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Politics & Government

More Culture, Parking and Senior Housing for New Canaan

Market Demand Study will make recommendations to town leaders in January.

The , which , is scheduled as the opening act in an evening of presentations on Jan. 10 at .

Following the MDSC, the , and will, as a group,  begin the first of two nights of budget presentations from various town departments.

But first, they will hear the results of the studies conducted by the Committee with the assistance of .

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Based on research which , highlights of the recommendations the committee will present include:

  • Working in tandem with downtown retail, restaurants and cultural sites such as , the and to promote New Canaan's assets as a "package." 
  • Cultivating the development of other cultural assets downtown.
  • Encouraging businesses, which the public survey and focus groups said were missing, and would be reasonable fits, such as:  food shops (green grocers, cheese shop, etc), shoe stores, kitchenware.
  • Increasing parking, with suggested opportunities at the existing Locust Ave. and Railroad parking lots.
  • As recommended in the --- the development of approximately 100 independent senior housing units within downtown vicinity.
  • Capitalizing on New Canaan's Metro-North station within walking distance of downtown and possibly offer bus service throughout town on weekends.
  • Zoning changes outside core downtown and the reduction of square footage requirements in certain zones.

Another issue the report said was mentioned by residents in the online survey and at the public forum was the question of commercial rent levels. The report said that residents and merchants generally perceived they were too high and, "others (primarily property owners) felt that they current levels were appropriate." They did not recommend a town initiated action, citing limited data available.

Find out what's happening in New Canaanwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Regarding implementation, said, "With these studies, the challenge always is, how do you implement the changes that are suggested?"

Committee member and Executive Director said, "with all the study fatigue in town, that is an important part of what we do here.'

While several options were presented within the report, the committee is expected to recommend a private/public partnership in the form of an Economic Development Commission model, "staffed by consultant funded through Town appropriation/matching Chamber grant."

Other committee members are Jarvis Cromwell, and Kajsa Sheibley.

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