Government

Zoning Board To Consider Non-Monetary Settlement in Pastures Lane Neighbor Dispute

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Town officials on Monday will consider approval of a non-monetary settlement in a dispute involving Pastures Lane neighbors. Multiple lawsuits have been filed since the town in 2024 issued a permit for a driveway gate at 78 Pastures Lane. That property, and an adjacent one at number 92, are owned by a Delaware-based limited liability company. In addition to the gate, neighbors have objected to stockade and deer fencing that appeared on the properties, saying the fencing violates local zoning regulations. The dead-end lane, a cul-de-sac of seven (soon-to-be eight) homes, runs south off of Silvermine Road between Canoe Hill and Valley Roads. 

Under an agreement that the Zoning Board of Appeals is scheduled to consider at its 7 p.m. meeting, the driveway gate—still in dispute in state Superior Court following a successful ZBA appeal by neighbors—would remain while “certain landscaping modifications” would be made.

Board of Selectmen

Town: RRFB at Main-Farm-Old Norwalk-White Oak Shade Is ‘Appropriate’

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Faced with a new concern about the appropriateness of a push button-activated pedestrian “beacon” at one of New Canaan’s most difficult motor vehicle intersections, town officials are defending use of the device. The rapid rectangular flashing beacon or ‘RRFB’ at the intersection of Main Street and Farm-Old Norwalk-White Oak Shade Roads is designed to help walkers safely cross east-west across Main. Yet official state and federal guidelines call for the use of RRFBs “only at mid-block crossings or ‘uncontrolled’ intersections (lacking traffic signals, yield or stop signs),” according to a Dec. 15 letter that New Canaan resident Jeff Holland sent to the Board of Selectmen ahead of its Dec. 16 regular meeting this month.

Government

Commission Upholds $75 Ticket Issued for Parking in front of Fire Hydrant

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Town officials this month upheld a $75 ticket issued to a local man who’d parked in front of a fire hydrant on Main Street. Vinh Nguyen told members of the Parking Commission during an appeal hearing that he knew it was wrong to park in front of the hydrant on a day that he needed to run into a bakery to pick up a pre-ordered item with his young daughter in tow. “I actually drove around and could not find parking, so I decided to just pull right in front of the shop, came in, picked up the pastry and we ran out and got a ticket,” he told the Commission during the appointed body’s Dec. 3 meeting, held at Town Hall and via videoconference.”I was wrong, nothing to complain about here, but would love to see if you could reconsider or give me a warning or something like that this time.”

Following brief deliberations, the Commission voted 4-0 to uphold the ticket, which had been issued at 11:15 a.m. on Nov. 26 (a Wednesday).

Government

Town Enters $20,000 Service Contract for ‘RRFB’ Maintenance and Repair

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Town officials on Tuesday approved a three-year annual maintenance and repair contract with the company that makes New Canaan’s push button-activated pedestrian crossing signals. The $20,000 annual contract with Brown Deer, Wisc.-based TAPCO is “severable at one year” and covers all 16 locations of rapid rectangular flashing beacons or “RRFBs” throughout town, according to Public Works Director Tiger Mann. “Because they are a specialized piece of equipment, you either have to hire a signal technician or have someone in your staff to be able to take care of it,” Mann told members of the Board of Selectmen at their regular meeting, held at Town Hall and via videoconference. He continued: “And then with this, for every unit that they maintain, they will extend the warranty. So if there are parts that fall under the warranty, the year that they’re still servicing it, they’ll extend the warranty even if the warranty is expired.

Business

‘Paws and Provisions’ Pet Store Planned for Elm and Grove Streets

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About one year after the plan emerged, the installation of a pet store in a long-vacant commercial space in New Canaan appears to be moving forward, according to documents filed with the town. After approving changes to the New Canaan Zoning Regulations about one year ago to allow for the businessat Elm and Grove Streets, the Planning & Zoning Commission in April issued a Special Permit for a pet store with grooming services. At the time, it wasn’t clear what company was planning to come in. (Pet Pantry Warehouse is located on the same block, at 21 Grove St.)

According to a new filing with P&Z and Connecticut Secretary of the State records, the company behind the store is “Paws and Provisions Inc.” and its managing principal is a New Norwalk Road resident. (A pet store company by the same name is located in San Francisco, according to its website.)

P&Z is scheduled to take up a request for sign and site plan approval, as well as some changes to the brick building’s facade, during its regular meeting at 7 p.m. Tuesday.