NORWAY – The Planning Board unanimously approved a site plan application that allows a local car dealer to continue to show his cars on Main Street next to the historic Norway Memorial Library.

The plan submitted by local business owner Kevin Wiles was approved unanimously Thursday night but with conditions.

“I don’t see how we can deny it in the short term,” said Planning Board member Michael Quinn who seconded the motion made by member Michael Twitchell to approve the site plan with conditions.

Under the conditions of the approved site plan, Wiles is to limit the number of cars placed along the Main Street to five. He also must maintain the snowplowing, lawnmowing and re-seeding of the lawn if the snowplow damages it. The board will also review the application in one year, when the current one-year lease Wiles has with the property owner expires.

In early May, half a dozen used and accident-damaged cars appeared at the Main Street site, which is part of the National Historic District, causing some concern in the community. The damaged cars have since been removed and will not be put back on the lot, according to Mike Micklon who represented Wiles at the public hearing.

Wiles, owner of Wiles Garage and Body Shop on Greenleaf Avenue asked for the site plan approval to expand his existing business and change the use of the lot on the corner of Main Street and Greenleaf Avenue that is owned by Madeline Pratt.

But the move to put cars on the lot, which had been the site of a rooming house for years until 2007 when it burned to the ground, upset some residents.

Last month, the Planning Board determined that Wiles needed site plan approval to continue the business. Part of that process requires a public hearing.

About a dozen residents showed up at the public hearing to voice their opinions.

Norway Downtown President Andrea Burns said the Wiles’ business was not being targeted. Rather, it brought out an issue that she and others say needs to be addressed – the long-term vision of Main Street.

“It’s not just about one business on Main Street,” said Brenda Melhus. “It’s about all of Main Street. Where are we going with the town?”

Burns said she has been told by state officials that the discussion must turn toward zoning – something that Norway’s Main Street does not have.

“We don’t need to reinvent the wheel. There are other communities that have zoning in place on Main Street,” Burns said.

Micklon said Wiles has a one-year lease and has no intention of paving the lot nor does he intend to place anything on the lot that is not street-ready with a current inspection sticker.

Property owner Madeline Pratt said last month that the Norway Memorial Library had previously leased the lot from her after the rooming house burned but recently they decided not to renew the lease. At that time, Pratt she leased the lot to Kevin Wiles who operates the used car lot.

Library director Ann Siekman said at the time they had used money from an anonymous donor to pay for the lease in an effort to keep the area looking nice, but that money did not materialize this year and the trustees were faced with not renewing the lease.

The trustees attempted to discuss the sale of the lot with the owner, that effort also fell through. Micklon said the library officials simply did not meet the owner’s asking price.