Charter panel hears P&Z leaders argue against elected board

Other Committee · Meeting of January 20, 2026

New Canaan's Charter Revision Commission heard planning and zoning leaders make a united case against electing the board. Chairman Dan Radman, Secretary Christa Nielsen, Town Planner Sarah Kerry, and town attorney Nicholas Bamonte all argued the current appointment process, run through the Republican and Democratic town committees and the first selectman's office, insulates land-use decisions from politics. Resident Roy Bramitz used public comment to call the town's appointed-board structure "autocratic." Commissioner Jennifer Holm presented data showing most elected planning-board members in nearby towns still had land-use backgrounds.

Commissioner Bill Barrett asked Radman if he saw any benefit to elections; Radman replied, "None whatsoever." The commission's public survey has grown from 19 to 37 responses in two weeks, and members approved the January 6 minutes and adjourned by unanimous voice votes, with a February 3 meeting next and board interviews targeted to finish by the end of February.

In the full story:

• The complete report — 900 words

Source: the Other Committee meeting of January 20, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.

The Full Article

NEW CANAAN — January 20, 2026 — The Charter Revision Commission devoted most of its regular Tuesday meeting to planning and zoning officials who lined up, one after another, to argue against turning New Canaan's Planning and Zoning Commission into an elected body.

Commission Chairwoman Kathleen Corbett presided as five current and former Planning and Zoning Commission representatives, plus the town's planning staff and town attorney, told commissioners that the current system, in which the Board of Selectmen appoints commissioners after vetting by the Republican and Democratic town committees, protects the board from political pressure. No PNZ commissioners spoke in favor of switching to elections.

The Full Story

Planning and Zoning Chairman Dan Radman, an architect who has served on the commission since 2011 and chaired it since 2022, opened the presentation by walking through the appointment process: candidates are vetted first by the Republican or Democratic town committee, then by the first selectman's office, then interviewed by Radman and commission Secretary Christa Nielsen before a final recommendation goes back to the first selectman. Radman argued that appointments let the town recruit specialized expertise, such as commissioner Eric Nolles, a New York City land-use attorney who Radman said is barred by his firm from running for elected office. Radman also read into the record a letter from former Chairman Llo Pap, who could not attend for health reasons and wrote that peer chairmen in towns with elected boards reported more political friction and disagreement than New Canaan has seen.

Commissioner John Pris told the panel the commission's letter opposing elections was signed by members across party lines, unaffiliated, Democratic and Republican alike, which he called "a broad consensus." Town Planner Sarah Kerry outlined the legal doctrines that already bind commissioners, including rules against ex parte communication and "predetermination" that require residents with pending-application questions to go through her office rather than individual commissioners. Kerry, who said she personally lives in a town with an elected planning board, told commissioners that even as an informed voter working in local government, she is often uncertain who she is voting for in down-ballot land-use races.

Commission Secretary Christa Nielsen, a professional planner who has worked in Oregon, North Carolina and Louisiana, said Connecticut's zoning statute gives commissions unusual insulation from politics compared with cities where she has seen elected officials make parcel-specific land-use decisions. Civil engineer Rob Franion, who has appeared before both appointed and elected boards regionally, told commissioners he sees "no reason to change" the charter. Town Attorney Nicholas Bamonte confirmed there is no state oversight board for local planning commissions, only the courts.

Commissioner Joe Paulo led the Charter Revision Commission's questioning, pressing Radman repeatedly for data rather than anecdote to support his position. Commissioner Jennifer Holm presented her own research showing that in several nearby towns with elected planning boards, including Ridgefield and Darien, a majority of elected members still had land-use-related professional backgrounds. Commissioner Bill Barrett asked Radman directly whether he saw any benefit to an elected board; Radman answered, "None whatsoever." Before the presentation began, Secretary Angela Jameson recused herself from that portion of the meeting because her husband serves on the Planning and Zoning Commission.

Earlier in the meeting, resident Roy Bramitz used the public comment period to criticize what he called an "autocratic" structure of appointed town boards. The commission also heard updates from its three working groups: a public survey on the charter review had grown from 19 to 37 responses since the previous weekend, and members said interviews with other boards and commissions, including the Board of Finance, Board of Selectmen, Inland Wetlands Commission and town clerk, are on track to be completed by the end of February.

"When a town commission ignores 2,000 pages of record and ignores the safety of neighborhood children and residentially zoned population, there is no reportable responsibility to the populace." — Roy Bramitz, resident, public comment

"In my opinion, having appointed P&Z commissioners is more advantageous than elected positions because their selection is based on relevant experience, background and commitment to the commission." — Dan Radman, Chairman, Planning and Zoning Commission

"I'm kind of confused at the polls. I don't know enough about these people." — Sarah Kerry, Town Planner, describing voting in her own town's elected planning-board races

Why It Matters

The Charter Revision Commission is weighing whether to recommend that New Canaan elect, rather than appoint, members of boards including Planning and Zoning and the Zoning Board of Appeals, a change that would require voter approval to take effect. Tuesday's session was the fullest public airing yet of the appointed side's argument, and it came without any organized voice from residents pushing for elections in the room. The commission's own working groups are still gathering evidence: interviews with other town boards are expected to wrap by the end of February, with a public survey and further hearings feeding into a recommendation that has not yet been drafted. The commission's next regular meeting is February 3.

Key Motions & Votes

- Vote: Approval of the January 6, 2026 meeting minutes Tally: Approved unanimously

• Action: Recommendation on electing versus appointing Planning and Zoning Commission members — Continued; no vote taken, discussion to inform a future recommendation

- Vote: Motion to adjourn Tally: Approved unanimously

Source

Town Of New Canaan: Charter Revision Commission meeting, January 20, 2026