Planning Board member Thomas Hoffelder listens while the rest of the board discusses whether or not to approve an outdoor bar for 290 Maine at Thursday evening’s meeting at the Norway Town Office.
NORWAY — The Planning Board voted Thursday evening to allow 290 Maine to keep its outdoor bar open for the remainder of the summer.
Chairman Dennis Gray said the board would approve the outdoor bar with the conditions that Ricci set up four dedicated parking spaces for the tenants of 274 Main St., stop serving alcohol outside by 8 p.m., and close the outdoor area by 9 p.m. on Sunday through Thursday, and by 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.
At the July 13 board meeting, Ryan Ricci, the co-owner of 290 Maine, said that the pub already has been approved to have an outdoor bar for eight days during the summer.
However, he said he wanted to extend the outdoor bar for the “rest of the summer.”
“It was a huge success having an outdoor bar for the Norway Arts Festival, and people said they loved it,” Ricci said. “We have a maximum capacity of 49 people for the pub, and with an outdoor bar, we could double the number, which helps bring more people to Norway, and helps us make more money.”
During Thursday’s public hearing, Ricci told the Planning Board that he received permission from Shawn Casey, the owner of the building at 290 Main St., to use the parking lot for an outdoor bar, and agreed to leave four dedicated parking spots for the tenants of 274 Main St.
Gray said he received a note from Police Chief Rob Federico saying that he had some concerns about alcohol being passed over the lattice fence and felt the outdoor area should close by 8 p.m., rather than 10 p.m.
“He also shared some concerns about the noise due to the proximity of people on Main and King Street,” Gray said.
A neighbor who lives at 274 Main St., adjacent to 290 Maine, wrote a letter to the Planning Board stating their disapproval of the proposed outdoor bar.
Planning Board member Thomas Hoffelder said he has “had to live next to neighbors before who were making some noise.”
“It happens sometimes,” Hoffelder said. “Life happens.”
Hoffelder added that he liked the idea of “keeping the outdoor bar open until after 8 p.m., but stopping the serving of alcohol after 8.”
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