By Wayne E. Rivet

Staff Writer

Jerry Covell knows a wedding is full of cheers, music and dancing as family and friends celebrate marriage of their loved ones.

Yet, Covell and his neighbors cherish their peace and quiet, which during certain weekends primarily in the summer ends due to weddings held at nearby Noble House Inn in Bridgton.

For the past 18 years, Covell and his wife have lived on Highland Road near the Noble House Inn.

“I’m here tonight because I’m very concerned about what’s going on next door,” he told the Bridgton Select Board, which was considering renewal of the inn’s special amusement permit.

When the Covells were considering purchasing the property as their retirement home, they checked to see what the Noble House Inn “was all about.” They spoke to new owners, Julie and Rick Whelchel.

“We saw they were doing a great job, and we actually became good friends,” Covell said. “They did a few small weddings. They were very small and not intrusive at all.”

New owners Lynn and Matt Williams made many improvements to the property, including clearing some trees behind the inn to create additional parking. Covell said at first the inn held one or two weddings, but last year, a “large function tent” was installed and “about nine weddings” took place at Noble House.

“These were large weddings and some had more than a hundred people in attendance,” Covell said. “The cars would come and fill up the paved and dirt parking lots in their property. And then the remaining vehicles would park out on the street. They seemed to try and park on one side, but there was still not the required 15 feet roadway left. It creates a hazard, especially when people are getting in and out of the vehicles. Coming and going. Some of the other issues they have installed bright exterior lighting to light up the busy parking lots and walking past. It’s pretty distracting to all the neighbors.”

Music level, created by either a DJ or band, is another problem.

“It’s a wedding reception, but it’s very distracting and it goes on for several hours. They don’t do it any later than they should be, but it’s very distracting during the summer,” Covell added. “We have family and friends over during the week and, and especially on the weekends. The quiet evenings on our porches and decks are just nonexistent on the weekends, especially the last two weekends of last summer.”

Covell questioned whether the current usage of the inn fits the town’s Land Use Ordinance, which allows a small inn/bed & breakfast.

“The bottom line is that the Noble House Inn is no longer a bed and breakfast, small inn with the required eight or fewer rooms for rent. It has become a bridal and event facility providing wedding and reception services on a large scale,” Covell said. “We’ve heard through the grapevine and found that they have at least 20 to 25, maybe more weddings scheduled for the summer.”

Questioning whether his property might suffer a drop in value due to special events held at the Noble House, if he tried to sell, Covell said, “If it were happening next door to your house, you’d feel the same way that we do.”

Covell and other neighbors hope the inn owners will consider their concerns and “come up with a remedy that would satisfy the complaints” they have.

Highland Road resident Will Libbey said the matter boils down to “respect for your neighborhood, respect for your neighbors, which really doesn’t exist anymore in our neighborhood.”

Libbey felt some town board ought to address parking, much like what was done when Justin McIver proposed the hotel and plans were presented to expand Highland Lake Resort.

“It is a real hazard in the summer. We’ve got tons of people walking all hours, night and day, down that street. There’s no sidewalk. So, now you’ve got people walking, cars trying to pass and cars partially in the road and partially on the side,” Libbey said. “It’s a real danger and someone’s going to get hurt. It’s all because they don’t have enough parking for what they’re trying to do.”

Libbey believes the inn was initially permitted for 100 people at the venue — “at least that’s what I’ve been told. I could be wrong,” Libbey said — but they advertise 150 on their website.

“I think there’s a dis disconnect there,” he concluded. “It’s respect for the neighborhood that we really would like you to consider because we’ve been here a very long time and we need some respect in considering our concerns.”

Select Board Chairman Bob McHatton asked Planning Board Chair Deb Brusini whether Noble House was “grandfathered” in regards to newer standards.

“It’s hard to know without knowing what they were originally approved for and what the code was at the time. I’ve been on the planning board going on eight years, and to my knowledge, the Noble House has never been before our board and the Land Use (Ordinance) was implemented in 2019. I’ve been on the board since 2016. So, it is possible that they have some grandfathering.”

