TOWN OF NEW CANAAN PRESS RELEASE TOWN COUNCIL APPROVES FY2020 BUDGET OF $150.94 MILLION -- DECREASE OF 0.43% IS THE LOWEST IN LAST 10 YEARS FUNDS TO BE RAISED BY TAXES DECLINES 0.56% -- FIRST DECLINE IN MORE THAN 10 YEARS

The Town Council on April 4th approved a Total Expenditure Budget of $150.94 million

for fiscal year 2019-20, representing a decrease of 0.43% over the current fiscal year’s amended

budget expenditure of $151.58 million. This is the first decline in more than a decade. The

funds to be raised by taxation declined to $139.23 million from the current year’s $140.02

million, a decrease of 0.56% -- the first decline in more than 10 years.

The Town Council budget will be filed in the office of the Town Clerk and will become

effective eight days after publication unless a notice of intent to file a petition for a referendum

has been filed in the office of the Town Clerk within seven days after publication (Town Charter

Sections C4-13 and C4-14).

The Total Expenditure Budget includes Board of Education operating expenses of $91.43

(up 1.86 %) , Town department operating expenses of $39.92 million (up 0.56 %), debt service

of $16.84 million (down 9.29 %), and tax-funded capital projects of $1.73 million (down 40.32

%). To fund this budget, the amount to be raised from taxation is $139,230,687 (down 0.56%).

“We have much to be thankful for. Town leadership really came together to deliver the

tightest budget in over a decade, one which accurately reflects our priorities as a town: the #1

school system and among the lowest taxes in what most experts agree is still the best place to

live in Connecticut,” said Town Council Chairman John Engel.

The Town Council’s budget takes into account the 2018 Revaluation as of October 1,

2018 where the town’s 2018 Grand List declined 7.64% to $7.71 billion from the 2017 Grand

List of $8.34 billion. The decline in the grand list was primarily due to lower valuations of homes

valued at more than $2 million. The overall average decrease in residential property values was

7.2%. Commercial properties increased on average 10.8 %.

The reduction in the Grand List will result in an increase in the mill rate from the current

16.960 to an estimated 18.259. The final mill rate to be set by the Board of Finance on April 9.

Attached is Board of Finance FY 2019-2020 Budget Summary showing further details of

Town Department and Board of Education (BOE) year-over-year budget changes.

For further information, contact: Lunda Asmani, Budget Director, 203-594-3026.

Chairman's View: Revaluation and a Level Services Budget (Dec 20, 2018)

New Canaan’s real estate grand list fell by $570 million dollars (7.15%) compared to 2017. 4861 parcels saw average decreases of 11%.  2308 saw average increases of 13%. For $3+ million homes the average decrease was 14%. For $2-$3 million homes the average decrease was 10%. For $1-$2 million the average decrease was 7%. Below $1 million saw an average increase of 1%. Multifamily homes decreased 4%. Commercial properties increased an average of 13%. Condominiums increased 9%. 

We will not know what the new mill rate is and the new taxes are until the MuniVal consultation period is complete (this week and first week of January), then the Board of Assessment appeals process is complete (February) and then the (town and school) budget process ends with the Town Council vote April 4, 2019. 

If your revaluation is factually wrong then schedule a meeting this week for early January with MuniVal, the revaluation company and correct the facts (203-292-5500 or newcanaanreval@munival.com). If unsuccessful, then you must appeal in person to the Board of Assessment Appeals with facts about your house and comparable sales that occurred between Oct 1, 2017 and Oct 1, 2018. Appointments are given February 1 to 20 and the appeals take place in March. Sales that fall outside of that 1-year window are considered but carry less weight. 

After the 2013 revaluation the Board of Assessment Appeals increased 2 assessments and reduced 187 of the 285 appeals filed. Some homeowners appeal alone, others take a Realtor or an attorney. Some attorneys charge by the hour. Others work on contingency, taking a percentage of a successful appeal. If an appeal process is unsuccessful, the recourse is a lawsuit. Five years ago thirteen homeowners filed lawsuits against the town. Two were subsequently withdrawn. It takes 3 or 4 years to resolve a lawsuit.

