NEWRY – At Wednesday night’s Planning Board meeting, members will continue work on Les Otten’s proposed 69-lot residential housing project, “The Colony” subdivision.

The $900,000 five-phase project is tentatively expected to be completed after spring of 2010. Work on road and utility infrastructure and house-site development would begin once approval is gained from Newry’s planners and the Maine Department of Environmental Protection.

The proposed subdivision on nearly 138 acres is located at the base of Sunday River Skiway at the intersection of Sunday River and Monkey Brook roads. According to project documents, the development will only be minimally visible to Sunday River Road traffic or existing abutter homes.

Lot sizes range from 1 to 9 acres. One lot will be kept out of the project, on which will be built a 1-acre house lot with a driveway, private well and septic system.

The subdivision will be accessed by an internal loop road and three spur roads with cul-de-sacs, entering from Sunday River Road and totaling 1.5 miles.

The land was primarily used as a wood lot. It is located in the same rapidly developing valley as Sunday River Ski Resort, at the base of Sunday River Skiway road at Barker Mountain.

The project is primarily a terraced plain of white pine and mixed hardwoods up a short, moderate slope from Sunday River Road. It consists mostly of upland areas with some forested wetlands and contains several vernal pools and wetland crossings.

Principals of The Colony Development Co. LLC, which is proposing the project, include Otten of Newry and Harry Dresser Jr. of Bethel.

Otten served as president of Newry’s Sunday River Ski Resort for 17 years and was chief executive officer for American Skiing Co. from 1997 through 2001. Otten continues to serve ASC as a director, and, since April 2002, he serves as vice-chairman and partner in the Boston Red Sox franchise.

Dresser, who retired this spring as Gould Academy’s associate of school. During Dresser’s 26-year career at the private Bethel school, he has been a teacher, founder and director of a summer school, director of studies and chief information officer.

Dresser, according to The Colony documents, will organize and manage development of the subdivision.

Otten is the chief executive officer and manager of The Colony Development Co. LLC, which organized on April 27. Main-Land Development Consultants Inc. of Livermore Falls is the company’s agent.