[{"_1":2,"_112":-5,"_113":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6170862,"mediaKeyId","5395558-49b19e2eb2103f160ad10ee8330f1c4c","parentId",5395558,"title","Court ruling on Weed Street planning decision prompts town to seek appeal; sewer access dispute remains pending","audioSeconds",98,"startMs",1676000,"endMs",1774000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5395558-49b19e2eb2103f160ad10ee8330f1c4c&start=1676&end=1774","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5395558-49b19e2eb2103f160ad10ee8330f1c4c/thumbnail_1676000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6170862/Connecticut/Court-ruling-on-Weed-Street-planning-decision-prompts-town-to-seek-appeal-sewer-access-dispute-remains-pending","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6170862-f91ee91c3e76a3239d6bace160961d9d/orig.mp4?Expires=1771142473&Signature=lJDWOQQeGGNFQPBcYVKTqK~4lGsVmph9vSiJc-51tqUb4~s40UrqDSHbm1ASiLexJ40hvQ7TtLyD6TBDmAUYDQzFgjLW6jFVCrjkScbFXzEPdNz528Wy~uZC7M6D6o6yEbaYoHBhxGk3vnW7PY1gj-dg1lwc0SVcZvVBMXsy~aT8uY49a5Kp~6pMqCX3lXTM52IuAAzQI5rSsNIfJN4103ust0ikY1vzW46HsP8xXVnpdtic~JOtlngO-I5NI4gwAU4aCPShdoitWotnwkrU7VzjElhUSMp6PFTFBg4fieZoCBApM-wfgIiZsOmpovhpAebjSaZAJQ0sIion6rgwHg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","New Canaan, CT","date","2025-07-15T12:16:46Z","article","A court has ruled against the planning and zoning commission’s decision to deny the Weed Street development, and New Canaan officials said the town plans to file paperwork to seek permission to appeal the ruling. Separately, the developer and neighbors are pursuing private litigation over sewer access through an easement; the first hearing in that case is scheduled for this fall.

Committee members said the court decision addressed the planning and zoning denial and rejected the arguments the commission used to turn down the project. Committee staff (Tianna) reported the town will file the necessary paperwork to seek permission to appeal; the transcript notes that an appeal is not an automatic right and requires approval to proceed.

Committee members emphasized that the sewer connection remains a separate, unresolved issue: the private lawsuit between the Weed Street developer and neighboring property owners over sewer access through an easement is not due for its first hearing until the fall, and that litigation may affect project timing or scope.

The meeting also included a brief status list for several other local projects: the Red Cross building litigation remains ongoing and Hill Street matters are still pending, with developers seeking rehearing on decisions in some cases. Committee members said the focus for the committee is to track how those legal outcomes may affect the town’s affordable housing obligations and planning timelines.

No new town policy was adopted at the meeting; staff and committee members said they will continue to monitor both the municipal appeal filing and the private sewer litigation and return to the committee with updates as hearings occur.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","New Canaan Affordable Housing Committee July 14, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","A judge rejected the planning and zoning commission’s reasons for denying the Weed Street project, the town intends to file for permission to appeal, and a separate private lawsuit over sewer easement access is scheduled for initial hearing this fall.","taxTitle","New Canaan, Fairfield, Connecticut","taxId",57946,"location","Connecticut","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6170867,"Committee reviews new CT Municipal Redevelopment Authority and state land opportunities near transit",168,1271000,1439000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5395558-49b19e2eb2103f160ad10ee8330f1c4c&start=1271&end=1439","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5395558-49b19e2eb2103f160ad10ee8330f1c4c/thumbnail_1271000.jpg","/articles/6170867/Connecticut/Committee-reviews-new-CT-Municipal-Redevelopment-Authority-and-state-land-opportunities-near-transit","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6170867-b4ab14d7a5118934a0d819bfb6921052/orig.mp4?Expires=1771142473&Signature=I5ndRUIwH6mKO-A4R~sTVmEF-rnzrXJuZ-n3UMslO4ae0pdDlLCpzVwvgwdyE40Yirkr53bqbcvf9uji~YpQiyNmpzq3WU2orpSz44cZkvZsWYoIl44cCJbAj8bLroO~fdhmE5FjKBNkUTwke2eHmOEhYOxsGQE5nvA-Zt3uqqvoC4lstba3kLhMVt3yzr9UK7OGkih-EeWA4OIk4P8VGXuOLhCrQHaZPbfgnN12E~~wlu7hyq9b~JqCa43fRfdonxCeRRIDSs7q9yThxovp6W8gmjHRSyrhN6UmiffgybzkrGIaDqlO~ODSiis5DMpaRpOq7upgGLfeey6hHZbsDw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The committee received an informational briefing on the recently established Connecticut Municipal Redevelopment Authority, which staff said has been allocated $109 million to support municipal housing and infrastructure projects, and discussed potential opportunities tied to state‑owned land near transit hubs.

