I love this town. And I love Kim Norton.
Municipalities governed by one-party rule can suffer from predictable ailments. The only cure is determined accountability.
We need that more than ever. I can attest that New Canaan suffers from an accountability blindspot. I know this because an appointed board used their administrative and legislative power to greenlight an 80,000 square foot illegally zoned parking structure cantilevered over the wetlands behind my house. Yes, I’m biased, but that’s a 1.3 acre concrete building in a wooded 4-acre residential zone.
Local residents like me are fighting the permit in court. If we lose, then unelected officials will have pushed through one of the largest construction projects in the state despite the fact that New Canaan prohibits parking structures in residential zones.
Our executive branch quietly abdicated its role of administrative and engineering oversight by permitting a structure that doesn’t meet building codes in any municipality in Connecticut. Example: To preserve water quality in areas on well water, parking structures must be attached to sewer systems.
When Town Council reviewed the POCD, Kim Norton didn’t shy away from her responsibility to people like me. She pressed Planning and Zoning to more thoroughly consider their responsibility to the electorate. It’s not just about taking public comment, it’s about listening to it.
She was civil and thoughtful, but firm.
I loved it then and we need it now.
The Clark Property is a pristine undeveloped parcel of Open Space in Northern New Canaan. The town owns this land, so we don’t have to worry about a developer buying it, but by now, you’ve probably heard of the proposed North School. We learned the hard way that appointed boards give extraordinary latitude to school-related projects. It should worry you that a project of this magnitude will be vetted by three appointed boards who have lost credibility on a range of issues. There’s no accountability.
We need Town Council firing on all cylinders.
Kim Norton is relentless when it comes to defending your tax dollars, preserving Open Space and protecting residential rights. Ballot access doesn’t limit the power of the Republican party, in fact, I think voting for Kim Norton will do more to preserve that institution than weaken it. Flexible and resilient systems make space for fruitful conflict and elections are just that.
Go Kim! We all have a stake in you winning.
Sarah Pierce