Assuming health care rises 5%, town salaries rise 2.8%, school salaries 2.2% and $2.5 million comes from the general fund I expect expenses to increase 1.47% with “level services” and 1.86% if we follow BOF guidance. Therefore, the mill rate announced in May will be between 18.61 and 18.69. That’s up 10% from 16.96.  A homeowner’s revaluation would have to decrease 9% in order to see a drop in taxes.  To calculate your 2019 taxes multiply .01862 by your new valuation. (The spreadsheet is posted at johnengel.com)

Darien is revaluing now. Their assessor predicted most revaluations within 3% or 4% of their previous valuation. He expects the Darien mill rate to remain close to their current 16.08 rate. Wilton, now at 28.19, will send out revaluation letters in early January. Ridgefield’s grand list rose one half of one percent in their February 2018 revaluation, a 28.78 mill rate. Westport’s mill rate has been flat at 16.86 for 2 years and they won’t revalue until 2020. New Canaan experienced a 3% drop in the 2013 (reval) grand list but gained 1% in most years since (up $84mm, $85mm, $81mm and then $51mm in 2017). 

ASSESSOR'S OFFICE

New 2018 Proposed Assessments

Residential Sales List

Condominium Sales List

Revaluation Company contact: (203) 292-5500 or (855) 686-4825 

Website at www.munival.com/NewCanaan

2018 TOWN WIDE REVALUATION UPDATEReal Property Records Search

2017 Petition to appeal2017 GL Net Top Ten
                                                                                                                                   

Location: Town Hall - 77 Main St 1st floor New Canaan, CT 06840               

Contact: 203-594-3005    Fax Number: 203-594-3130 (Monday - Friday 8:30am - 4:30pm)

Chairman's View: Do The Projects that Do Not Increase Debt (Aug 23, 2018)

Chairman’s View: Do the projects that do not increase debt

AUGUST 23, 2018 BY NEW CANAAN TOWN COUNCIL CHAIRMAN JOHN ENGEL

Affordable housing, senior housing, workforce housing are all needed in New Canaan. Should housing be a concern of the Town Council? Yes, repurposing old buildings as housing begins an intricate calculus getting the Town out of the restoration business. Restore buildings to the tax rolls. Sell Vine Cottage.

To borrow from an old joke, “How fast do you need to run to survive a charging bear?” New Canaan Town Council Chairman John Engel

What can we afford? Our assessor will soon announce the Grand List based on this past year’s sales. Values decreased by at least 7% and will probably be offset by a 7% increase in the mill rate. Nobody wants to see the taxes increase from $17,000 to $18,000 on a million dollar assessment, but it is coming. Given that New Canaan’s per capita level of indebtedness is highest in the state and at a ten year high it seems odd that Town Hall is considering any new projects. Some make sense if they don’t increase debt.

Affordable housing. We have a proposal by our Housing Authority and New Canaan Neighborhoods to grow Canaan Parish by 40 units. The objections are aesthetic, not economic, and overblown. The proposal is self-funded from the housing fund and a mortgage in order to maximize efficient use of the property. We need 100 nicer, larger units. Expect this to pass after more public hearings on design details.

Unimin. On the table is a proposal to spend $10 to $12 million purchasing and repurposing the Unimin building as both police station and school administration offices. Consider savings of $3 million from the BOE lease and $7 million in police renovation costs — the math could work. If the economics are even close this is a very good idea. Sell the old police station to a developer for affordable, senior or workforce housing. It’s a natural extension of the Schoolhouse Apartments. It retains seniors. If a private developer cannot make his numbers work maybe our Housing Authority can. The town wins in two ways: we add a much-needed affordable or senior housing choice on walkable South Avenue and we get an efficient office building as offices. Give it a chance.

Parking. Deck the lumberyard? We wanted this when it was estimated at $8 million. Now, decking is estimated at $12 million. At $48,000 per spot it will take 40 years to pay for it. We can’t afford that. We can’t afford to do nothing. Our Grand List depends on reliable transportation and parking. Sell the development rights to the street front of the property to get estimates back under $8 million. Sell the frontage, hide the deck. Decking the Locust Lot at $4,125,000 for 89 spots ($46,348 each) is not viable. Acquire more spots at the Talmadge Hill and Locust lots for half the price of decking. Do this while working the Lumberyard plan.

