John Morrison stands Tuesday afternoon on his property on Old Pulp Mill Lane in Norway, looking out at the Crooked River. A neighboring property may violate town codes and put the health of the river at risk, he told selectmen last week. The property’s owner, Jon Shilalis, said he has done nothing wrong, and that Morrison is upset because of a separate legal matter between the two. Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal

NORWAY — A property along the Crooked River that can be rented through Airbnb may violate several town ordinances, a neighbor and his attorney told the Select Board last week.

“The things he has done to that property is shameful. I can’t believe anyone would let him do that,” said John Morrison, a neighbor to the rental property at 33 Old Pulp Mill Lane.

Property owner Jon Shilalis, who says he is suing Morrison on another matter, disputes that, saying he has followed all requirements in renovating the property.

“I have a certificate of occupancy for the house,” Shilalis said when reached by phone Wednesday morning. “Not a single thing was done without a permit.

“The code enforcement officer signed my permit and is well aware of what the house looks like,” he added. “The footprint of the house hasn’t changed.”

Code Enforcement Officer Chris Bilodeau did not return a call seeking comment.

Property dispute

Shilalis said the dispute started when Morrison backed out on an agreement to sell him his property, located next door to the rental property. According to court documents, the price was $180,000.

“The reason why this guy is so upset is because I was supposed to buy his property 2½ years ago,” Shilalis said. “We have court in two months and legally I’m going to win the property because he called me three days before closing and told me the neighbors don’t want me to do an Airbnb. If I don’t agree not to do an Airbnb, he wouldn’t sell me the property.”

The property at 33 Old Pulp Mill Lane in Norway. The owner is being accused of building too close to the river and putting the ecosystem of the river at risk. The owner says he has the proper permits from the town. Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal

Shilalis, who said he lives in Maine, not Massachusetts, as some have claimed, said the case will be heard in federal court, scheduled for June 2. The Sun Journal confirmed the filing.

At last week’s Select Board meeting, Morrison and his attorney Ted Small claimed there are several violations on Shilalis’ property.

“The concern is the location,” Small said. “It’s right on the Crooked River, a sensitive area of the Crooked River. There’s the use of water and water that should not be going into the river: chlorinated water, water from the shower with soap in it.”

The Crooked River, which feeds Sebago Lake, is a renown spawning area for wild salmon and brook trout. The Norway section of the river is especially critical for the salmon’s survival.

“The Crooked River, the largest tributary to Sebago Lake, is the single most important spawning and nursery tributary supporting the wild salmon sport fishery in the lake,” Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife regional biologist James Pellerin told the Norway Planning Board in 2022. “Significant numbers of wild salmon and brook trout are again being produced throughout the entire Crooked River. (The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife) considers this watershed to be some of the most significant inland fisheries habitat in the region and state.”

The house at 33 Old Pulp Mill Lane in Norway along the Crooked River. Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal

Located next to the Crooked River, the Airbnb at 33 Old Pulp Mill Lane is listed as having a glass wall overlooking the river with a hot tub, outdoor shower and a yoga hut. It has one bedroom that can accommodate three guests.

The website says “rushing water will flow right by your bed overlooking the most pristine, undeveloped river in Maine. Oasis with no one in sight. Complete privacy in the hot tub overlooking private waterfront. Wall of windows with mirror tint. Hot tub and shower just outside the front door.”

Alleged violations

Small listed a litany of issues with the property, including trees and shrubs cut down near the shoreline, boulders moved, and fill brought in near the river to put in the hot tub.

“The hot tub, in our opinion, is an accessory structure that’s not in compliance with the ordinance,” Small said. “Our understanding is that the hot tub is emptied on pretty regular occasions, cleaned and refilled. When the water is drained, it is drained into the river.”

Small conceded that the town has no ordinances addressing bed and breakfast rentals, but added that the commercial services being advertised — yoga, massage and a chef — is a violation.

Shilalis said he is merely offering his guests a connection to small businesses in town for those services. He said he makes no money on the transactions, nor does he receive free benefits.

There could be a problem with the septic system on the nonconforming lot. Morrison told the Select Board that he is puzzled how permission was given for the septic system.

“The previous owner, who had the property for a half-century, he was told on numerous occasions that the lot was too small,” Morrison said. “It’s not even big enough to put a septic on it. They were turned down multiple times.”

The structure is listed as 624 square feet and sits on a .36-acre lot.

“People come here (to Norway) because of how beautiful it is,” Morrison said. “The lakes. The rivers. The streams. If you let people like him get away with stuff like this, it’s going to be gone.”

Shilalis called Morrison and the other neighbors complaining about his property “hypocrites,” saying some of the properties on the road are in absolute disrepair.

“It has nothing to do with saving the river, nothing to do with the fish,” Shilalis said. “It only has to do with the neighbors don’t want him to sell me the property. He has to legally because of the contract he signed with me.”

Small implored the Select Board “to look into these issues and take action to try to address them.”

Code Enforcement Officer Bilodeau was not at last week’s meeting to answer the board’s questions.

“We don’t have the enforcement as a Select Board,” Selectman Ryan Lorrain said. “The one person who does have the enforcement is the code enforcement officer. The rules are only as good as what gets enforced.”

The board agreed to look into the matter with interim Town Manager Jeffrey Campbell.

“We need to have a sit-down with Jeff and figure out how we’re going to proceed,” Chairman Russell Newcomb said. “Site walk? I don’t know what it’s going to require. We should all agree that we need to discuss this further. We can’t fix this tonight.”