Development boost eyed around Tenney ski area

The long-discussed idea of using Tenney Mountain Resort as a hub of commercial and housing development along Route 3A in Plymouth will be on the ballot at that town’s annual meeting in the form of a proposed zoning change.

The article would create the Tenney Mountain Overlay District, allowing easier development along all land west of the road within the town as well as 500 feet to the east of the road. It is designed “to encourage year-round recreational uses and a planned mix of commercial, industrial, residential, and open space uses consistent with the Plymouth Master Plan,” according to the official description.

Overlay districts change zoning or planning requirements for property within them without the need to redraw the boundaries. They are fairly common as a way to encourage development in relatively small parts of a town or city.

Tenney was built in 1960 by Sam Hall, a World War II veteran of the fabled 10th Mountain Division, a skiing unit of the U.S. Army. It thrived for a quarter century but then suffered years of turmoil under four owners before shutting in 2010. It opened in fits and starts after that and was sold in 2022 to Massachusetts businessman Steven Kelly, who has operated it for full ski seasons since.

All the owners have had various plans to encourage development along the road that leads to the ski area, using it as a draw for residential, recreational and business projects.

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