with some of those spaces being under the hotel.
New ski lifts and trails are also part of the plan. The trails would run through the single family areas and allow people to ski to and from their front doors.
According to SE Group representative Mark Cain, the project will be designed in a traditional New England style, which is not often explored with ski resorts.
"We want to build upon the natural character of the location," he said.
Cain took the audience and the Planning Board around the area in golf carts on the grounds, informing them at certain stops where things were planned on the conceptual maps. On the trip, several people could be seen pointing to various locations on the grounds.
Project attorney, Bill Green, said that part of the process would be finding out how many units would be allowed in the area, and making sure not to go beyond that.
"We want to make sure it satisfies the Planning Board's needs," he said.
Green explained that the homes would be built in 10-lot subdivisions, and that the current plan is to build the entire project over a 10-year period. However, Planning Board Chair Linda Wilson had concerns about the project being considered abandoned after four years if it was going to take that long to build.
"Do you know if the RSAs allow a vested project beyond four years?" she asked.
Owner Al Endriunas said that the reason they wanted to get approval now for the project was because they wanted to ensure that it would be protected under the current zoning laws when the board changes and new zoning laws are put into place.
"Each project would be approved by (the board)," he said. "We want to lock it in now."
Wilson said that the size of the project concerned her, and wanted to look into the regional impact the project would have on the area.
"We are looking at something very dramatic," she said.
The board voted 7-0 to discuss the impact on the neighboring towns of Hill, Andover and Wilton, as well as getting in touch with the Lakes Region Planning Commission on the project.
The Planning Board is scheduled to meet on July 11 to discuss hiring a lawyer to help with the coming negotiations.
Endriunas will be submitting his application in August for the project, and will be holding a public informational meeting in July.
