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NEW CANAAN, Conn. Raindrops were starting to fall when Rob Sloan got off the train Friday evening, and he was in a hurry to get to his car.
But he doesnt want the town to rush into a proposal to transform the Lumberyard parking lot into decked parking and senior housing.
Lets have a look at some numbers, Sloan said, asking how many commuter parking spaces might be displaced. He also wondered if downtown senior housing would be viable. Nice idea. [But] lets see, Sloan said.
Last week the Town Council opted to postpone voting on whether to apply for a $400,000 state Transit-Oriented Development pilot program grant to study transforming the commuter parking area into housing and expanded parking. A public hearing to allow more residents to state their opinion will be held in the coming weeks. While town officials say the grant would only allow a feasibility study, several residents are skittish about even considering the idea.
Kenneth Blackman of Ridgefield, who works at a hedge fund office on Elm Street, said hes worried about his parking space as well as the traffic should a development come to pass. The lot is packed enough. I dont know where everyone would go, he said.
John Donlon of New Canaan thinks the Lumberyard lot is not in the right place for the project. He also doubts seniors would want to live in town because of the high cost of living. I think its misplaced, Donlon said. This is not the site to expand.
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