By Dawn De Busk

Staff Writer

CASCO — For the last half of 2022, the building permits taken out in the Town of Casco total more than one a day.

“We have had 238 building permits since July. That includes tree-cutting, new construction, and decks,” according to Casco Code Enforcement Officer (CEO) John Weissman.

The other numbers that have been documented are “24 plumbing permits, seven occupancy permits, six violations and two days in court,” he said. 

Weissman provided an update on number of building permits since July 25. 

“The building permits have slowed down,” he said, blaming the interest rate hike.

Weissman appeared before the Casco Board of Selectmen to give a report on the code enforcement department. 

Part of the update was the status of unsafe buildings, and cluttered yards that violate the town’s Junkyard Ordinance.  

Apparently, one unsafe structure may be resolved from having a new landowner.

“There’s another dangerous building on Riggs Road. It has been abandoned. Someone has bought it. There are some Dumpsters in the yard, and someone has started to gut it out,” he said.  

“The place on the end of the Tenny Hill Road, the abutter who owns the front lot said that the owner of the house has disappeared for a bit. We are trying to get catch up with him,” he said. 

“The house on Leach Hill Road is on the border of junkyard or not,” he said. 

“We had a court date last week with the Harmony Road project. At first, I thought it was a hearing. It was a preliminary hearing. I am going to meet with the homeowner and see what he considers junk and what I consider junk,” Weissman said.