Eric Thunem

Town Council Committee Discusses Next Steps Regarding Gas-Powered Leaf Blowers

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Town officials say they need time to evaluate the merits of a citizen-led campaign to reduce the use of gas-powered leaf blowers in New Canaan. After receiving dozens of letters themselves and seeing similar ones in local news—calling for a reduction for reasons of noise, public health and environmental issues—members of New Canaan’s legislative body are calling for a comprehensive analysis before recommending any change to local ordinances. During a meeting last week of the Town Council’s Bylaws and Ordinance Committee, member Eric Thunem said: “I think we need to hear from a lot more people before we vote on an ordinance that could impact so many more things than just the noise in my backyard. There are a lot of implications that would restrict and change the economics of landscaping.”

Committee members during a June 4 meeting spent nearly one hour discussing the issue. One Committee member, Kimberly Norton, said she was “on board with moving ahead with [restrictions].”

“I think we’ve had an outpouring of letters from the public…there’s lots of interest in the issue, and I think it behooves us to take it forward,” Norton said during the meeting, held at Town Hall and via videoconference.

Government

Town Council Passes $181 Million Budget for FY26

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New Canaan’s legislative body on Thursday voted unanimously in favor of a $181 million budget for next fiscal year, a 3.47% increase over current spending. The fiscal year 2026 spending plan includes a year-over-year increase of 4.36% for the Board of Education—a $150,000 reduction from the budget request that the school board had brought to the Town Council after going through New Canaan’s two other funding bodies, the Boards of Selectmen and Finance. The final major discussion item in the budget was funding for the Board of Ed. The Town Council initially explored a $300,000 reduction to the school board’s spending request. Advocates to fully fund the request noted that two staff positions were on the line—an elementary school classroom coach and high school math interventionist. 

Ultimately, the Town Council—Chair Michael Mauro, Vice Chair Hilary Ormond, Vice Chair/Secretary Cristina A. Ross and members Maria Naughton, Penny Young, Tom Butterworth, Rita Bettino, Luke Kaufman, Kimberly Norton, Janet Fonss, Eric Thunem and Jennifer Zonis—voted 12-0 in favor of the budget.

Amy Murphy Carroll

Affordable Housing: Town Approves Loan of Up to $4 Million for NCHA’s ‘Avalon’ Acquisition

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Though the funds likely won’t be needed, officials say, the town is prepared to offer a $4 million loan to the New Canaan Housing Authority or ‘NCHA’ as that entity works to acquire a 9.1-acre apartment development located opposite Lakeview Cemetery. Following recent votes by municipal funding bodies, the town is ready to offer the loan so that the Housing Authority can cover expenses related to its hopeful purchase of 106 Lakeview Ave. The property includes 10 residential buildings with dozens of units of various sizes, 11 garages and one large pool, tax records show. 

The acquisition is expected to help New Canaan remain exempt from a widely discussed state affordable housing law. The town faces the challenge of creating new affordable units in order to continue doing so. “Right now, it still remains that it’s likely that we will not need any funds from the town,” NCHA Chair Scott Hobbs told members of the Board of Finance during a special meeting held Sept. 16 at Town Hall and via videoconference. 

Referring to the company that created the abutting Canaan Parish affordable housing development (and redeveloped it in partnership with the Housing Authority and town), Hobbs continued: “We’re still working a little bit with New Canaan [Neighborhoods] in order to try to boost our equity.

Government

Town Officials Reject Proposal To Require Residents to Remove Snow and Ice

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The New Canaanite 2024 Summer Internship Program is sponsored by Karp Associates. Saying it is both unfair and unsafe for residents, town officials recently rejected a proposal to require certain property owners to remove snow and ice from public sidewalks abutting their property. 

The Town Council last month heard from various New Canaanites voicing their opinions on the first selectman’s proposal from June. A committee of the legislative body at its July 15 meeting voted unanimously to reject the suggestion, despite budget concerns. 

Town Council Bylaws & Ordinances Committee Co-Chair Tom Butterworth said, “There is very low likelihood [the proposal] has got any life left in it,” following the legislative body’s vote. Before residents addressed the Council, members conducted an informal straw poll, in which all council members expressed a collective desire to reject the proposal. 

Following the straw poll motion, residents were invited to speak to the Council. 

Here is what they had to say:

Rich de Moll: “As you probably already know, Park Street is a designated response road and, therefore, has enhanced snow clearing in the winter. In addition, it’s a primary access road for cars going to high school and middle school complexes as well as the Merritt Parkway.

Dionna Carlson

Residents May Become Responsible for Clearing Their Sidewalks of Snow and Ice

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The New Canaanite 2024 Summer Internship Program is sponsored by Karp Associates. New Canaan’s highest elected official wants the town to consider requiring residents to clear snow and ice from sidewalks abutting their homes. At present, the town is required to remove snow and ice from sidewalks outside the downtown area, mandated by ordinance. Despite this, the town is only able to tend to nine of the 20 mandated miles due to staffing and attempts to contain costs within an inflationary budget, officials say. According to First Selectman Dionna Carlson, maintaining all 20 miles would cost something close to another $2 million a year.