By Gail Geraghty

Staff Writer

In what Bridgton Planning Board Chairman Steve Collins called an “unparalled development,” developers of a brewery have submitted, and then withdrawn three separate applications to locate in Bridgton.

Mount Henry Brewing Co. developers Robert Prindall and Angela Roux informed the board July 26 “with great regret” that they would not be pursuing the 48 Portland Road location as a site for their brewery. They did not offer a reason, but said they knew “that the board has not only been patient but also enthusiastic as we try to progress with the microbrewery.”

On Tuesday, the board simply noted that the application had been withdrawn, and moved on.

The board had held several meetings since March with the developers reviewing the 48 Portland Road site, which initially sparked some neighborhood opposition. The board had asked Prindall and Roux to return with more information on how they would handle stormwater runoff from the 1,600-square-foot brew house they wanted to build behind the former Curtain Shop building.

Mount Henry Brewing Company plans were to manufacture their specialty beer and also open a 32-seat “Taproom” open to the public. Prindall has worked as the head brewmaster at Bray’s Brew Pub in Naples.

The business partners originally looked at a site on Home Run Road, then eyed the Big Kahuna building in Pondicherry Square. Both deals fell through.

At their July meeting, Board member Brian Thomas said he believed the partners had “personal reasons” for withdrawing their application. Neither Roux or Prindall were available for comment.

In other action, the board:

• Agreed to have member Roxanne Hagerman ask Rep. Jim Hamper to seek legislative action that would redirect highway construction funding to the Route 302 corridor. Board member Fred Packard said he cannot understand why roads like the River Road in Windham get reconstructed when Route 302 is the second most-traveled highway in the state.

• Gave final approval for the Maine Department of Transportation to construct a 40’-x-60’ three-bay cold storage garage at their building at 720 Portland Road.

• Approved an application by Craig Hammond to operate a home business, Western Maine Firearms & Training, from his home at 90 Woods Pond Drive. Hammond is a firearms safety instructor, and will offer firearms training and classes at off-site locations and sell firearms in conjunction with the guide service. Firearms inventory is expected to be minimal, and will be secured in a vault storage room in the home. Hammond eventually wants to locate a retail storefront in the downtown Bridgton area, he said.

• Decided not to change their meeting time from 7 p.m. to an earlier time. Chairman Steve Collins had requested the board consider an earlier time, but several members said that might make it difficult for professionals to attend.

• Agreed to incorporate language from state law on liquidation harvesting into local subdivision regulations.

• Agreed to be more aware of designated buffers in subdivisions, especially in environmentally-sensitive areas, in light of a case in which a house was built on a large lot in a buffer zone.