Commission approves New Canaan Country School permit for field work, with conditions

The Planning & Zoning Commission voted to approve a special‑permit application allowing soil disturbance and construction of retaining walls tied to a plan to alter three athletic fields at New Canaan Country School, 635 Frogtown Road, including converting two fields to artificial turf.

Stephen Finn, authorized agent for the school, said applicants had provided additional materials requested at a prior hearing and that most neighbors reached a compromise on field use. "Subsequent to the submission... meetings between representatives of the neighbors and Aaron Cooper and John Neil of the Country School took place which led to an agreement," Finn told commissioners.

The applicant and engineers described agency reviews and mitigation: the health department observed septic testing; inland wetlands and the town engineer reviewed stormwater and drainage plans; and the turf vendor engineer testified the product would be PFAS‑free and use virgin rubber rather than crumb rubber. "Field‑turf will be free of PFAS…will not leach heavy metals into the surrounding areas," counsel noted during the presentation.

Commissioners added two conditions recommended in staff memos and agreed to by the applicants: submission of an as‑built survey confirming setbacks and a prohibition on any permanent or temporary lighting that would extend field use into nighttime hours. The commission also recorded that there should be no on‑field PA/speaker system per an agreement with neighbors. The motion to approve carried unanimously.

The permit authorizes the specified grading and retaining‑wall construction; any changes to field use or future expansions would require further approvals.