A committee member who met with David Kouras, the authority head, described the new agency as intended to provide financial and technical support for municipal projects, including infrastructure work that could make redevelopment feasible (for example, decking over parking to create developable land). The member said the authority is not exclusively for affordable housing but is intended to help municipalities execute locally driven plans.

Members noted a key caveat raised by the authority: towns would likely need to make commitments around rezoning portions of land to engage with the program. The committee agreed the board of selectmen would need additional information before deciding whether to pursue the authority’s assistance, and members said they would circulate notes from the meeting with Kouras.

The committee also discussed a state call on lands around transit hubs, noting approximately 20 sites nationwide the state is surveying and that town members should not assume the town’s small train‑station parking lot would be prioritized. The group referenced Westport’s precedent of a state land donation as an example of a possible outcome but cautioned that negotiations over state land are likely to be lengthy and complex.

No decision to apply or enter into any program with the authority was recorded; the committee treated the briefing as information gathering and asked staff to provide follow‑up notes and to check why other towns may have opted out of the authority.","Members heard an overview of the newly formed Connecticut Municipal Redevelopment Authority, its $109 million funding, and early conversations about state lands and transit‑adjacent parcels; the committee agreed to gather more information before deciding whether to engage.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6170872,"Committee discusses state housing bill veto, local impacts and possible bipartisan letter",587,517000,1104000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5395558-49b19e2eb2103f160ad10ee8330f1c4c&start=517&end=1104","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5395558-49b19e2eb2103f160ad10ee8330f1c4c/thumbnail_517000.jpg","/articles/6170872/Connecticut/Committee-discusses-state-housing-bill-veto-local-impacts-and-possible-bipartisan-letter","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6170872-cd96c4074de36e69d1b3d8408f2c93e2/orig.mp4?Expires=1771142473&Signature=d4QnUKwsT2Ec2rkJP0GfoNoyXXZiBymckOI8YMoKMn3wcSHpNWthQ74YvrkteBx9rifghDoN2Otv7NDLsthTbqU7F6k5K3KG6e9cZMqIMdoijuGI1DwpC~qS3PbyW90GMecCsv1Zdnf0QYClZeDCfxNJIUZZFhkAhhWKTpqxgkLRHehK7vOo75dpUKI6AmBJqrksGNB6F3Fa-nqpjgl3BOAh1teeEQnEnNRWFO5APQToypIi9w0ahMsHDDIv4A880kb2lhoEhhdpb9-ksLBlOt4PuXl~ELWq55-kMtl3QolUyPB6W8q~nGHzixYSDWxktgLu5dXFlwdaPE7Y0pTUjw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The New Canaan Affordable Housing Committee discussed Governor Ned Lamont’s veto of HB 5002 and the likely statutory and practical implications for the town’s affordable housing plans, and members agreed to draft a bipartisan statement to state legislators outlining local concerns.

Committee members said the governor’s veto will send housing legislation back to the legislature in a special session, and they noted public remarks from the governor emphasizing issues such as proposed parking exemptions for developments under 24 units and the inclusion of a \"fair share\" requirement. The committee identified several provisions that concern municipalities: a proposed elimination of parking requirements for small developments, fee‑shifting of legal costs to towns, and the bill’s emphasis on rental housing (not homeownership).

Members said Connecticut Council of Municipalities (CCM) and other municipal organizations have communicated opposition to the bill as drafted, and said CCM and regional councils of governments (COGs) are working with state leaders to propose revisions. Committee members named Francis and Sam Gold (RiverCog) as local contacts who have been involved in drafting potential municipal responses.

The committee discussed ways to be proactive. One member suggested drafting a bipartisan letter from the committee that would summarize New Canaan’s accomplishments on housing, outline local concerns about specific provisions in HB 5002 — particularly parking rules, fee‑shifting of legal fees to towns and the bill’s rental focus — and offer alternative approaches, such as reweighting hue points or equalizing incentives for homeownership and senior housing. Members asked to coordinate any draft with Francis before circulating it more broadly.

