Linda Bean has secured the necessary building permits for the Wyeth family reading room she hopes to establish in the village of Port Clyde.
However, pending appeals place the project in limbo.
The town of St. George, which includes Port Clyde, issued the permits to Bean last week. About five appeals to the project have been filed with the town, according to code enforcement officer Terry Brackett. The appeals process will likely begin sometime this month.
While the issuance of the permits means Bean is free to begin construction on the project slated for the intersection of Horse Point Road and Raspberry Lane, Brackett said it would be unlikely for construction to begin with appeals for the project pending with the town.
The project, a reading center dedicated to the famous Maine painting family that includes N.C., Andrew and Jamie Wyeth, won planning board approval in September despite opposition from many residents who took issue with the location of the project on Horse Point Road ― a largely residential and narrow road traveled often by pedestrians and cyclists.
The board approved an appointment-only reading room, with a limit of five vehicles parked there at any one time. The 1,413-square-foot building would be open from Memorial Day to Columbus Day.
Bean, granddaughter of L.L. Bean founder Leon Leonwood Bean, proposed the project last year, prompting a group of resident to petition against it.
The Wyeth reading room will feature collected photos, books, magazines and other items that highlight the family’s history and their influence on Port Clyde.