Commission Approves Guidelines for Village District Architecture

Design guidelines for constructing or renovating buildings in the town's Village District have been approved by the Planning and Zoning Commission.

After hearing public comment Tuesday night, P&Z members voted unanimously to approve the commission's Village District Design Guidelines, which have been under development for more than a year by a commission subcommittee.

In text and photographs, the guidelines present voluntary standards for development and design in the town's central business district, with the goal of maintaining its character, as well as promoting a "green building" ethic.

Commission Chairman Laszlo Papp said on Wednesday he hopes developers will abide by the guidelines, advising that doing so will make getting through his panel's approval process "easier, faster and better."

The commission's approval of the guidelines is subject to a two week period for appeals, during which the public may request they be amended or rejected.

Tuesday's hearing was the second to receive comments on the guidelines, and only one person spoke to the commission.

Saying there has been some confusion over the guidelines purview, Laszlo said the design of both commercial and retail structures are encouraged to abide by them.

The Design Guidelines can be downloaded from the town's Internet address: www.newcanaan.info.

The guidelines advise that development must be "contextually sensitive to the history, community and environment that constitute the Village District." As well, they state, "Whenever possible, historically and/or architecturally significant structure or features should be reused and incorporated into any development or redevelopment proposal."