NORWAY — Review of a site plan application for a wedding barn on Morse Road stalled again Thursday night when the applicant failed to appear before the Planning Board.

Code Enforcement Officer Joelle Corey-Whitman told the Planning Board that Peter Ulrickson, who hopes to operate the business in a 19th-century farmhouse at 107 Morse Road, told her earlier that he was still having trouble notifying one abutter by mail, as mandated in the application process. She said she didn’t know why he didn’t attend Thursday’s meeting.

Board Chairman Dennis Gray assured the 20 or so residents at Thursday’s meeting that another public hearing would be scheduled to address their concerns.

Ulrickson filed an application with the Planning Board last fall to approve a change of use for the property.

Norway has no zoning laws, and there are no guidelines on commercial business development in residential areas. The applicant has to meet certain conditions for the change-of-use request to be approved by the Planning Board.

Among the outstanding issues the board must determine is whether the wedding barn is a home occupation or a commercial venture. A home occupation is defined as an occupation or profession which is carried on in a dwelling unit and is clearly incidental and secondary to the use of the dwelling for residential purposes.

In December, the board held a public hearing but concern arose when it was discovered that all abutters had not been properly notified. The board continued the meeting to hear comments from the large group of residents.

Opponents to the wedding barn have presented the board with a petition signed by 81 residents in the North Norway area urging it reject the application.

The petition signers claim approval would result in “dangerous” additional traffic, noise that would prevent them from enjoying the “peaceful” outdoors, and decrease their property values.

At the Jan. 14 Planning Board meeting, it was discovered that two abutting property owners had not been properly notified, in part, because of discrepancies in house numbers on town records. The board required the certified mail be sent again using the new addresses, but one property owner, Ed Gabrielson, apparently still did not receive his notice, Corey-Whitman said.

Ulrickson said at previous meetings that the weddings would be held in the barn one day per weekend and have no more than 125 guests. The expected route of traffic for guests would be Greenwood Road to Morse Road.

The house on the 20-acre property was built in 1820 and is known as The Old Whitmarsh Place. The hilly residential area overlooks some of Norway’s lakes and is comprised of many retired people with homes valued around $250,000 and higher.

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