NORWAY — Town officials expect to visit Buck Road this week to see if there’s a way to protect property owners from vandalism without obstructing a public way.

Christopher Cooper and Walt Suomela, owners of property at the end of Buck Road, which is off Shedd Road, met with selectmen to ask permission to have a gate installed about 240 feet up the road from their orchard and barn. They want to prevent ongoing theft and vandalism on the house, apple orchard, barn and other property.

There is a gate close to the barn but it does not deter thieves from driving down the road to the property, according to Cooper and Suomela.

“Chris and I want to protect our properties and it wouldn’t impact any others on the road,” Suomela said. The road is a dead end.

Both made the same request in January, but the board could not make the road inaccessible to the public unless they have a public hearing and agreed to discontinue it and pay damages to abutters. At that time, at least one abutter had objected to discontinuing the road.

The pair were back before the board last week to continue the discussion after the apparent sale of an abutter’s property. All the land is now owned by Cooper and Suomela, according to information Suomela gave selectmen last week.

Cooper told selectmen Thursday that he intends to renovate the orchards over the next two years, which will make them even more susceptible to theft.

Concerned that there still might be someone with property rights near the road, Town Manager David Holt suggested a public hearing be held.

Holt reminded Cooper and Suomela that the law requires a town to pay damages if anyone is affected by a discontinued road, and the amount of those damages would be determined in court.

“It does have some risk to it,” he said.

Holt also said keys could be given to the appropriate departments, such as police and fire, which may need access in case of an emergency. Fire Chief Dennis Yates said he had no objection to that move.

“Somehow, we have to figure this out,” Holt said Tuesday. Holt and Yates are expected to visit the road this week.

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