Brownville hosts resort planner Developer seeking to make town ‘comfortable’ with large plan

BROWNVILLE JUNCTION – The developer of a proposed $500 million, year-round resort planned for the Schoodic and Ebeemee lakes region assured residents on Monday that his project would be tailored to fit the region.

“We want to make you comfortable that we’re going to do this right,” Jim Dennehy of WHG Development told about 200 people Monday, during a public hearing held by the local planning board.

WHG Development, an acronym for West Hills Golf, has agreed to purchase approximately 4,000 acres of land.

Despite Dennehy’s assurance that his project would not be intrusive, many residents questioned him about access, pressure on existing town infrastructure, including local snowmobile trails, water quality and traffic.

Still others wondered why Dennehy selected Brownville for the development of a 550-room, four-star hotel, a train station, a 45,000-square-foot convention center, a 19,435-square-foot spa facility, a 25,000-square-foot conference center, a golf school and course, a 20,000-square-foot clubhouse, three free-standing restaurants and 400 timeshare units.

It’s the beauty of the region that’s the attraction for “The Reserve at Norton Pond,” answered Dennehy. He said his project is not affiliated with Plum Creek’s proposed development in the Moosehead Lake region nor any others in the region. Nor is gambling being considered, he said.

The fact that railroad tracks lead up to the Brownville property made it all the more appealing, according to Dennehy.

Preliminary discussions have been held with railroad officials to determine the practicality of a luxurious passenger rail service to and from Bangor, and those discussions have been encouraging, he said.

“We’re going to make it as enticing as possible,” Dennehy said. He has even considered expanding the train service to Bar Harbor so visitors can get the “Maine Experience.”

Dennehy has enlisted the aid of Steve Howell of S.W. Cole Engineering Inc., Vinal Applebee of Ames A/E, and Gilbert Martinez, president of GMA International, a master planner and architect, all of whom were on hand for Monday night’s public hearing.

Of the 4,000-acre parcel, residents were told that about 3,088 acres would remain undisturbed. The project is expected to be done in stages over about a 10-year period, with construction to begin next year.

When in full operation, the year-round resort is expected to employ between 300 to 500 people, according to Dennehy. A fiscal impact study, a traffic study and a market feasibility study are in the works.

No environmental impact study has been done yet because the project is still in the conceptual stage, but Dennehy said the project must meet state and local requirements.

Brownville has no zoning ordinances, but the planning board will use approximately 19 criteria adopted from Maine Statutes in considering the project.

Planning Board Chairman Larry Folsom said he expected the board would hire some experts to help town officials through the process.

The project also will be reviewed by state agencies and since the property borders unorganized territories, it is expected the Land Use Regulatory Commission also will review it.

Residents were told special steps such as biological filters would be installed to control any water and fertilizer run-off from the golf course and that access over the property to reach their property would be guaranteed.

“This project is our project and we’re going to be here for the long haul,” Dennehy said.