Government

Selectmen: In-Street Outdoor Dining Was Never Meant To Stay

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It was never the town’s intention to make permanent the plastic water-filled barriers that protected restaurant patrons sitting in the street as part of downtown New Canaan’s outdoor dining season, officials said Tuesday. In fact, town officials “were always trying to get to the point where we didn’t have those plastic barriers up,” according to Selectman Steve Karl. “So I think it’s important that people remember that, and know that New Canaan is going to look great this summer,” Karl said during the Board of Selectmen’s regular meeting, held at Town Hall and via videoconference. He continued: “It’s going to be functioning and you’re not going to see those barriers out there. And it’s unfortunate that there are a couple of restaurants that aren’t going to have it… But that was always part of the original plan.”

Made during a section of the meeting dedicated to general matters before the town, Karl’s comments come as news has spread about a change in this year’s outdoor dining season, which kicks off May 1.

Board of Selectmen

Town Approves Contract for Improving Route 106/Farm Road Intersection

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Municipal officials on Tuesday approved a $14,500 contract with a New Haven-based engineering firm to advance the town’s plans for fixing a major traffic problem in New Canaan. Southbound traffic on Old Stamford Road/Route 106 backs up during the school year at Farm Road, in part because drivers don’t move left while waiting to turn left at Farm and in part because there isn’t sufficient room for other motorists to get around them if more than one vehicle is making that turn. The engineering firm, Fuss & O’Neill, is redesigning the intersection “and associated traffic signals to accommodate additional turning lanes at the intersection in order to help alleviate commuter traffic and associated school traffic,” according to Maria Coplit, town engineer in the Department of Public Works. “For years, as we know, the intersection has been plagued with its challenges,” she told the Board of Selectmen during their regular meeting, held at Town Hall and via videoconference. Led by Coplit and DPW, the town last summer kickstarted the process of obtaining about $1.4 million in state funding to do the actual work (the municipality is responsible for engineering and design fees) through a state Department of Transportation Local Transportation Capital Improvement Program or ‘LOTCIP’ grant via submission through the Western Council of Governments or ‘WestCOG.’ WestCOG has approved the project, and now, “in order to advance the project, the full DOT LOTCIP program application needs to be prepared and submitted by April 21st,” Coplit said.

Around Town

‘A Saturday Morning Tradition’: New Canaan Farmers Market To Open April 11

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Municipal officials on Tuesday approved the 2026 season for what has rapidly grown into a downtown tradition in New Canaan. The New Canaan Farmers Market will run 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturdays in the Lumberyard Lot next to the train station from April 11 to Dec. 19, following a unanimous vote by the Board of Selectmen. “The Farmers Market has been a nice addition,” Selectman Steve Karl said during the elected body’s regular meeting, held at Town Hall and via videoconference. 

He continued: “It’s become a Saturday morning tradition in town and it attracts a lot of folks over there. Traffic has been flowing in and out of  there fine.

Government

Take Two: ‘Scene One New Canaan LLC’ To Operate Playhouse Movie Theater

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Town officials this week approved a lease with a Delaware-based limited liability company to operate The Playhouse. The Town Council and Board of Selectmen both voted unanimously in favor of a five-year lease with Scene One New Canaan LLC. Joseph Masher, representing the company, told the selectmen during their regular meeting Tuesday that he is sole owner of Scene One Entertainment, formerly Bow Tie Management. “For 20 years I was the chief operating officer of Bow Tie Cinemas,” Masher said during the meeting, held at Town Hall and via videoconference. “So I have extensive experience with the old Playhouse and I’m very excited to be back, and what you’ve done with the Playhouse—making it into its current iteration—it’s amazing and my goal is to make sure that it is a centerpiece, is the centerpiece of town and the beacon of Elm Street.”

According to the Scene One website, the Schenectady, N.Y.-based company currently operates six movie theaters in four states, including New York.

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.