New Canaan planners demand traffic study for Parade Hill housing plan

Planning and Zoning · Meeting of March 9, 2026

New Canaan planners demand a traffic study before acting on a 14-unit affordable housing plan. The Planning and Zoning Commission continued the 30 Parade Hill Road application to March 31 after questioning whether Garden Homes Fund's project, presented by attorney Amy Susins, truly qualifies for exemption from the state's 8-30g moratorium; Commissioner Eric Nolles compared the developer's sales-tax exemption to "a mortgage interest deduction," not government assistance. Garden Homes president Richard Freeman said the design was "intentionally underbuilt" at three stories.

Separately, the commission continued New Canaan Country School's 635 Frogtown Road turf-field application after neighbor Steven Metler said outside club-sports rentals had made the property "increasingly a commercial operation." The board did approve two routine site-plan changes, both 9-0: a beauty studio at 21 South Avenue and a medical office at 94 Park Street. It also moved its June meeting to June 23 and approved January 27 minutes.

In the full story:

• The complete report — 1,021 words

Source: the Planning and Zoning meeting of March 9, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.

The Full Article

NEW CANAAN — March 9, 2026 — The New Canaan Planning and Zoning Commission demanded a formal traffic study Tuesday before it will act on a proposed 14-unit affordable housing complex at 30 Parade Hill Road, continuing that hearing and a second contested application over New Canaan Country School's athletic field renovation to March 31.

The commission, meeting for the first time since a snowstorm forced postponement of its February 24 session, also approved two routine site-plan applications unanimously: a change of use at 21 South Avenue to a beauty studio and a conversion of office space at 94 Park Street to a physical therapy practice. Both votes were 9-0.

The Full Story

The Parade Hill Road application, filed under the state's 8-30g affordable housing statute by GHF Parade Hill Road LLC, an affiliate of the Stamford-based nonprofit Garden Homes Fund, proposes 14 units, 10 two-bedroom and four three-bedroom, across three stories with 16 parking spaces on a half-acre residential lot. Attorney Amy Susins told the commission the project was intentionally kept to three stories and below the maximum allowed coverage to fit the neighborhood, and that Garden Homes plans to sell the finished building below cost to a nonprofit housing operator, as it did with a similar project in Westport. Richard Freeman, president of Garden Homes, said the design reflects that philosophy rather than a for-profit developer's incentive to maximize the site.

Commissioners spent much of the roughly two-hour hearing questioning whether the project qualifies for an exemption from the state's affordable-housing moratorium, since only five of the 14 units would be reserved for voucher holders under the developer's preferred plan, with the rest at higher income tiers or market rate. Susins argued that a state sales-and-use tax exemption tied to Garden Homes' nonprofit status independently qualifies the project as "assisted housing" under state law. Commissioners also pressed David Rich, president and CEO of the Housing Collective, on how the nonprofit selects tenants for the five voucher-reserved units and whether it actually controls the flow of vouchers it has promised to the project. Commissioners asked for a formal traffic and pedestrian study before the March 31 continuation, citing the narrow, winding character of Parade Hill Road and a lack of sidewalks.

At 635 Frogtown Road, New Canaan Country School sought a special permit to regrade and convert two of four athletic fields to synthetic turf, alter drainage and build a retaining wall exceeding four feet. Attorney Steve Finn, representing the school, said the project would not expand the fields' footprint, add lighting or increase enrollment. Engineers Christopher Hulk of Field Turf and Tom Nelson of McCord Engineering told the commission the new turf and an expanded stone drainage base would reduce peak stormwater runoff compared with current conditions. Several commissioners asked about contaminant testing of the rubber infill and emergency vehicle access to the fields.

Neighboring property owners raised concerns during public comment. Attorney Joel Green, representing a group of abutters including Stacy and Steven Metler, William Mountfort, Kevin Seth, Karen Sneersonen, Wenji Fan and Lulu Lee, asked the commission to impose conditions on hours of operation, lighting and amplified sound. Steven Metler told the commission his concern was not the school's own use of the fields but a rise in outside club-sports rentals that he said has damaged the grass and increased traffic. Finn objected to imposing new restrictions on a use he called grandfathered. The commission asked the school to submit a written baseline of current field usage, broken down by school, charity and rental events, before the next hearing.

"I'm getting a tax benefit but the government's not really investing in my house. How is this different?" — Commissioner Eric Nolles, questioning the developer's tax-exemption argument.

"I'm a reasonable person. If you have reasonable requests, I'm happy to work with you, but it's not going to end up at the end of the day looking like a bigger version of a spec house." — Richard Freeman, president of Garden Homes.

"This is becoming increasingly a commercial operation. ... The trajectory is a little scary." — Steven Metler, abutting property owner.

In administrative business, the commission voted to move its June meeting date from June 30 to June 23 to accommodate a zoning regulation update taking effect July 1, and unanimously approved minutes from its January 27 meeting. Staff planner Sarah Kerry also raised a policy question about a Berdis Avenue developer's request to reduce a 25-unit approval to 22 units while enlarging some market-rate units beyond 1,500 square feet, which commissioners said should come back for a full presentation rather than administrative sign-off.

Why It Matters

The Parade Hill Road decision will shape how much leverage New Canaan has over future 8-30g applications: Garden Homes has offered the town more affordable-housing credit, 26 housing unit equivalent points instead of 10, if its preferred plan is approved without litigation delay, tying the town's negotiating position to the outcome. At New Canaan Country School, the March 31 continuation will determine whether the commission formally limits field usage by outside groups, a question neighbors say affects property values and quality of life along Frogtown Road. Both applications return to the commission March 31.

Key Motions & Votes

- Vote: Site plan approval, 21 South Avenue change of use to personal service establishment (beauty studio) Tally: For: 9, Against: 0, Abstain: 0, Total: 9 - Vote: Site plan approval, 94 Park Street change of use from general office to medical office Tally: For: 9, Against: 0, Abstain: 0, Total: 9 - Action: 30 Parade Hill Road 8-30g site plan application — Continued to March 31, applicant to submit a traffic and pedestrian study - Action: 635 Frogtown Road special permit for athletic field renovation — Continued to March 31, applicant to submit a baseline field-usage schedule - Vote: Amend 2026 meeting schedule, moving the June meeting from June 30 to June 23 Tally: Approved unanimously - Vote: Approval of January 27, 2026 meeting minutes Tally: Approved unanimously

Source

Town Of New Canaan: Planning and Zoning Commission meeting, March 9, 2026