Renovations to the center of North Canaan are on track

NORTH CANAAN — Selectman Christian Allyn reported on a recent meeting with the state Department of Transportation (DOT) about the major renovation of the railroad crossing in the center of North Canaan near the recently restored Union Station depot. 

He made his report to the Board of Selectmen at their monthly meeting on Monday, April 1. 

The state officials were receptive to the requests from the town officials and will incorporate them into the final design, which will be finalized by early June. 

“The DOT guys were having lunch at Roma’s near the train tracks and they saw the back up of the tractor trailers at the intersection,” First Selectman Charles Perotti said. “That gave them an understanding of the problem there.”

The state will send the plans out to bid in August or September and the work is expected to begin in spring 2020. 

The project will include new sidewalks, new crosswalks, regrading on the road surface and much more.

The lovingly maintained elm trees of downtown North Canaan got a spring pruning last week by a team that included town resident and Elm Watch founder Tom Zetterstrom; Selectman Allyn; and a professional climber/pruner.

“Nine elms from the Troop B barracks to the Doughboy to McDonalds” were taken care of, Zetterstrom reported.

This tree work is different from the work being done by power company Eversource around town. Those trucks are trimming branches to keep them off wires; the work on the nine elms was done to keep them healthy (and beautiful).

Perotti reported to the board that Stacey Curtis has resigned from her position running the town’s Economic Development Committee. The selectmen agreed that new members (young and old) are needed for the committee; anyone interested in volunteering to help promote business in town is asked to call Town Hall and speak to Missy Ohler.

The roof needs to be repaired on Pilgrim House; a fundraising effort is set to begin to raise the approximately $50,000 the project will cost.

Perotti commented for the record that the Planning and Zoning Commission has not met in two months and might not meet again until May. This is creating a backlog in permits and has kept some property owners from being able to proceed with their renovation and construction work.

Allyn presented to the board a draft resolution for the town to participate in the Sustainable CT program. Grants are awarded annually to towns that perform well in the 10 “modules” that are designed to help towns maintain their population and their culture.

The draft was approved. Allyn will lead the team of town volunteers working on the modules; he is seeking up to about four volunteers to join him. Call Missy Ohler at Town Hall to volunteer.

The town has created a new position, the land use administrator, to help the town’s building officials with tasks including paperwork, of which there is a great deal. Richelle Hodza, the town’s new zoning enforcement officer, had suggested the creation of the position. The selectmen voted in favor of the job description that Perotti presented at the meeting. 

Selectman Craig Whiting reported on the revamped town website and noted that there is a photo contest going on. Anyone who has photos of the town that might enhance the website is asked to log on to www.northcanaan.org. 

On the home page of the website this week is a photo of a large bear with a reminder that the ursines are out of hibernation now and birdfeeders should no longer be left out at night (or at all). An especially large bear has been spotted near Clayton Road; area residents should be wary.

Whiting said that he no longer uses a birdfeeder; he scatters black oil sunflower seeds on his lawns. The birds are still able to get sustenance but the bears are unable to scoop up the seed. He said his neighbor continues to get bear visits but the animals have stopped visiting his yard.