Demolition debris is piled next to an excavator Feb. 1 after an 18th century home and carriage shop were taken down to make way for an affordable housing project by the Norway Equitable Housing Cooperative of Norway. The homestead was built by George Bennett in 1889 and was last occupied by Ashley Everett who died in 2018 at the age of 90. Nicole Carter/Advertiser Democrat

NORWAY — The public will get another chance to voice concerns or ask questions about a proposed 17-unit cooperative housing development at 33-35 Whitman St. at 7 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 8.

The Planning Board voted to schedule a second public hearing amid concerns about some of the original mailing notices not reaching residents during its regular meeting July 25.

Board Chairman Dennis Gray was absent so member Michael Quinn led the meeting. Member Anthony Morra was also absent so alternate Shirley Boyce participated and voted.

The town has sent another notice that also includes information about the project to a list of 74 nearby addresses. A public notice has also been posted.

The project is being proposed by Norway Equitable Housing Cooperative to bring more affordable housing to the area.

The cooperative was launched in 2021 by Norway’s Center for Ecology-Based Economy with a mission of bringing affordable and sustainable, net-zero, housing to the area. To the co-op, net-zero means low to zero electricity bills within an energy-efficient building with solar panels providing all the necessary power, Thea Hart, project coordinator for the cooperative, has said.

The Norway Equitable Housing Cooperative building will be owned by the tenants and will operate as a limited equity housing cooperative with governing bylaws. Each household will hold a voting share in the organization.

Also on July 25, the Planning Board, acting as the town’s historic review committee, issued a certificate of appropriateness for the immediate demolition of a dilapidated house at 15 Deering St. 

The prospective owner of the home, Ray Stanford of Naples, said he and his wife plan to buy the property only if they can tear down the house and rebuild. He described the house as uninhabitable and impractical to renovate or rebuild.

“Our intent is to tear it down and build a nice little house there and become a part of the community,” Stanford said.