New Canaan Land Trust gets special permit for headquarters with parking conditions

The New Canaan Land Trust won commission approval on Dec. 16 to establish its headquarters at 1124 Valley Road and to restore the structure’s historic front porch, subject to parking and signage conditions.

Counsel Amy Sabatakis told commissioners that the lot had been subdivided in 2023 with the intention that the land trust would acquire and preserve the group’s house. The land trust seeks two special permits: one under the historic‑structure provisions to restore the porch and another to allow a philanthropic principal use (headquarters/office) while retaining residential use on upper floors.

Architect Anderson Kenny and preservation advocate Chris Schipper described the building’s long history and documented the porch’s historic location in archival materials. The applicant presented a landscape and mitigation plan and said the site can accommodate periodic stewardship and committee meetings.

Commissioners focused on on‑site parking, circulation and safety for drop‑offs. Executive director Robin Bates Mason explained the property can accommodate roughly 6–7 cars near the house and up to about 15 vehicles if driveway areas are used; the land trust emphasized it is not seeking to be an event venue and primarily expects monthly board and committee meetings.

Given concerns about vehicles parking on Valley Road, the commission imposed two administrative conditions as part of the permit: the land trust must submit a site plan illustrating and providing 15 on‑site parking spaces within the property boundary and signage directing visitors, and the land trust must prevent on‑street parking on Valley Road. Commissioners left the construction and porch restoration work able to proceed or to be phased as long as final parking arrangements are approved administratively by town staff.