NORWAY — The Planning Board has approved a site plan application for a local couple opening a brewery and limited the hours patrons can drink outside to 10 p.m. 

Norway Brewing Co., located in an historic trolley depot on Main Street, plans to open a 30-seat restaurant with an attached, outdoor beer garden that can hold 100 patrons later this fall. 

The brewery still has to go through federal permitting, but according to June 25 meeting minutes the Planning Board unanimously approved the application, but set limits on how late the brewery can serve customers in a walled-off, open-air beer garden.

Several abutters attending the meeting voiced concerns over possible noise levels associated with serving customers outside. 

Owners Charles Magne and Erika Melhus indicated they wished to work closely with neighbors to control noise levels, and discussed the idea of starting with 25 to 40 seats and slowly increasing that number if there are no issues. 

After voting unanimously to limit the outside seating hours, the board approved the application. Per state law, the brewery will be allowed to serve inside until 1 a.m.

ccrosby@sunmediagroup.net