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Neighbors raise parking and historic-district concerns over proposed duplex at 33 Prospect Street
Summary
At a May 20 Planning and Zoning public hearing, Isaac Graves sought a special permit to allow a duplex at 33 Prospect Street; neighbors questioned parking, building size and compatibility with the historic-district character. The commission closed the hearing and said a ruling is likely at the next meeting.
Isaac Graves, owner of 33 Prospect Street, told the Town of North Canaan Planning and Zoning Commission at a May 20 public hearing that he wants to build a duplex on land adjacent to his home but does not yet have building plans. "He does not have any building plans etc. He is going through this process to figure out if it is even doable," Graves said as he submitted mailed-notice receipts and green cards to Zoning Enforcement Officer George Martin.
Neighbors at the hearing raised questions about scale, parking and neighborhood character. Resident Marcus Olson asked whether Graves "had any idea of what size building he was going to put up or any dimensions at all," and Commissioner Mike O’Connor responded that "size of the building is not part of this permit." Resident Brian Tripp raised parking concerns, noting that "multifamily indicates more than 1 vehicle" and referencing prior parking issues on Prospect Street. Resident Garrett Deutermann described the area as "fairly recognized as a historic district" and urged the commission to consider the neighborhood aesthetic, which he said is predominantly single-family homes.
Chairman Mike O’Connor told the room the special-permit application is a preliminary land-use determination: "This is an application to have a multifamily on a piece of property. Multifamily equates to more than 1 family. This falls under a special permit." He said the commission is likely to rule at its next meeting and, if the permit is approved, "the details will need to be hashed out with building plans etc." The hearing record indicates the commission will review project specifics — including parking and design — only after the special-permit determination and when formal building plans are submitted.
The public hearing was closed after a motion from Commissioner Dalton Jacquier, seconded by Commissioner Walt Schneider. The commission carried the motion to close and adjourned the hearing at 7:10 p.m.; no vote tally was recorded in the hearing minutes.