Committee members also raised separate but related development-cost pressures not addressed by HB 5002, including building‑code changes, material price increases and prevailing‑wage considerations. One member reported a news article and said the Connecticut Department of Labor did not issue a prevailing‑wage determination this year; the committee noted that a prevailing‑wage requirement or a Department of Labor determination that raises labor costs could be a “show stopper” for some projects.

The committee asked two members to work on a draft statement and to circulate it to the full committee by email for review; the group discussed holding a focused August meeting or a special‑meeting Zoom session if a faster response is needed. No formal legislative lobbying action was authorized at the meeting; the committee agreed to prepare a bipartisan, informational statement that can be shared with state legislators.","Members reviewed Gov. Ned Lamont's veto of HB 5002, discussed likely special session outcomes, flagged local concerns including parking rules, fee-shifting and prevailing wage implications, and agreed to draft a bipartisan statement for state legislators.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6170875,"Affordable housing committee moves to secure consultant for preliminary site modeling",515,0,515000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5395558-49b19e2eb2103f160ad10ee8330f1c4c&start=0&end=515","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5395558-49b19e2eb2103f160ad10ee8330f1c4c/thumbnail_0.jpg","/articles/6170875/Connecticut/Affordable-housing-committee-moves-to-secure-consultant-for-preliminary-site-modeling","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6170875-4d89d25d43cd18c374902aa4a75b5893/orig.mp4?Expires=1771142473&Signature=O7ENgoymLcHytdYnWx9gglmE28AafdmbsxFDTDzXx0v6UXJRzDCAU8WQ4CjVALu7W4ymH8MckPMfc9ZoDUvF7g-uUa~frgau2vuwCtOcmL5LVI84-7oSkK6WseYGo8MZpG-GWFcPCZNfU-I5qJRdQeLMkX2V5E~GMA6rTwOJMmCwfPWQVRml8ISo28y1~VBPEuumoiHQEya1Vyx0h-nBk-hsq9E65neT9h0SL0pqwA71tWClr5xwl6NJc6yMBILtgbo3aGNkzOZdxJthF0gKkNjoOMOTciZCMo~tuqro~KzAQES~YcPQoFy4c-o0NWqR8240mKrP1Ku33mQ8U~ky1Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The New Canaan Affordable Housing Committee agreed to move forward with recommending a consultant to produce preliminary conceptual massing and unit-fit studies for three town-controlled sites, using an existing $30,000 allocation and subject to administrative sign‑off.

Committee members said the work is intended to provide early, nonbinding visuals showing how many housing units might fit on parcels the group is considering, not to authorize design, permitting or construction. The three sites identified in the discussion were Richmond Hill, Locust Avenue and the lumberyard parcel; a fourth state-controlled site was set aside from this first round because of anticipated extra complexity.

Committee member Krista (committee member) described a process that began with informal outreach to a Norwalk architect, Bruce Bienfeld, and later to another firm based in Hartford after Bienfeld fell ill and died. Krista said the Hartford firm’s initial proposal exceeded the committee’s available funds but that staff worked with the firm to pare the scope to fit the $30,000 budget. Scott Hobbs (staff member) and Mike (committee member) were identified in the discussion as staff and committee points of contact who had previously worked with some of the firms.

The committee agreed it did not intend this step to commit the town to any subsequent design or construction work. Instead, members said the deliverables would be used as presentation materials for the subcommittee and, later, the full committee and town staff. Diana (town staff) was identified as the person who would be asked to sign off on the procurement if the committee recommends moving forward.

Committee members discussed procurement process limits for projects under $50,000 and noted the advantages of hiring a consultant already familiar with New Canaan and with prior working relationships with local staff. No formal vote was recorded in the meeting transcript; the group agreed to prepare a recommendation and bring the proposal to Diana for authorization.

The committee also noted an outstanding warranty or punchlist issue related to a separate project (referred to in the meeting as Canyon Parish) that the committee expects staff to continue resolving with the builder; that matter will not block the proposed consultant engagement.

The committee will circulate the consultant proposal, proposed scope, and the edited budgeted deliverables by email and expects to revisit the recommendation at its next meeting before any contract is executed.","The New Canaan Affordable Housing Committee agreed to advance a recommendation to contract a consultant for preliminary massing and conceptual modeling of three town-controlled sites, using an existing $30,000 appropriation, subject to sign-off by town staff.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Court ruling on Weed Street planning decision prompts town to seek appeal; sewer access dispute remains pending

Committee reviews new CT Municipal Redevelopment Authority and state land opportunities near transit

Committee discusses state housing bill veto, local impacts and possible bipartisan letter

Affordable housing committee moves to secure consultant for preliminary site modeling