The owners of the Balsams Grand Resort say the renovation project for the hotel is on hold following a Colebrook planning board decision to hold off on approving a subdivision plan, presented at its meeting on Tuesday night.

Owners Daniel Dagesse and Daniel Hebert Jr. of Balsams View, LLC issued a press release via spokesman Scott Tranchemontagne of Montagne Communications. The release stated that the partners have been forced to place the resort s renovation project on hold indefinitely after the planning board refused to approve a subdivision plan that is essential for the project to move forward. 

Andrew Nadeau of Horizons Engineering appeared before the board to seek approval on four subdivision requests. The board expressed concern over a proposed subdivision that contained a solid and liquid waste dump near the maintenance building, and requested more information on the parcel, including an environmental analysis. Specifically, the board cited concern about what chemicals are at the site and whether they had leaked into other areas.

Mr. Tranchemontagne said the Balsams, under the proposed subdivision, would still retain ownership of the property under a separate company. It is commonly accepted that approximately one acre of this land has been used as a municipal landfill many years ago until it was discontinued and covered with dirt,  he said. It is also believed that the Tillotson rubber plant, which was built and connected to the hotel in the 1950s, used the area to dispose of some manufacturing waste. 

Mr. Hebert said the site has been monitored for many years, and environmental consultants are working with the N.H. Department of Environmental Services to identify an appropriate groundwater monitoring program at the property. Mr. Nadeau said he believes the material is residue from latex factory tanks after they were cleaned.

The subdivision was a routine allocation of the individual parcels according to their future uses, and contained no request for construction or changes of use, so we were dumbfounded by their action to not approve it,  Mr. Hebert said.

Planning board chairman David Brooks said he would be available for comment on Friday. A full story will appear in the May 9 issue of The News and Sentinel.

(May 3, 2012)