News

Waveny LifeCare Network Unveils Proposal for 150-Unit Senior Living Community at ‘Mulch Pile’ Site

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The Summer Internship Program is sponsored by the New Canaan Racquet Club. Waveny LifeCare Network  or “WLN,” the nonprofit organization that operates a short- and long-term rehabilitation and skilled nursing facility and memory assisted living residence on Farm Road, an independent living facility on Oenoke Ridge and an adult day program, among other services, last week unveiled plans for a new 150-unit senior living community on town-owned within at Waveny through a long-term land lease agreement. (WLN’s Farm Road campus is also currently leased from the town.)
Presented July 15 to the Town Council as the beginning of what WLN leaders described as a public conversation—not a request for approval regarding the development—plans call for use of approximately 20 acres of the 50-acre “Parcel E,” known by many residents as the “mulch pile” area west of Lapham Road. Those presenting the proposal included WLN President and CEO Russ Barksdale Jr. and Board of Directors members Rich Townsend and Mark DeWaele. (Town Council member Penny Young recused herself from the discussion because she also serves on the WLN board.)

The location offers the best opportunity to address what they described as a longstanding shortage of senior housing while minimizing impacts to the park, they said.

Eric Thunem

Town Council Votes 8-4 To Pass Summertime Ban on Gas-Powered Leaf Blowers in New Canaan

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Following years of stop-and-go community efforts, New Canaan’s legislative body last week passed a summertime ban on gas-powered leaf blowers. 

The Town Council voted 8-4 in favor of the ban, with a handful of exemptions, during its May 20 meeting. Under the new ordinance—whose full text can be read here under “Exhibit A” (scroll down)—gas-powered leaf blowers will be banned from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day. Exemptions include using gas-powered leaf blowers for emergency and safety purposes, for storm clean-up, by the New Canaan Department of Public Works and “use by residents on hard or man-made surfaces.”

Violation of the ordinance will result in a warning on first offense, $100 fine on second offense and fine of at least $250 after that, under the language developed over several months by the Town Council’s Bylaws and Ordinance Committee. Just how a violation will be reported and addressed wasn’t immediately clear—under the Town Charter, the noise ordinance is enforceable by police—a concern raised by Council member Eric Thunem, one of four “no” votes. “I believe the ordinance as drafted is over-reaching and fails to recognize the burden that will be imposed upon many resident taxpayers who will see increased costs from landscaping companies providing them with services,” Thunem said at the meeting, held at Town Hall and via videoconference.

Budget FY27

Town Council Approves $184.5 Million Budget, Removes Funding for New Parking Meters on Main Street

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The Town Council on Tuesday night voted 10-2 in favor of a $184.5 million operating budget for fiscal year 2027, a 1.9% rise over current spending. (All budget documents can be found here.)

Notably, the figure came down by $758,000 in Board of Education expenses after district officials updated healthcare cost projections based on recently received March 2026 actual claims (a reduction from about $1.9 million in March 2025 to $1.7 million this year). In addition—following strong opposition from local merchants—the Town Council removed $90,774 in capital spending that had been earmarked for eight additional parking meters downtown (on Main Street). The legislative body’s chair, Mike Mauro, said nearly all merchants voiced opposition to the additional meters “based on the negative impact it had on their businesses.”

“So I think we as a body like to be responsive to the needs of the community when they arise—like leafblowers is one of them, that is certainly something we are responding to and continue to vet,” Mauro said during the meeting, held at Town Hall and via videoconference. “So on that one, everyone can state their mind but I think it’s wise just to press pause at this time and have a further review and discussion on that [the parking meters].

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.

Eric Thunem

Town Council Committee Nears Proposed Ordinance Banning Summer Use of Gas-Powered Leaf Blowers

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A committee of New Canaan’s legislative body is working to move a proposed ordinance for a seasonal ban on gas-powered leaf blowers to the full Town Council. Amid several differences of opinion, members of the group’s Bylaws & Ordinances Committee last week homed in on a draft version of what would be a new local law if the Town Council—following a future public hearing—votes in favor. As it stands, the proposed ordinance calls for a ban on the use of gas-powered leaf blowers from Memorial Day to Labor Day, with some exemptions (see below), as well as a ban on electric leaf blowers during the same summer period outside of 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays and 12 to 4 p.m. on weekends. The exemptions that the Committee is considering in the use of gas-powered leaf blowers during the summer period—there’s no limit outside of those approximately three months—include for emergency and safety purposes, storm cleanup or snow removal, Department of Public Works use and/or public utility companies clearing debris that affects essential services. 

The Committee also is weighing an allowance for property owners using leaf blowers for a very short period of time to clear “hard surfaces” such as sports courts, decks and walkways. Committee members in favor of the draft ordinance point to a desire for more quiet in the summer as well as the environmental and public health benefits of reducing the use of gas-powered leaf blowers.