At the Wednesday, June 18 Boothbay Planning Board meeting, members unanimously approved the proposed Boothbay Harbor Country Club development that will create a main entrance to the club along Route 27, build a new 15,000 square foot clubhouse, create new parking areas, and landscape the grounds.

The main entrance will be located right before Bet's Fish Fry, in approximately the same space as the Kenniston Hill Inn currently occupies.

The old entrance along Country Club Road will remain, and will become the service entrance for delivery trucks and workers. Board member Linda Wilcox suggested placing a stop sign at the service exit.

“I travel that road every day, and vehicles tend to just go without waiting,” Wilcox said. The board agreed, and Danielle Betts of the Knickerbocker Group, representing the country club, said that should not be a problem.

The grounds will be heavily landscaped, more so around pedestrian areas and less around cart travel lanes. An additional road, which can be seen disappearing off the bottom edge of the map, will lead to a future development that may include a spa and swimming pool area (still in development).

“The application is very complete,” said Vice Chairman Fran McBrearty, who had spent a large amount of time over the past few weeks reading the application, housed in a large binder, end-to-end multiple times.

The board asked about the old private septic area located behind Kenniston Hill Inn.

Betts said that the septic area had been unused for quite some time, as the inn had been on public, rather than private, sewer for several years. The area will be excavated as the new pond shown on the plans will be located there. This was originally going to be two ponds, with a stone bridge and waterfall between them, but the plans were scaled back.

Board Chairman Alan Bellows asked what would happen to the inn, if it would remain there, be moved, or demolished.

Betts said she was unsure of current plans, but it was likely to be demolished.

“There hasn't been much maintenance on the inn in the last six years,” said board member Michael Tomacelli.

“It hasn't been viable in the 11 years I've lived here,” McBrearty said.

“I only brought it up because of the letter in the paper,” Bellows said, referring to Boothbay resident Richard E. Plunkett’s letter in the June 5 edition of the Boothbay Register. “There isn't anything in the ordinances or the comprehensive plan that says it has to stay, and it would be a stretch to force them to. It's not considered a historic building.”

Boothbay Code Enforcement Officer Daniel Bryer said the building is not currently on the National Register of Historic Places, and since there had never been any federal money used on the building, the owner retains the right us the building as they see fit. He also mentioned the condition of the building as a factor.

““There is a lot of moisture damage and some of the walls are leaning,” Bryer said.

McBrearty asked about water drainage near the planned entrance to the club, as the plans showed water eventually draining into Adams Pond.

Betts said that all regulations from the Department of Environmental Protection regarding fertilizes (phosphorus-free) and drainage would be adhered to.

“The manager is really big into phosphorus-free fertilizers,” Betts said. “Ninety percent of what is used is phosphorus-free, and the only time it's used is when they are having trouble getting the sod on golfing greens to grow.”

The board briefly considered a site visit, but dismissed the idea as unnecessary.

“At one point I thought a site visit was necessary, but this application is very complete and I feel comfortable moving forward,” Tomacelli said.

The board agreed and took a vote on the application, which passed 5-0 with all board members in agreement.