Government

‘We Do Not Get the Advertiser These Days’: Parking Ticket Appeals

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The Parking Commission recently received the following written appeals from motorists ticketed in New Canaan. ***

“Didn’t realize town Hall was open when I parked otherwise would never have parked there @ 7:30 AM. [A parking enforcement officer] saw me park there. She could have yelled and told me no parking, instead I got a ticket.”

—$30 for Town Hall lot parking when not in Town Hall, issued at 7:50 a.m. on Jan. 12

***

“I am appealing the ticket because I was at work with a client and unable to get back to my vehicle in time.

Eric Thunem

Town Council Committee Nears Proposed Ordinance Banning Summer Use of Gas-Powered Leaf Blowers

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A committee of New Canaan’s legislative body is working to move a proposed ordinance for a seasonal ban on gas-powered leaf blowers to the full Town Council. Amid several differences of opinion, members of the group’s Bylaws & Ordinances Committee last week homed in on a draft version of what would be a new local law if the Town Council—following a future public hearing—votes in favor. As it stands, the proposed ordinance calls for a ban on the use of gas-powered leaf blowers from Memorial Day to Labor Day, with some exemptions (see below), as well as a ban on electric leaf blowers during the same summer period outside of 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays and 12 to 4 p.m. on weekends. The exemptions that the Committee is considering in the use of gas-powered leaf blowers during the summer period—there’s no limit outside of those approximately three months—include for emergency and safety purposes, storm cleanup or snow removal, Department of Public Works use and/or public utility companies clearing debris that affects essential services. 

The Committee also is weighing an allowance for property owners using leaf blowers for a very short period of time to clear “hard surfaces” such as sports courts, decks and walkways. Committee members in favor of the draft ordinance point to a desire for more quiet in the summer as well as the environmental and public health benefits of reducing the use of gas-powered leaf blowers.

Board of Selectmen

Board of Selectmen Approves $186.9 Million Budget

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The first of New Canaan government’s three funding bodies voted unanimously last week in favor of a spending plan for the town for next fiscal year. The Board of Selectmen voted 3-0 in favor of a budget of about $186.9 million for the 12-month period starting July 1—an approximately 3.3% increase over current spending. The budget “does not consider projected revenue that we will have greater visibility into during the Board of Finance and Town Council reviews,” according to First Selectman Dionna Carlson. “The Board of Selectmen’s approved budget reflects a commitment to holding the line on spending while maintaining services for town residents and continuously seeking improvements and efficiencies,” Carlson said in a statement. “While we have a strong start to the budget, reduced revenue from financial instruments is increasing the amount to be raised by taxation to 5.3% and a year-over-year mill rate increase of 6%.”
As it stands, the spending plan for fiscal year 2027 includes a Board of Education operating budget of $118.3 million (up 3.9%), town operations expenses of $35.3 million (up 2%), debt service of $18.2 million and tax-supported capital projects of $1.4 million.

Government

Parking Downtown: Town Weighs Changing Main Street to Paid Spaces

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Town officials say they’re thinking about installing eight more parking kiosks in downtown New Canaan, on Main Street and possibly part of Locust Avenue. An expansion of the new paid system that took effect on Elm Street and South Avenue in October, the kiosks on Main would cost $90,774, officials said during Tuesday’s Board of Selectmen meeting. At first, the town didn’t think it would be able to convert Main from two-hour to paid spots, according to First Selectman Dionna Carlson. “We didn’t think we could do it on Main because it’s a state road, and then in further discussions realized that you can, because it’s not part of the roadway,” Carlson said during the meeting, held at Town Hall and via videoconference. “So it’s just a discussion to start and if we even want to potentially pursue those, we’d have to have it in the budget.”

If added to the budget, the approximately $90,000 cost for the kiosks would be bonded, town Budget Manager Ryan Stacy said. 

The comments came during a discussion of capital projects in the area of “general government”—namely, the Affordable Housing Committee ($225,000 proposed for professional fees), Information Technology and Parking.

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The Playhouse: P&Z Issues Favorable Report for New Lease/Operator

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The Planning & Zoning Commission this week voted unanimously to make a favorable referral for the town to enter into a new lease for The Playhouse—a key step ahead of the Feb. 9 public hearing where details about the prospective new operator are expected to come out. Under state law, the local P&Z is required to weigh in when there’s a proposed new lease of a public building before the town’s legislative body votes on the lease itself. Following a discussion where P&Z received very limited information about the lease itself—the Commission’s role is to decide whether leasing the building to a new operator is in line with the town’s long-term planning—members voted 9-0 in favor during their regular meeting Tuesday night. Prior to the vote, some commissioners voiced concern that they had no details about the draft lease’s contents. 

“The challenge is we don’t know the particulars of the lease, nor the term,” Commissioner John Engel said.