Plans for a seasonal glamping resort at the former Donnybrook Country Club site in Lanesborough moved forward this week after receiving approvals from two local boards, marking a key step in a multi-layered municipal review process.
On Monday, the Lanesborough Conservation Commission approved plans to construct 94 seasonal platform tents on the 160-acre property located at 775 Williamstown Road along Route 7.
The following day, the Zoning Board of Appeals unanimously approved the site plan, subject to a series of conditions. The project is proposed by Under Canvas, a Belgrade, Montana-based outdoor hospitality company, on land owned by Matthew Kelly.
The former nine-hole golf course on the property closed in 2023, and the site was listed as pending sale in May at $1.89 million.
Reed Raskin, Under Canvas’ director of entitlements, said he was “super excited” about the momentum following the back-to-back approvals.
Despite this progress, the project must still undergo review by the Board of Health for septic plans and by the local building inspector for the tent deck designs. The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection will also review water supply and stormwater management plans.
During the Conservation Commission meeting, Jim Scalise, a civil engineer with SK Design Group representing Under Canvas, outlined the construction approach. He described each structure as “a tent platform, which is like a residential deck,” with tents erected seasonally. “Every fall, it’s broken down, and then every spring it’s rebuilt,” he told The Berkshire Eagle.
Scalise noted that seasonal operation reduces the need for frost-protected utilities and limits permanent site disturbance. Although tents will not have electric service, each unit will include a toilet and shower, requiring water and sewer connections.
Scalise said fewer than 20 tents would be located within wetlands buffer zones and that proposed work in riverfront areas would be limited to stormwater management. “The work that we’re proposing is restricted to buffer zone and a very limited amount of work in the riverfront, which is just stormwater management,” he said.
In response to concerns from Conservation Commission member Joe Trybus, Scalise agreed to use helical piers instead of precast concrete foundations in sensitive areas. Additional measures include invasive species management plans and non-disturbance zones around on-site ponds.
At the Zoning Board of Appeals meeting, Scalise also detailed plans for a commercial kitchen to serve guests and host events such as corporate retreats and weddings. Raskin said use of the historic clubhouse remains under review, but occupancy would not exceed 49 people.
The board approved events of up to 250 attendees and limited overall resort operations to 180 days per year. “As far as I’m concerned, you can have 180 outdoor events,” Zoning Board of Appeals Chair Mark Siegars told Raskin.
Other conditions include an 80-foot setback from property lines, completion of all construction within 15 years, a prohibition on recreational vehicles once operational, and a decommissioning plan requiring removal of structures if the property is unused for five years. A 20-day appeal period follows the board’s decision.
Under Canvas plans to build a new communal area and repurpose existing golf course buildings during the first phase, which includes 50 tents, with future phases dependent on demand. Nightly rates are expected to range from $400 to $600, with average stays of two to three nights.
For outdoor hospitality operators, the project illustrates how seasonal, low-impact development models are being evaluated by regulators, particularly around environmental buffers, event use, and long-term site obligations.
Founded in 2009 by Jake and Sarah Dusek, Under Canvas operates 13 camps across eight states. The Lanesborough site would become the company’s third New England location, joining an existing camp near Acadia National Park and another near Franconia Notch in New Hampshire scheduled to open in June.