Commercial seaplane operator proposes privately funded dock at Alton Bay

Thomas Wood, president of Epic Seaplane Ventures, told the Alton Board of Selectmen on July 14 that his company would fully fund construction of a seaplane dock on the waterfront parcel between Town Beach and Harmony Park and offered the town a 10‑year capital‑lease arrangement. Wood said the private investment would be credited over a 120‑month term and leave Alton with “a valuable permanent asset” at the end of the lease while imposing “no taxpayer costs.”

Wood described the dock as a mixed use facility that would include one exclusive commercial berth for Epic and additional transient slips open to recreational seaplane pilots. He argued the proposal would reduce random shore docking, keep seaplanes away from the fish‑and‑game dock, and support local businesses by bringing charter and scenic‑flight customers into the Alton Bay business district.

Board members and residents pressed Wood on permitting, safety and public access. Wood said he had not yet applied to the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (DES) for a dock permit and that water operations and noise fall under state authority, citing the New Hampshire Department of Safety Bureau of Hearings order dated 09/06/2022. He told the board the docks would be floating, removed for the winter, and that operations would be daytime only. On access he proposed gated dock access for pilots and signage directing transient boaters to town docks while keeping some slips open to the public when his aircraft were not present.

Selectmen asked about vehicle parking, the number of aircraft that would use the dock, potential legal and administrative costs to the town, and whether the design would interfere with swimming areas or fishing. Wood said he would typically operate a single larger aircraft for tours and make reservations rather than keep planes docked, and that security or management headaches would be handled by his company. Several residents at the public‑comment period later called for caution about giving up waterfront frontage and warned that a private commercial operation could limit community access to the beach.

The board did not take a vote on the proposal at the meeting. Members asked Wood to pursue DES guidance, provide a detailed site plan and public measurements, and return with permit updates and a draft warrant article for any public approval that would be required. The board also asked staff to include clear design and permitting information for public review before any final decision.

The Selectmen indicated they would expect to see where Wood stands with DES and a more detailed design that shows measurements, sheathing, public access impacts and proposed signage before moving the matter toward a warrant article or formal agreement.