About the proposed plans for the Roger Sherman Inn site: Today, if you’re driving north on Oenoke, passing St. Mark’s, First Presbyterian and the Nature Center, you’d say you were leaving town—that town was behind you.
In that sense you’d be thinking of town as the denser, concentrated part of our community where stores, restaurants, businesses and private residences are conveniently clustered close to one another. If you lived even as close as say, the Roger Sherman Inn, Holmewood, Hampton or Gerrish Lanes, you’d say you live close to town, in walking distance to town, but you probably wouldn’t say you live “in town.” Would you agree?
If you agree, then please consider the impact of the proposed plan for the site of the Roger Sherman Inn and the new “floating zone” language that P&Z is seriously considering in order to create more density housing and allow a total of seven homes clustered tightly together on this 1.683 acres. This is not the place for density housing, no matter how good the developer. Would you agree?
If you agree, please be heard at or before the December 20 P&Z meeting. You can email the new town planner, Steve Palmer, to voice your concerns: Steve.Palmer@newcanaanct.gov or you can attend the meeting at 7 p.m. on Dec. 20. (Be ready, it’s a packed agenda with Grace Farms, so you might want to write and get on the record.)
I’ve lived in New Canaan 57 years. Regardless, I think we all can agree that this much density in this location completely threatens the very breathing room we all need, seek and treasure in New Canaan. Protect the charm. Keep one acre zoning here! Stop the creep of cluster housing.
Gigi Brush Priebe
Gigi – thanks to P&Z – Cluster Housing is already in New Canaan unfortunately – they allowed it to destroy another historic site in New Canaan. In 2013, P&Z allowed cluster housing – despite heroic legal efforts by neighbors to protect the historic Jelliff Mill in New Canaan. In the end – all historic buildings on the Jelliff Mill site were demolished and the Town allowed 10 homes in 8 buildings on a 1.6 acre site. P&Z made theses developers give the Town $200,000 for affordable housing to do this (see below)!! Likely used for the new 3 story AH building on Mill Pond The threat of affordable housing (AH) density also drives these decisions – but there are ways to manage AH requirements in a small Town like NC – including allowing mother-in-law apts throughout town to meet our quota or challenging the quota itself under special circumstances of our small community. The town doesn’t seem interested in pursuing non-building AH options and sets itself up for this threat from developers. P&Z can then say – “we have no options – we must comply with what they want”. Hope this helps.
https://newcanaanite.com/new-canaan-preservationists-lament-demolition-of-historic-jelliff-mill-home-2056 41 Jelliff Mill Road 1755 and may date even earlier, well ahead of the American Revolutionary War was torn down. http://ncadvertiser.com/20667/jelliff-mill-settlement-includes-200000-for-housing-authority/#axzz4Sk5xCUQd Jelliff Mill settlement includes $200,000 for Housing Authority
Thank you for this; for your concern and advice. I hope you can attend the P&Z meeting on 12/20 or email your concerns to our town planner, Steve Palmer.