Chairman's View: Somebody Moved our Cheese, column for July 26, 2018

If you are one of 26 million people who read the book “Who Moved My Cheese?” you know we are at an inflection point here in New Canaan, a moment where we either wring our hands over the good old days or we take stock of the situation and address the change head-on. We find new cheese. New Canaan will continue to be known for great schools, a good commute, green spaces and parks, top cultural attractions and low taxes. But, some things will change:

-      Politics. In November we will have a new Governor. No matter which of the seven, it will be better. Connecticut needs and will get a new paradigm, and new ideas. New jobs will follow. New leadership inevitably brings with it a new optimism and energy. Connecticut and New Canaan will get a November lift as Hartford starts a new chapter.

-      For Sale Signs. Many of us have had a For Sale sign out for too long. Now at 2004 prices, some are waiting for the market to return. I believe the market will move sideways for the next few years. Town Hall must budget for that. If you can afford to stay, stay. New Canaan is a great option while we wait for the rebound. New Canaan prices are excellent when compared to Westchester and the City. The pendulum is swinging our way. 

-      Revaluation. In November the assessor resets the value of every house in New Canaan at a (more) correct value and new taxes are set. The value of many houses changed considerably since 2013 and this recalibration is about being fair to all. The reset will inevitably help move some unsold inventory. 

-      Debt. We have the highest debt of any town in this area (although our pension funds are 100% funded).  This debt was responsibly acquired to fund necessary long term asset improvements such as schools, treatment plants, town buildings, but it is still debt. Fortunately, our Boards of Finance and Selectmen are now hyper-conscious of that fact. Expect a new debt roadmap and capital plan this November outlining how we deliver top quality services and schools within our means. Expect a move toward 0% growth like Westport, Darien and Greenwich are doing.

-      Senior & Affordable Housing. Our lower-cost housing options were redeveloped during the building boom of the last 30 years. Ranches became mansions. Few condos were built to replace them, and those that were are very expensive. Now, the market responds with large, dense alternatives that scare us that the character of the town might be at stake. (The Preservation Alliance is a key piece fighting for our character but we need a strong P&Z. They put 100 restrictions on the Merritt Village. Good. They rejected the Roger Sherman redevelopment plan outright. Good. Let’s put our faith in P&Z. Give the Housing Authority a fair hearing and remember, “Don’t let the Perfect be the enemy of the Good.” (Voltaire) 

Top 10 Reasons New Canaan is Unique

1. 44 miles to New York City. New Canaan has exits from the Merritt Parkway service New Canaan making it convenient to all areas of town. No other town in Fairfield County has this kind of access to the parkway which is a much better commute than I-95 because there are no trucks.

Empty Seats: The Train Starts Here

2. Next Station to Heaven. In New Canaan your seat is waiting. Metro North trains start and end in New Canaan. 66 minutes express to Grand Central versus 57 in Darien. The train is waiting in the morning with assured seating and returns you to the village at night. Truly a unique arrangement. The folks in Darien and Westport will brag that the "main line" has more trains but who cares if you can never get a seat on the train?  

3. Schools. We have the top school system in the state and New Canaan has been called by Forbes Magazine one of the top 3 in the country for towns in which the average home costs more that  $800,000. Niche Magazine rates us number 2 in Connecticut. Unlike other rankings which use AP data as the sole datapoint, Niche's methodology includes grading for academics (50%), health and safety (10%), student culture and diversity (10%), survey responses(10%), teachers, (10%) resources and facilities (5%), extracurriculars (2.5%) and sports/fitness(2.5%). This methodology appears to be a more well-rounded, holistic approach to ranking.

New Canaan graduates 98% and the average SAT is 1910

4. Taxes. Four towns distinguish themselves with low taxes: Darien ($15,350), Greenwich ($11,270), New Canaan ($15,980) and Westport ($18,260).  The numbers represent the taxes paid on a $1.428 million house in each town last year. New Canaan enjoys one of the lowest tax rates in the county yet maintains excellent services for all our residents. Compared to Wilton ($26,830), Fairfield ($24,790), Stamford ($25,430) and Ridgefield ($26,010) these four just present better value for the real estate dollar. Compared to a comparable home in Bronxville ($42,300) the New Canaan taxes are a bargain.

