Town Planner Defends Zoning Proposal

Town Planner Steve Kleppin defended the proposal for changes to downtown zoning in a presentation to members of the New Canaan Chamber of Commerce Wednesday.

“We’re not trying to compete with Main Street and Elm Street,” said Kleppin, referring to the area known as the "Magic Circle" where many of New Canaan’s shops are located. “We’re trying to set up something that fills a void.”

The proposal suggests shops, supermarket, and restaurants be allowed in the existing Business B Zone on Cross and Vitti Streets; another special permit provision would be added to encourage high-tech start-ups to move into that area. And the proposal would create a new D Zone near the train station on the west side of Grove Street where medical offices would also be added as a new use with site plan approval.

“If the town really needs a medical facility, why are they so adamant it should be on Grove Street?” asked one woman in the audience. “[You are] forcing a use that is really going to cripple the downtown. You’re opening the doors to a hospital to render supermarket care."

Several in attendance said they were afraid the proposed zoning changes would allow for a development like the 350,000 square foot i.park health complex along Route 7 in Norwalk.

The proposed zoning changes would limit the footprint of a building in a D Zone to 10,000 square feet and total size to 25,000 square feet. Audience members speculated that a developer could get around those limits by purchasing and developing adjacent lots.

Kleppin deflected that concern saying that this would be the first time a cap would be placed on the footprint of buildings, and that much of the area that would be encompassed by a D Zone is home to office buildings and asphalt now.

"We think there’s a better mix that can help the businesses in town," Kleppin said. “We didn’t (sic) want to do anything that would have a negative impact on the surrounding neighborhood. We think we’ve put in some restrictions that will be beneficial to the people on Grove Street.”

The zoning changes are on hold while a market demand study is conducted to determine what uses are needed and would be most viable in downtown New Canaan. The state has awarded the town which should be completed by this time next year.