Government

Parking Officials Re-Designate Time Limit in Two Areas on Locust to 30 Minutes

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Responding to a business owner’s request, town officials are re-designating an area of Locust Avenue as 30-minute parking. The areas directly in front of the Post Office and Joe’s Pizza across the street long have been two-hour parking, as is the rest of downtown New Canaan. Yet town officials recently confirmed with parking enforcement officers “that the people that were parking on that street were not frequenting businesses like Joe’s Pizza or the Post Office—they were using that area to park and go to an office or other places of work,” Parking Manager Stacy Miltenberg told members of the Police Commission during their regular meeting last week. The town long has urged employees of downtown New Canaan businesses to park in municipal lots and leave coveted on-street parking for those seeking to shop and dine here. Last year, the Parking Bureau issued a new type of permit, in Morse Court and the Park Street Lot, specifically to that end.

Government

PHOTOS: Post Office Opens in New Location on Locust Avenue

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The new Post Office this week opened for regular “window operation” in its new home, a Federal-style building opposite Joe’s Pizza, at 18 Locust Ave. Though the U.S. Postal Service will not hold an official grand opening until Jan. 17, according to spokesperson Christine Dugas, the new building welcomed New Canaanites seeking to mail out letters and packages throughout Friday. Customers said they were impressed with the cozy new building—decked in Christmas wreaths made by the New Canaan Beautification League and New Canaan Garden Club—ample parking around back and side exit for those returning to the lot. Notices posted in the temporary Post Office space at 90 Main St.

Around Town

Did You Hear … ?

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U.S. Postal Service officials have the keys to their new building and say they’re hoping to open the Post Office on Locust Avenue in New Canaan “this winter.” A more specific date is not yet available. “We are ‘postalizing’ the interior by installing counters, electronic equipment, security features and other necessary items to conduct postal business,” USPS spokesperson Christine Dugas told NewCanaanite.com. ***

Originally scheduled for next week, the Grace Farms application to come before the Planning & Zoning Commission will be heard at the group’s Nov. 29 meeting, officials say. ***

Town officials say the motor vehicle that veered off of Old Stamford Road/Route 106 on Sunday morning and crashed into the Old Studio Road sign near the sharp bend there was traveling at about 60 mph.

Around Town

Did You Hear … ?

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New Canaan’s Teri Buhl, convicted of second-degree breach of peace following reinstatement of the charge by the state Supreme Court, said in a post on her website Wednesday that she’s hoping to raise “a few hundred dollars” via Paypal so that she doesn’t get beat up or raped in jail. Buhl said that on Friday she will enter the state’s female prison, the high-security York Correctional Facility in Niantic, Conn. and needs the money to “pay for phone calls and to buy things for other inmates from the jail store to ‘buy protection.’ ”

“Based on interviews with other women who have been in York prison there will be gangs based on race in jail. I get to somehow try to ‘gain favor’ with the leader of the white gang to help make sure I don’t get beat up or raped.”

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The developer of the new Post Office now taking shape in earnest on Locust Avenue said he’s actively taking inquiries from professionals interested in renting the 3,800-square-foot second floor of the Federal-style building. Asked for details on the space, New Canaan’s Richard Carratu said it features two separate entrances, a dedicated elevator and 14 parking spaces.

Government

New Loading Zone on Main Street To Revert To Regular Parking After Post Office Moves

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Town officials say they’re viewing the creation of a new loading zone on Main Street as temporary, after a commercial property owner there voiced concerns that it could exacerbate a sight line problem. No one disagrees that there’s a need for more loading zones in the area of Main Street at East Avenue, especially now with Gates reopened (there are alsso two new businesses, a pet supplies shop and healthy food store, coming to Forest Street). Truck drivers have habitually (as well as illegally, and dangerously) parked at the very top of East Avenue when making deliveries—a problem that town officials are addressing. But a proposed new loading zone in front of the former Thali restaurant building at 87 Main St. (now for sale, and the restaurant’s owner is opening up a new place, ‘India,’ up the street) could make it even more difficult for motorists pulling out of the alley by the old Varnum’s, according to the commercial property’s owner.