5. Village. The charming village is our pride and joy and clearly sets us apart from other towns which share our demographics. Our town center is free of the traffic of US-1 and so affords all the ability to walk, shop, dine and enjoy the unique ambience. School children can be seen walking down South Avenue toward town after school.

6. Restaurants. We're the destination of choice for fine dining in the county. According to Trip Advisor we have 37 ranging from Indian to Asian and from American to the Farmer's Table. We host to the #1 ranked Asian/Fusion restaurant Connecticut, Ching's Table. Because New Canaan is so centrally located in Fairfield County we can reach most restaurants in surrounding towns too, bringing about 200 choices within a five mile radius. My new favorite watering hole? The tea house at Grace Farms. You heard it here first.

7. Clubs. The Country Club of New Canaan, the Lake Club and Field Club for summer sports and paddle, The Winter Club for hockey and skating, Racquet Club for indoor tennis and the YMCA which is one of the finest in the country.

8. Waveny Park and Other Town Assets. Designed by the landscape architect Frederick Law Olmstead, renowned for designing Central Park, Waveny boasts over 250 acres of woods, meadows and running trails as well as sports fields, paddle tennis courts, Carriage Art Barn, The Powerhouse Theater, Lapham Community Center and Spencer's Run, New Canaan's off-leash dog park. Our Town Pool is only a few years old, now heated and located in Waveny and is a recent addition to our wonderful town facilities.Mead Memorial Park with baseball fields, playground, and snack bar, Kiwanis Park boasts a large swimming pond, playground and snack bar, Irwin Park has 36 acres and features a newly designed and surfaced trail for jogging/walking/biking. Some of these facilities require permits which are available at the Recreation Department in Waveny Park.

John Engel at the River Building

9. The Arts and Architecture. No other town in Fairfield County can boast having a world-class art destination and we have two. Since 2007 Philip Johnson's architectural masterpiece, The Glass House has been open to the public (with a reservation) from May through November. And now, as of last year, The River Building at Grace Farms, designed by the prestigious Japanese architecture firm SANAA, is open to the public year round. Don't take my word for it. Read the recent articles in Travel & Leisure, the New York Times and over 40 other publications raving about this building, calling it "the coolest building in Connecticut"

But its not just the presence of these two famous buildings. New Canaan was the home of the Harvard Five and other notable architects of the midcentury modern movement in architecture. Together they built about 90 distinctively modern homes in New Canaan in the 50's and 60's and those homes are an important part of our community. See the video.

School Spirit: The Annual Turkey Bowl Football Game 

10. Community Spirit. From Christmas Caroling on God's Acre to our Memorial Day Parade down Main Street, to the Ice Cream Social at the Historical Society and our spectacular 4th of July celebration complete with fireworks at Waveny Park, we above all share the guiding belief that all are welcome. While young families move in, our baby boomers and seniors seem to be staying on, making our community rich in its diversity.

Planner envisions new mixed-use building on Elm Street By Greg Reilly, New Canaan Advertiser

Planner envisions new mixed-use building on Elm Street

By Greg Reilly on January 29, 2016 in Business News, Latest, Latest News, Lead News, Lead News, News, Real Estate, Town Government · 0 Comments

This parking area adjacent to the Unimin office building and across the street from Karl Chevrolet is targeted by the Town planner for new mixed-use commercial building. — Greg Reilly photo

Town Planner Steve Kleppin has a vision of a new, mixed-use commercial building in part of the commuter parking parking lot on Elm Street, across from Karl Chevrolet.

The lot, known as the Lumberyard Lot, provides parking primarily for commuters, and it is next to the Unimin office building, which is on the corner of Elm and Grove streets.

Kleppin, an employee of the Town of New Canaan, told the Advertiser that he is requesting funds to do a preliminary study with drawings of what the area could look like with a structure for retail / office space possibly with residences. He imagines it would be built similar in style to the nearby office building at 220 Elm Street, which is on the same side of the street closer to the train station.

Kleppin’s vision includes building a two-level parking facility behind the would-be new building, closer to the train tracks. The parking facility, he believes, could add “a minimum” of 100 new parking spaces for commuters and others.

In Kleppin’s plan the land parcel needed for the commercial building would first be sold by the Town to a developer.

A likely hurdle to the the plan, he anticipates, will be designing satisfactory traffic flow.

Tags: new canaan, steve kleppin

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