Government

Town: Butler Lane Homeowner in Violation of Zoning Regulations

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Town officials say a Butler Lane homeowner has been in violation of the New Canaan Zoning Regulations for more than one year for illegally renting out rooms within the house. In an April 30 Notice of Zoning Violation, Town Planner and Zoning Inspector Sarah Carey said the property in question violates two sections of the regulations. 

A Special Permit is required to operate a “rooming house” under the regulations (see page 45 here), under a number of conditions, including that the property owner lives there, no more than four rooms are used for the rooming house and the lot is of a certain size. Also, a zoning permit is required for short-term rentals (page 51), also with a number of conditions, including that the rental is for fewer than 30 consecutive nights at a time, and for no more than three instances in a rolling six-month period. It also is required that “[t]he accessory use of the property as a Short-Term Rental shall not materially disrupt the character of the neighborhood.” The property owner also must provide on-site parking, under the regulations. 

The town issued Mark Palmer, owner of 151 Butler Lane, a cease-and-desist in February 2023, Carey said in the Notice, “requiring remediation of said violations within ten days.”

Then on April 11, 2023, Carey issued a citation “carrying with it a monetary penalty of $150 per day for each ongoing violation.”

“To date, said violations have not been remediated nor any monetary penalties paid to the Town,” she said. That’s 385 days in total to the date of the Notice, for a total owed of $57,750.

Around Town

Catherine Palmer Tries To Evict Another Tenant from Butler Lane Home

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Weeks after an ex-husband filed to evict her from a notorious Butler Lane home, Catherine Palmer this month took steps to evict yet another tenant from the dwelling. According to a complaint filed Sept. 8 in state Superior Court, Palmer “has terminated the defendants’ right or privilege to occupy” a second-floor bedroom at 151 Butler Lane. 

In an answer filed Sept. 13, the tenant said, “Catherine Palmer is not the legal landlord/owner” of the house “where necessary repairs need to be made and have not. She is facing eviction … I would be happy to pay rent to” the legal owner.

Animal 411

Ex Files To Evict Catherine Palmer from Butler Lane Home 

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A woman seeking to evict tenants from a notorious Butler Lane house is now facing eviction from the residence herself, according to court documents filed last week. Catherine Palmer, known to New Canaanites following her arrest and conviction on three counts of animal cruelty after three puppies died at 151 Butler Lane two years ago, had filed in April to evict two tenants from the residence. 

In response, the tenants said the eviction is retaliatory and that Catherine Palmer is not the owner of title to the property and doesn’t have the right to rent it out or evict those who live there. (A trial in that matter is scheduled to start Thursday, court documents show.)

On Aug. 1 her ex-husband, listed in a complaint as the rightful owner of the property filed in state Superior Court to evict Catherine Palmer. Mark Palmer, identified as plaintiff and “conservator for the estate and person of Beverly Jane Piotrowski, has “terminated the defendant’s right or privilege to occupy the premises,” according to a complaint filed on his behalf by Norwalk lawyer Bonnie Lee Macdonald.

News

Police Charge New Canaan Woman Following Domestic Incident 

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Police on Sunday arrested a 50-year-old New Canaan woman following a domestic incident on Butler Lane. Catherine D. Palmer was charged with disorderly conduct. At about 7:37 p.m. on April 10, officers were distanced to 151 Butler Lane house regarding a domestic dispute between Palmer and another person at the residence, according to a police report. Following an investigation, police brought the misdemeanor charge and transported her to police headquarters for processing. Police withheld details of the incident, saying it was domestic in nature.

Allyson Halm

‘Everyone Is Doing Very, Very Well’: Neglected Butler Lane Dogs, One Year Later [PHOTOS]

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One year after authorities seized 12 dogs from a New Canaan house, rescuing them from an animal cruelty situation where three puppies already had died, officials say the animals are thriving in new homes. 

The two Poodles, one Yorkie and nine Maltese puppies, as well as two Maltese adults, an intact male and female, were seized by town officials on Nov. 17, 2020, after they learned that a local woman, Catherine Palmer, had been operating an illegal pet store while keeping puppies in an unsanitary environment, lying to veterinarians about their health and denying the animals access to medical care, according to court documents. 

“They were very, very lucky to meet this fate and not the fate that was planned for them,” New Canaan Animal Control Officer Allyson Halm told NewCanaanite.com on occasion of the one-year anniversary of the seizure. “Very, very lucky.”

She thanked many of the individuals and organizations that assisted in caring for the dogs in the days, weeks and months following their seizure. Following months of hearings, a state Superior Court judge granted the town of New Canaan full legal custody of the animals in January, and they’ve been adopted out to loving homes in Connecticut and other parts of New England, Halm said. “I am so grateful for CERT [Community Emergency Response Team], Connecticut Westport Human Society and Stratford Animal Control and their STARS [Stratford Animal Rescue Society], who came to my rescue,” Halm said.