A Lukes Wood Road family’s effort to get permission to build a stone wall in front of their home—something they want so that their children and kids’ friends don’t run toward busy street if a ball bounces toward it—has won support from some town officials and must go to others for approval.
The Kekedjians of 309 Lukes Wood Road are seeking to purchase from the town some of the property in front of their house in order to extend a stone wall that is designed to keep kids safely away from the road. Credit: Michael Dinan
The Kekedjians of 309 Lukes Wood Road—a 4.4-acre lot in an S-curve near Grace Community Church property—have been trying since at least early 2013, records show, to somehow extend a stone wall across their front yard where a row of conifers now stands.
Public Works officials have supported the plan, saying the road has an unusual shape there and the town easily could take its usual setback from the centerline of the road. But the Town Code prohibits encroachments on town land in all cases—a rigid rule with less flexibility here than in nearby towns—and efforts to transfer the land through a license or variance have not materialized.
Looking at the property while traveling south on Lukes Wood Road. Credit: Michael Dinan
What’s left is taking the rare step of selling the land—4,447 square feet or .102 acres—to the Kekedjians.
On Tuesday, the Board of Selectmen voiced support for that plan, though ultimately the Town Council and Planning & Zoning Commission approval is needed. (The Board of Selectmen would need to get back a contract between the town and residents.)
“They [the Kekedjians] were so honest and forthcoming coming in the first place that I’m so glad we found something that might work for them,” Selectman Beth Jones said at the Sept. 9 meeting, held in the Training Room at the New Canaan Police Department.
“We never would have checked so far away from road anyway,” she added.
DPW Director Michael Pastore said the road “has an irregular shape there” and is “much wider than it needs to be as far as our standards.”
Here’s a map of the property, article continues below:
The selectmen voted 3-0 in favor of a sale of the land “to get the ball rolling” on the matter, First Selectman Rob Mallozzi said.
“In no way does this approval mean they have that land or anything like that, because it’s in the domain of the Town Council and they are going to have [the Kekedjians] at their October meeting,” Mallozzi said.
The Town Council is scheduled to meet Oct. 15.