NORWAY – Three properties were added Thursday to the list of Norway areas to earn a Pine Tree Zone designation.

Selectmen approved the designation of Northeast Tool & Die Inc., the Grover Gundrilling building and New Balance Athletic Shoe operations to the state program.

Pine Tree Zones are businesses/development areas that encourage investment by granting specified tax credits and benefits for businesses to relocate or expand.

Brett Doney, chief executive officer for Growth Council of Oxford Hills, said that the C.B. Cummings mill property and proposed technology park have already been listed in the program.

Barbara Olsen, the council’s vice president, said the Oxford Hills area was able to add more property to the list because of a recent rule change. The rules had stated that a zone could not consist of more than 20 non-contiguous properties.

The Oxford Hills area is part of the Androscoggin Valley pre-authorized zone.

Olson said at a December meeting with Department of Economic and Community Development officials she pointed out that in rural areas many of the properties that would benefit from the Pine Tree Zone designation were not contiguous with others in that area.

The board also approved applying for a $100,000 Community Development Block Grant earmarked for revitalizing properties in the downtown area.

Ninety percent of the CDBG money would be used for facade improvements; the remaining $10,000 for program administration.

Under this program, grants of up to $10,000 could be provided to property owners for facade improvements including awning, signage and landscaping that would upgrade the exterior of commercial properties.

Grant applicants would be required to match the amount of the grant.

Doney said Western Maine Finance has $90,000 available for loans to successful grant applicants.

He suggested the administration of the CDBG money could be done by the town, the revitalization Committee of the Growth Council.

In other action, the board wanted to send an official “thank you” to the Oxford Plains Speedway Charitable Foundation for its gift of $1,900 to the Norway Police Department.

Police Chief Tim Richards said the department will use the money to purchase a light bar, prisoner transfer seat and radio for the new squad car.

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