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Commission approves Sportova retail use at 112 Main Street but denies proposed facade changes
Summary
The New Canaan Planning and Zoning Commission approved a change-of-use for 112 Main Street to allow a high-end gym equipment retailer but voted to deny the applicant—s proposed facade modifications, citing incomplete drawings and inconsistency with village design guidance.
The New Canaan Planning and Zoning Commission on April 29 approved a change of use at 112 Main Street to allow a retail store named Sportova but denied the applicant—s requested facade modifications.
Commissioners voted that retail use is consistent with the Retail A zone, but said the proposed exterior changes lacked adequate drawings and could conflict with the town—s village district design guidance. Ricardo Mejia, the applicant—s authorized agent, told the commission the owners plan to remove vertical aluminum bars and paint the area behind them flat black to hide existing window units and plywood.
The commission—s concern centered on exposing and altering half the building—s facade without a holistic plan. "I'm gonna vote against it because I don't think that the that it's taken any consideration for the design guidelines for all those reasons and color," Commissioner Christina Larson said, adding the lack of a rendering made assessment difficult. The commission discussed the village design guidelines, noting they do not list acceptable or prohibited colors but emphasize window proportions and human-scale details.
The commission made two separate determinations: it approved the change of use under section 4.2 and denied all submitted facade modifications. Dan Radman called the vote; all seated commissioners voted yes to that motion. The commission recorded no conditions on the approved change of use; the denial applied to the applicant's requested facade work as submitted.
Discussion-only items included commissioners urging the applicant to produce a full, cohesive facade proposal that addresses window proportions, the horizontal steel beam behind the slats, and potential removal of white panels. Staff (Town Planner Sarah Carey) confirmed applicants may submit renderings and that the commission could vote on use and facade separately.
The applicant may return with revised materials if the owners choose to pursue exterior changes in a future application.
