Town grants select board authority to negotiate air‑rights leases after adding requirement to return deals to voters

A citizen petition asking the town to authorize the select board to negotiate leases of town‑owned air rights — a step tied to a resort proposal for an aerial lift — passed after the meeting adopted an amendment requiring any negotiated lease to be returned to a future town meeting for approval.

Tim Smith, general manager of the resort and the article’s petitioner, told the meeting the change would allow the town to have the legal authority required under RSA 48‑B to consider leases over public roads. Smith emphasized the petition does not approve any gondola or authorize construction; it only enables the select board to negotiate agreements if the town wishes to consider them.

During discussion, residents raised questions about whether air‑rights leases would generate municipal revenue and whether negotiations would cover only public land (roads) or also private property; Smith and the select board said the article as amended would apply to town‑owned land only and that revenue terms would be a subject of negotiation. A motion from the floor added language requiring the select board to bring any negotiated lease back to a subsequent town meeting for final approval; the select board supported that amendment and the assembly adopted it.

The amended article then passed by show‑of‑cards. Town officials said negotiations, environmental review (NEPA for crossings that affect federal lands) and local planning review would all be required before any construction could be considered; any final lease would return to the voters for approval.