Brusini felt issues raised by neighbors could be reviewed by the town’s code enforcement officer, Brenda Day.

Day suspects Noble House would be grandfathered since the inn held weddings prior to the Land Use Ordinance being adopted. She suggested that if on-street parking is a problem, residents should contact the police department.

“A lot of businesses in Bridgton have no parking that’s adequate for their businesses,” McHatton noted. “It’s one of the problems we have throughout our whole town.”

Inn owner Lynn Williams looked to clarify several points made. First and foremost, she said, “My neighbors are my first concern every single time” when it comes to potential bookings there.

She noted that the inn did not have a wedding of over a hundred people.

In regards to parking, new space behind the inn has been a big plus. She pointed out that there is a significant grassy space to the front of the property, next to the roadway, which is used for parking, if needed. Owner Matt Williams directs cars where to park to “ensure that we’re not parking in driveways and they’re all parked on our side of the street.”

As for alcohol consumption, Lynn Williams works the bar the whole night “because I am worried about liquor, and I would never over-serve anyone.”

The Williams also encourage wedding parties to rent buses, if they can, since those in attendance stay other locations such as Greenwood Manor and Highland Lake Resort.

She added: no weddings with over 100 people (most range from 60 to 90); and at this point, Noble House does not have 26 weddings booked — “I wish we did,” she said.

Weddings often start at 4:30 and end by 9:30.

As for loud music, Lynn Williams noted, “Sometimes when I’m outside, I’ve heard Music on Main, which is louder than my music that’s playing in the tent.” She did admit having to ask DJs to lower the volume at times, but Williams reminded everyone that a wedding “is a festivity that we celebrate love and marriage. It’s not a rock festival. It’s just people celebrating a wedding.”

She concluded, “I’m proud of the business that we’ve built. We’re bringing people into Bridgton. I apologize if neighbors are upset. My own people who have sat on my front porch have complained about the Airbnbs that are across the street and the people that they pack into those. So, I think it can go both ways. I think we all need to understand that.”

Williams invited neighbors to stop by the inn to talk.

Covell asked Williams if soundproof panels could be used as part of the tent structure.

“It would make a big difference because that’s the biggest problem,” he said. “I apologize for not coming over and talking to you personally.”

Williams will look into the panels. She noted that the tent structure remains in place, which is allowable by law.

“We don’t want to cause you any trouble. We just want our peace and quiet back. Absolutely. On the weekends. I’m finally retired, and can enjoy being home after 18 years,” Covell added.

The Select Board voted 3-0 to approve the special amusement permit.

“Your concerns are noted. It is a delicate balance in a growing town, in a residential downtown area to just be good neighbors. I’m happy for your success and I really do encourage you all to maybe talk it out or instead of hearing something through the grapevine, take it to your neighbors,” Select Board member Carrye Castleman-Ross said. “I wish you all happy relations on Highland Road.”

In other business:

Manager Search — To date, the town has received 13 applications for the vacant town manager position, Select Board member Carmen Lone reported. Three candidates received a 30-minute pre-interview.

“None have been set up for a full interview, and that’s not because they’re not going to be, it just that hasn’t been set up,” Lone clarified. “If the board wishes to expand its advertising, we could do that. I have a document that lists all the applicants and where they are in the process.”

“Thirteen applications, I don’t think is bad,” Board Chairman Bob McHatton said.

Lone concurred, “It’s not bad. There’s a lot of movement out there in town government.”

Unlucky Pole — The location of one decorative street light pole on Main Street, adjacent to Shorey Park, is proving to be a bad spot. For the third time, the pole was struck and demolished. This time, it was hit by a tractor trailer about two weeks ago, Public Service Director David Madsen reported.

Getting Closer — It won’t be long that Madsen and other Public Works staff will have new office spaces. The addition constructed adjacent to the Town Garage is nearing completion.

“The siding is just about finished. The painting on the interior is done. The heating system will be going in tomorrow, as well as some of the flooring. The plumbing will get installed this week. The remainder of the trim work and flooring will be put in over the next week or so,” Madsen reported. “So, anticipating about three weeks and we’ll be moving in.”