Alton leaders consider offer of privately-funded seaplane base on town land

ALTON — The town's had a registered seaplane base since the 1940s, and while there isn’t currently a spot for planes to dock, a local pilot has an idea to change that, at no cost to taxpayers.

Selectboard Chair Paul LaRochelle, the runway manager and former airport manager for the Alton Bay Seaplane Base and Ice Runway, said the project is in the very early stages, and there is simply interest by a private party. Town leaders were intrigued, especially without a cost to the town budget.

Town Administrator Ryan Heath said at the May 12 selectboard meeting the only property in Alton Bay available is a piece of land between Harmony Park and Alton Town Beach, on East Side Road. The proposal is to build a structure with docking capabilities for two seaplanes.

“The gentleman who reached out to me is very active in the seaplane community, and he wanted to know if the town, or the board, would support an endeavor if the docking system was fully funded by an organization associated with seaplanes,” Heath told the selectboard. “Because the real big problem, as this has been worked on over the years, is the dock has to be attached to some portion of property.”

Heath said the interested resident was “taking the temperature” of the board’s feelings.

“And that’s all I’m doing tonight,” Heath said. “Take the temperature as to, is this something the board wishes to follow up on and pursue further?”

LaRochelle said Wednesday he has worked with the person previously on plans which ultimately did not work out, and declined to provide a name until plans became more concrete. One previous plan involved the docks near Shibley’s, but was denied by Marine Patrol and New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services.

“There have a been a few areas we’ve tried,” LaRochelle said in a phone interview. “This person is a seaplane person, and trying to get approvals with the town, and then the state.”

About 80 years ago, when the area was an active seaplane base, Downing’s Landing was used, as well as the beach. LaRochelle recalls a time when there were activities like seaplane and boat rides at an attraction called Land Ho in the 1960s, which has since been demolished.

“They used to have a dedicated dock at Downing’s way back, and they did seaplane rides,” LaRochelle told the selectboard. “But through the years, it is getting worse for having any seaplanes come in and dock at all.”

Due to erosion of the beach into Lake Winnipesaukee, and coming down Bay Hill Road, a retaining wall was installed about 10 years ago to save the beach.

“When they did that, that stopped seaplanes from coming in,” LaRochelle said.

LaRochelle also said from past experience, most pilots like to fly in the spring and early fall, and during low volume times in the evening. He said the summer months can be too hectic as far as boat activity.

“It’s more dangerous for them to land and take off, so they like it when all the people are gone,” LaRochelle told the board. “That’s when they get more active, before the ice-in, and right after ice-out.”

Heath said the idea was pitched to him with no expense to the town, and he will emphasize with the interested party it would need to be a “donation, or a fundraising effort.” LaRochelle said it would be up to the Seaplane Pilots Association, or whoever is privately funding it. Other selectboard members expressed interest in finding out more, with Richard Shea saying it is definitely worth exploring, since it wouldn’t be on the town’s dime.

“Keep in consideration of the maintenance aspect, too, the ongoing maintenance,” selectboard member Drew Carter said during the meeting.

“That would be all them,” LaRochelle replied.

Heath said while the town wouldn’t be on the hook with funding, Alton would own the property.

“We would be the applicant on any DES applications, not that we would be paying anything for it, but we’d still have to actively participate,” Heath said. “That’s why I thought it was important to make sure, before we went any further, talked about anything, and the board gave their consensus of support.”

Selectboard member Jack Sleeper asked if there were concerns about insurance and liability, and Heath said more research needs to be done. He said it is likely comparable to the risk liability of the public dock already in place.

LaRochelle added once a seaplane is on the water it is considered a boat, and follows all boat rules.

“As far as liability, by the time it comes up to the dock, it is no different than a boat,” LaRochelle told the board.

LaRochelle said any project of this nature, public or private, would need to be approved by state agencies. He added the area between Harmony Park and the Town Beach was actually used years ago, when pilots would taxi in, anchor and eat at one of the restaurants in the bay.

“I’d like to see if it could actually be done, and see if that area could work,” LaRochelle said. “In my opinion. I’ve worked with a couple of different seaplane organizations that tried to do this, and they had issues with either the town at the time, or like I said, DES, or insurance. I’d like to get a little more information on it and see where it could go.”