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Town: Land Use Attorney’s Comments Delay Filing of Moratorium Application

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A prominent land use attorney’s feedback on the town’s application for relief from a state affordable housing law has delayed its widely anticipated submission, officials say. In reference to the application for a four-year “moratorium” for the town, First Selectman Kevin Moynihan said Tuesday that “after getting some comments from a rather skilled lawyer who wrote the law, we’re going to get that back in very soon.” The lawyer in question, Tim Hollister, “makes a habit commenting on people’s applications before they’re even filed,” Moynihan told members of the Board of Finance during an update at their regular meeting, held in Town Hall and via videoconference. “That’s what the public comment period is for,” Moynihan said. “Since he [Hollister] wrote the law, he knows how to use it.”

Tucker Murphy, administrative officer under Moynihan, had said during the April 19 Board of Selectmen meeting that the town anticipated submitting the application two weeks ago (April 28).

Board of Selectmen

Town: Application for Affordable Housing ‘Moratorium’ To Be Filed Next Week

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Town officials say they’re planning next week to file an application with the state to secure four years of relief from a widely discussed statute that opens the door to more affordable housing developments in New Canaan. The town’s voluminous Application for State Certificate of Affordable Housing Completion is expected to go to the Connecticut Department of Housing April 28, according to Tucker Murphy, administrative officer in the first selectman’s office. The application has been in the Town Clerk’s office for public view since April 7, Murphy said during Tuesday’s Board of Selectmen meeting. “It has to sit there for 20 days for the public to be able to come in and review it,” Murphy said during the meeting, held at Town Hall and via videoconference. “On April 28th it will then be submitted to the state, providing there’s no petition or anything filed from any residents.”

She spoke in response to Selectman Kathleen Corbet, who raised questions about the timing of the application as the Board approved legal fees incurred by the town that are related to an application for an affordable housing complex at Weed and Elm Streets.

Around Town

‘Family Fourth’ Picnic and Fireworks at Waveny Scheduled for July 2; Committee Works on How To Honor 2021 Passes

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The organizers the Fourth of July picnic and fireworks at Waveny are trying to figure out a way to honor passes purchased for last summer’s canceled event while also gauging how many people will come this year and possibly selling more. Since the Family Fourth Committee has the names and addresses of 2021 pass-holders, it could send a mailer requesting that those seeking to attend the 2022 event pick up a new pass at the Recreation Department, committee members said during a special meeting held Jan. 12. 

About 2,000 tickets were sold for the 2021 Family Fourth, which was postponed twice due to rain before being canceled. (The 2020 Family Fourth had been canceled due to the pandemic.)

Committee Chair Tom Stadler said the group must find a way to get a read on how many existing pass-holders will come, and then figure out how many additional passes to sell or whether a cap is needed at all. “If only half the people want to come then we’ll have 1,000 families out there instead of 2,000,” Stadler said.

News

Caffeine & Carburetors Founder Seeks October Date in Waveny

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The New Canaan founder of a popular car show is seeking permission from the town to hold an event in Waveny this fall. Doug Zumbach, owner of the eponymous coffee shop on Pine Street, said he’s hoping to book a Waveny installation of Caffeine & Carburetors for Oct. 16, or if not then the following weekend or the one after that. 

“There are, I know, other activities proposed,” Zumbach told members of the Parks & Recreation Commission at their Jan. 12 meeting, held via videoconference. “I haven’t really been able to secure final dates on some of these, but the first choice I would have would be October 16th in the park.”

Yet town officials say they need to wait for the district to confirm whether the parking lots at New Canaan High School could be used by C&C attendees, or if there’s SAT training or testing.

Government

‘Greenwich Wine and Food Festival’ Founders Propose Three-Day Event in Waveny

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The founders of the Greenwich Wine and Food Festival say they’d like to move their popular annual event to Waveny and hold in the park over three days this coming fall. Held in a harbor-front park in Greenwich since its inception, the festival has had its last two installments canceled due to the pandemic, according to Suni Unger, CEO of the publication company that owns Serendipity magazine, which puts on the event. 

The renamed “Serendipity Wine and Food Festival” would be held on a Friday, Saturday and Sunday with about 600 people in attendance each of those days, preferably in the final weekend of October, Unger told members of the Parks & Recreation Commission at their Jan. 12 meeting. Waveny itself is “central for our attendees,” who come from Bedford, N.Y., New Canaan, Darien, Westport and Greenwich, Unger said during the meeting, held via videoconference. “But that’s really our core area and then there are a lot of people—I don’t know whether it’s scaling back in size—but we do draw a lot of national attention, mostly because of the chefs,” Unger said.