[mcdude]

Originally Posted by HUH

.. hello laconia ! any end in site for condo development?

apparently not.....

Way cleared for more Weirs condos
Laconia:

Tuesday, September 22, 2009 - by John Koziol
The Zoning Board of Approval has cleared the way for more potential residential development on Brickyard Mountain in The Weirs which is already home to the Meredith Bay gated community.

By a unanimous vote Monday night, the ZBA granted an area variance request from Akwa Waterfront LLC that, pending subsequent Planning Board approval, would allow the developer to build three buildings with up to 72 condominiums on an eight-acre lot on Scenic Road to a height of 60 feet. The permitted height in the Shorefront Residential Zone is 35 feet.

Agents for the developer said the plan is to build smaller, taller buildings which have less of an environmental impact on the parcel which is located below and east of Meredith Bay, a 129-lot luxury gated community on more than 400 acres on what once had been the Brickyard Mountain resort and ski area.

Meredith Bay includes the Akwa Marina Yacht and Beach Club on Centenary Avenue that has over 800 feet of waterfront, 76 new boat slips and boat launch, cabanas, a pool with children's activity area, a hot tub and a sun bathing deck.

The marina is south of where Akwa Waterfront LLC would like to build condominiums, possibly starting in Spring 2010.

John Riordan of SGC Engineering said, in response to ZBA concerns back in July, his client had conducted a "balloon test," floating a large tethered balloon to a height of 70 feet from the center of the Scenic Road parcel to make sure that once the condominiums were built to that height they would not interfere with views from the nearby Cedar Lodge or Meredith Bay.

The balloon test found that the proposed residential units would not be a visual barrier, Riordan said, later adding that viewed from Lake Winnipesaukee, the condominiums would be "enveloped" by the tree line above them.

Russ Poirier of the Cedar Lodge, said Akwa Waterfront LLC had done "a great job of keeping us informed" about what their development plans, adding that the new housing would be a needed "shot in the arm" for the area. "The views there are outrageous and should be taken advantage of," he said.