‘Mount Sunapee expansion largely opposed at public hearing’ – Eagle Times - Archived

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Reported by Nancy A. Cavanaugh, May 7, 2015, for Eagle Times

NEWBURY — The lodge at Mount Sunapee was teeming with residents from around the region as the Department of Resources and Economic Development (DRED) held a public hearing for the proposed expansion of the ski area. The hearing was led by Nate Miller, executive director of the Upper Valley Lake Sunapee Regional Planning Commission, and Jeff Rose, commissioner of DRED. After introductions were made, Rose addressed the 200 or so people gathered at the main lodge…

During the public hearing, 81 of the more than 150 people in attendance spoke. They were each allowed two minutes to express their opinion. Of those who spoke, 59 were opposed and 21 were in favor.

Concerns over the environmental impacts of the construction and use of the land, the loss of hiking trails, the dubious economic benefits to the area, additional expenditures by the towns and the threat of condominiums were also expressed.

Holly Flanders, a two time Olympian who was the director of skiing at Park City Mountain Resort in Utah, spoke against the draft plan….

A 15-year-old from New London was also against the expansion. “It is not going to do anything to get my peers to come here. We think it is the stupidest idea out there,” he said.

See “Mount Sunapee expansion largely opposed at public hearing”  by Nancy A. Cavanaugh, Eagle Times, (pdf 160 kb)