The New Canaan Planning and Zoning Commission on Thursday approved an 8-24 review for a restriping plan of the Park Street and Playhouse parking lots that adds accessibility improvements and reconfigures circulation while reducing total stalls.

The plan, presented by Tiger Mann, director of public works, would convert existing narrow stalls to 9-by-18-foot spaces, widen travel aisles to 24 feet and add an ADA-accessible switchback ramp between the two lots. Mann said the Park Street lot now has 124 spaces and the Playhouse lot 55; the redesign will lose parking but add five accessible spaces in the Park Street lot and two in the Playhouse lot.

Commissioners heard that the Playhouse lot was built with 8-by-17-foot stalls and that the redesign brings the lots into conformance with village guidelines. “So as you mentioned, we're here to, review a proposed new parking layout, striping layout for both the Park Street lot and the Playhouse lot,” Mann told the commission. He said contractors, equipment and materials are on site and work will start once Eversource and other utilities relocate a telephone pole that currently sits in a green strip the town plans to widen.

Commissioners pressed for details about circulation, truck access and the ramp design. Mann said the ramp will be a switchback in the embankment with about 50 inches of elevation change, requiring roughly 50 feet of run, with about 28 feet on each leg of the switchback. The ramp will connect accessible routes from the lots to Elm Street and is intended in part to move many deliveries off Elm Street and into the rear service lane and Playhouse access road.

The plan also relocates the trash compactor and dumpsters into a locked, enclosed enclosure between the two lots. Mann said the enclosure will be built into the embankment and enclosed on three sides with fencing on the front; the compactor or dumpsters inside will be locked and monitored with a camera, and only authorized users will have access. Commissioners said the change should improve the pedestrian environment near Elm Street.

The commission noted the tradeoff between losing spaces and improving circulation and accessibility. Several members said the redesign is consistent with the town’s Plan of Conservation and Development goals to maintain and enhance community facilities. Commissioner statements during deliberation singled out improved circulation and public safety as reasons to approve.

The motion to approve was made and seconded; the recorded vote was unanimous among commissioners present: Dan Radman, Krista Nielsen, John Kriss, John Engle, Holzman, Eric Knowles, Christina Larson, Megan Menching and Bill Pratt voted yes. The 8-24 review approval means the town may proceed with the restriping as presented; no conditions may be attached to an 8-24 action under the town's procedure, the commission noted.

Work is planned to begin after the utility pole is relocated and materials are staged; Mann said there is no net increase in impervious surface because some hashed asphalt areas will be returned to grass and the widening will be limited to the area vacated by the pole. The contractor is on site and the ramp construction adjacent to the Playhouse is expected to start first.