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Commission OKs timber acoustical wall and related conditions at 284 New Canaan Ave
Summary
The commission approved a modification to a contractor‑yard special permit at 284 New Canaan Ave to allow a 20‑ to 21‑foot timber acoustical wall relocated about 7 feet from original alignment, with agreed maintenance and planting conditions to reduce neighborhood impacts.
At its Aug. 5 meeting the commission approved a modification to a prior special permit at 284 New Canaan Ave to allow a timber acoustical wall in lieu of the previously approved concrete wall with a timber top, and to relocate that timber wall roughly 7 feet outward after the discovery of buried electrical conduit during installation.
Attorney Eric Bernheim told commissioners the change was proposed for aesthetic and procurement reasons and that both the applicant’s acoustical engineer and the commission’s peer reviewer (AKRF) concluded the shift would have a negligible acoustical impact. Bernheim said the timber wall will be treated and constructed in replaceable sections; commissioners pressed the team about plantings, longevity and a maintenance commitment. The applicant agreed to include maintenance/repair and a prohibition on using the 7‑foot buffer between the wall and the cement bins for storage or other uses.
Commissioners confirmed specifics — the prior concrete + timber configuration was roughly 13 feet of concrete plus 8 feet of timber; the new timber wall will be about 20–21 feet — and voted to approve the modification with the described conditions. Staff will include belt‑and‑suspenders maintenance language and a 7‑foot buffer restriction in the resolution.
