Officials are investigating whether they may invoke New Canaan’s blight ordinance to prompt action from the owner of a vacant and seemingly neglected antique home on God’s Acre.
4 Main St. in New Canaan on June 25, 2015. Credit: Michael Dinan
The 1780-built Greek Revival-style home at 4 Main St. is being foreclosed upon, and a civil lawsuit filed by the bank has been tied up in court for three years.
Members of the New Canaan Historic District Commission, long fearful that the prominent home would fall into such a poor state that it would be deemed uninhabitable and face the wrecking ball, said Thursday that they intend to find out whether the home could be cited for blight.
“I think we should do that, so that we understand what we can reasonably do,” Commissioner Terry Spring said at the group’s meeting, held at the New Canaan Historical Society.
4 Main St. in New Canaan on June 25, 2015. Credit: Michael Dinan
“The point is that people sometimes respond when they hear what really could happen, and the blight ordinance gives the opportunity to state some really unpleasant things that could happen. It happened in Norwalk, and would lend a lot of sternness to what we could say, and maybe draw out some of the principals in this situation, because they would need to be a part of this.”
Tax records show that the home has been owned since 1984 by James Talbot. He could not immediately be reached for comment.
New Canaan’s blight ordinance is outlined in Section 7A of the Town Code. Blight itself is defined as “Any condition or combination of conditions in public view upon any residential premises that tends to devalue real estate, or that is a negative influence upon the neighborhood or upon any neighbor’s use and enjoyment of his or her own property, due to, characterized by, or reflective of neglect, decay, deterioration, disrepair, rotting, overgrowth, infestation, dilapidation, or failure to maintain.”
Under Section 7A-3, it’s the job of property owners to maintain the exterior of structures and grounds.
Recently, a Forest Street homeowner was cited for running afoul of the ordinance, and fined some $10,000.
It isn’t clear whether the property at 4 Main St. will meet the standard. A look from the sidewalk shows that the property has waist-high grass and is overgrown with weeds, including around the home’s chimney. The roof appears to be damaged.
New Canaan’s chief building official fields complaints related to blight.
The commissioners said the property’s taxes have been paid though the home appears to have been unoccupied for a few years.
One local couple, whose detailed plans for restoring the 10-room, 7,000-square-foot home had been looked on favorably by the commission, made an offer on the .43-acre property that they said last March had been accepted by the bank. Two months later, commissioners said Talbot had rejected that offer.
Commissioner Martin Skrelunas said the group should try to contact Talbot directly to work toward a positive outcome.