Potential Cannondale Townhomes Raise Sparks at Planning and Zoning

A new plan to make Cannondale a viable economic point in Wilton is under heavy consideration and scrutiny from Planning and Zoning Commission members and residents, alike.

The plan would add a 12-room bed and breakfast to the south and 25 additional residential units to the north of the iconic subsect of town, and would include a restoration of Cannondale’s old rustic houses, all in the hopes of attracting new customers from the nearby train station.

However, there are concerns over the intent of the development. And it is possible that historical buildings could be demolished during construction, and a different vision imposed, if the property is sold to another developer.

The Planning and Zoning Commission held a public hearing on Monday night, April 11, to hear appeals from parties on both sides of the issue.

Cannondale residents did not take lightly to the new plan.

Town Planner Bob Nerney said that “55.8% of people within 500 feet of the geographic area were opposed” to the plan.

“What was the intent of the original overlay?," asked David Kahal of 43 Cannon Road. "I’m not going to answer that. Was the overlay originally intended to provide some kind of protection over parts of the community that we want to preserve? Think about what the density of 70 units looks like. It would not a create a ‘transition zone.’ Walk the property before the leaves come out. There is no buffer zone that exists between those historic properties and the residential areas.

"We’re not allowed to look at the site plan here….As an observer looking into the process, it seems silly to me. We're not looking into the complete process to make an informed, honest decision.”

Doug Bayer, zoning board member, asked if there was “any level of development” Kahal or his neighbors would “find acceptable.”

“That opinion would be very different from one person to the next. I just want there to be zoning regulations that can tell us what can be built in our backyard. The owner has the right to develop his property,” said Kahal.

“I’ve lived in Wilton for 50 years, on Cannon for over 40,” said Amy Quigley of 37 Cannon Road. “My concern with the plan is that it’s too big and covers too much open space. I would like the applicant, Marc [Gueron] to go back and come back for something more modest. I’m not objecting to change.  [But] I feel this change is too much, too big,” said Quigley.

"I'm stunned by this whole thing," said Sally Hastey. "I'm standing here and feel like I've been dropped in burning acid. There's going to be a high traffic volume going in and out (for dinner)...there's noise, Route 7 traffic...if there's a heart in Wilton, then this is the place. This is a tragedy. This is grizzly." 

Jim Johnston of Cannon Road, meanwhile, stood up to show the board that “four out of the seven properties to the west side of Cannon Road are not residential."

From the "Horse’s Mouth"

Following resident comments Marc Gueron, the applicant for the new plan, and owner of the Cannondale area in question, stood up to deliver a 15 minute speech.

“I own this property, so you might as well get it from the horse’s mouth. When I came to the first meeting, I couldn't believe the opposition. Then I came to believe that their understandings were based on misunderstandings,” he said.

"Our visions are identical,” Gueron said, addressing the crowd of Cannon residents packed into the small seating area.

"Those [existing] commercial houses are economically non-viable. For the last 20 years I have been subsidizing these properties with substantial amounts. When I bought this place I was 43, now I’m 64. In a way, you could say I was the benefactor through those years. I could provide you numbers, but I can assure you they [annual payments] are in the high five figures.”

“I’d be crazy to say that I did this for a charity basis. I liked what I was doing, I established a business here too,” said Gueron, who said that he had envisioned the property eventually becoming “an asset.”

“[Cannondale] needs a capital infusion of about 2.5 million dollars to be viable,” he said.

"This is a liability, a liability I’ve been carrying on my back for 20 years, a liability without an asset,” he said. "I’m sure neighbors don't want a slum next door...we haven’t communicated...we tried to make a meeting this weekend, but they insisted their lawyer come, mine couldn’t make it,” he said, saying that in the future there would be a successful meeting of parties with their respective lawyers.

"Economically, physically, and commercially it’s in danger,” he said. “It’s about creating a holistic, idyllic area that harmonizes the residential and commercial” that would “create a sort of critical mass” of a valuable asset.

Gueron then began listing reasons why he believed his vision and the Cannondale residents coincided. He said that the residents would support a unit density of five per acre, although there were rustles from the audience saying that wasn’t true.

He added that tearing down the historic structures wasn't possible, that the majority of the additional units in eastern Cannondale would be fully visible only in winter, and addressed Hastey when he said that there would be no room for a large parking lot, and asserted that there wouldn’t be that much traffic.

“The bed and breakfast was not my plan. People came to me for a country inn, I won’t name names, but I said okay….It would be a beautiful asset for this town, as most people agree,” he said.

“Are the neighbors opposing this because they want nothing built?” he said, addressing the board.

More Deliberation

“I don’t appreciate Mr. Gueron saying what I do and don’t want, because we haven’t met,” said Jennifer Longmire of Cannon Road.

“At the end of the day it doesn’t really matter on what you just said because you could just sell it,” she said, reiterating earlier comments from the board that without proper zoning restrictions, the intent of what Gueron has for Cannondale would become null if he sold the property. Longmire was cut short by Poundstone, who said that she had spoken her points at the last meeting. Longmire apologized and said she would be more aware of that in the future and quickly sat down.

Henry Clark, also of Cannon Road, finished the public comment.

“I’ve seen the site plan,” he said. He explained that in 2007, the eastern partition of Cannondale was bought by Gueron.

“After 22 years of owning this burden, why would he buy more?” Clark asked.

“As a solution!” Gueron yelled from the audience. The board immediately reprimanded him.

“We don’t speak when you’re speaking,” said someone from the audience.

“Hey, let’s be friends, okay?” said Gueron, before being stifled again.

Good Intent Not Sufficient

The zoning board discussed the dangers of allowing Cannondale to be regulated without carefully-thought zoning laws, as the historical buildings were only considered historical and were not protected by preservation laws.

"There’s no official designation for preservation,” said board member Marilyn Gould. “If it were a historic district, which it is not, then the historic district division would have some say...There is no real protection for it,” said Gould.

Clarissa Cannavino, an attorney practicing Land Use at the law firm Gregory and Adams working with Gueron, said that there was no intended “change to the historic buildings except for reservations.”

Kate Throckmorton, an architect who also presented on behalf of Gueron, said that there would be “no additional commercial buildings in the area.”

Also in debate was a "transition area" which would provide a buffer between the commercial area to the existing homes. This transition area would “consist of another residential area” in between, said William Richter, who was also working on behalf of Gueron.

"I keep hearing the word intent, intent, intent, but we could approve this and the property could be sold to another owner” said Bayer.

 “There is no defined transition zone,” Richter said, when asked.

Cannavino said the idea was to "bring Cannondale to the residential area. The purpose is to bring customers and retailers to that area, and pull people in from the train  station, to support [Cannondale].”

"There are other properties on the other side of the train station," said board member Bas Nubulsi. "We have to look ahead over the tracks. They could come to the us and say, ‘give me a good reason why these regulations don't apply to us,'" he added, expressing caution for specific zoning regulations will be needed for the new plan if it passes.

*Editor's Note: Some inaccuracies in the article were remedied after being brought to our attention by readers. We appreciate your help in making sure our information is as accurate and up to date as possible.