For education and information purposes, this page contains answers to commonly-asked questions about the CCRC initiative.
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Q: Why should the Town allow a senior residence with supportive services to be built on Town-owned land?
A: When a Town acknowledges an urgent need and seeks to address it for the common good of the community, creative solutions are explored to help fulfill that need equitably.
New Canaan has a proud history of exploring public/private partnerships and utilizing its resources to address community needs. The creation of Waveny Care Center – a 5-star rated facility located on Town-owned land – is a testament to this, as is the Lapham Center, Outback Teen Center, Schoolhouse Apartments, South Avenue Cottage, Mill and Millport Apartments, Canaan Parish, Community Nursery School, Day Care Center, and Merrie Bee Girl Scout Cabin.
A CCRC would represent a broadening of the eldercare services Waveny has reliably provided to the community for nearly 35 years, and deliver upon a recognized human-interest need in a cost-effective way.
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Q: Was this the type of Waveny land usage envisioned by Mrs. Ruth Lapham Lloyd?
A: Most definitely. In her deed conveying the Waveny property, Mrs. Lloyd outlined specific permissible usages for the land – namely, projects dedicated to social, cultural and health-related activities. Her hope was that collectively, such projects would help shape a wholesome community environment for all residents of New Canaan.
In keeping with her vision and commitment to the health of the community, Waveny Care Center was developed on Parcel D of the Waveny property. Identical deed restrictions that allowed Waveny to build on Farm Road apply to the Lapham Road site.
Like the majority of projects built to-date on Waveny land, a CCRC on Lapham Road would be situated on its perimeter – allowing for the continued preservation of wide expanses of openness throughout the heart of the property. _____________________________________________________________________
Q: How would using Town land facilitate the goals (i.e. affordability) of the project?
A: The advantages of building a CCRC on Town-owned land are many, and directly benefit the entire New Canaan community.
Our primary goals for this project concern issues of affordability and density. In concert with Waveny’s mission and the preferences of our community, we seek to offer a CCRC that:
- Is affordable across the Town’s economic spectrum
- Has a minimal density impact with a modest number of units in comparison to many for-profit CCRCs
The ability to lease Town-owned land on Lapham Road would enable us to accomplish both of these objectives while providing the Town with a significant new source of revenue.
A CCRC project built on Town-owned land would be done through a lease agreement, wherein the Town would receive annual lease payments in excess of $1M. This steady and dependable boost to the Town’s annual revenue could help launch yet-unfunded special town projects, maintain and improve park grounds, or even fund the purchase of additional land for Open Space use.
The Town of New Canaan would retain ownership of the land with the CCRC paying a ground lease annually as a tenant. Therefore, no public land would be transferred to new ownership. At the same time, this arrangement ensures opportunities for the Town to work with Waveny Care Network during the development phase of the CCRC to remediate any identified site issues.
Under the economic model developed in concert with our consulting team, the ability to lease Town land on the Lapham Road site is key to making the CCRC as broadly affordable as possible to Town residents. The absence of a land acquisition component to the start-up cost of the project will translate into lower unit prices and monthly fees – affordable for a broad range of incomes. Further, the lower debt service will allow for more units to be designated as rentals, and more flexibility to exist for a broad range of unit purchases. Finally, the lower cost of the project would allow Waveny to dedicate more resources to a scholarship fund to protect existing unit owners and tenants.
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Q: Why is the Lapham Road location ideal for a Waveny CCRC?
A: The most direct way to answer to this question is to quote New Canaan’s Assisted Living Study Group report from 1999, which recommended the Lapham Road site:
“The approval of the site is critical to the project. There are no viable alternatives in town, and even if there were, the costs of acquiring private land and obtaining financing would put rates at the new facility out of reach for moderate and lower income groups.”
In addition to these key concerns impacting affordability, the site
- is conveniently situated near the main Waveny campus for access to premier rehabilitation and skilled nursing services as well as therapeutic memory loss care
- offers favorable topography that could be developed unobtrusively and consistent with the beauty of the area
- avoids wetlands impacts
- avoids negative traffic and noise impacts on residential neighbors.
Due to the site's proximity to existing water and sewer systems,construction costs and site disturbances are significantly reduced. Simply put, our ability to benefit from existing resources rather than having to create and install new infrastructure will help keep the cost of living at the CCRC as affordable as possible.
Important to future CCRC residents, the location also offers a convenient location close to local town resources important to the elder population, including the Lapham Community Center, YMCA, Talmadge Train Station, Highways, Town Swimming Pool, Waveny Park, Churches, Retail shopping, and more.
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Q: Are “Open Space” and a CCRC on Lapham Road mutually exclusive concepts?
A: Absolutely not, and much of our education campaign is focused on heightening the community’s awareness of this reality. We believe that a CCRC on Lapham Road can help meet New Canaan’s Open Space goals and Eldercare needs simultaneously, resulting in a “win-win” for all.
As previously mentioned, leasing Town-owned land to Waveny for a CCRC would result in significant new revenues for the Town – funds that could be used to enhance current and future Open Space projects.
Additionally, plans for a CCRC project would integrate the latest standards in “green” technology and LEEDS-certified construction practices. The project will ensure the preservation and maintenance of numerous natural resources on the property including walking trails, community gardens and common grounds.
The site at present is inaccessible to Town residents and is operated by the Town under a DEP permit to turn leaves collected from interior small-lot zones into mulch.
More importantly, a CCRC on the site would be developed to fit into the hillside and not obstruct the vistas from either Waveny Park or Lapham Road. This former dairy farm pasture-turned-scrub-forest-and-mulch pile would be enhanced and beautified to increase its open space features and accommodate a CCRC.
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Q: What will become of the Leaf Mulch Pile?
A: Waveny is working closely with the Town to develop an appropriate alternative site and/or leaf-disposal method to meet the needs of the community. The costs of this, in fairness, would be borne by the CCRC project.
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Q: What are some of this project’s main objectives?
A: Meet the Needs of the Elder Population of Our Community: For more than 30 years, New Canaan has formally recognized the need and desire to be self-sufficient in providing services to its older adult population. With our spirit of “for the community, by the community,” Waveny believes a New Canaan-based CCRC to be the right solution at the right time to this ongoing issue.
Halt Elder Flight: As a result of the Town not fully addressing the identified needs of New Canaan’s elder population, scores of long-time residents have departed New Canaan to obtain the services they require elsewhere. The loss of each member of New Canaan’s elder population is unique and irreplaceable.
Ensure Affordability: We are committed to a project pricing structure that reflects the economic diversity of the Town of New Canaan, with units priced well below the average/median price or assessed value of homes in town. Again, this is why the economics of the Lapham Road site is so pivotal to the success of this endeavor.
Promote Transparency: Our efforts to educate the community through this and other resources are intended to heighten community awareness and engage community involvement within the process.
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Q: How will a CCRC in New Canaan complement the efforts and strides made by the ‘Staying Put in New Canaan’ organization?
A: While Staying Put focuses primarily on supporting older adults who seek to remain in their individual houses, their greater mission is to see that New Canaan residents are able to remain in their community.
The CCRC initiative and Staying Put share a common goal in providing adequate resources, service options and care alternatives to New Canaan’s older adults so that they may “stay put” in their beloved hometown. We wholeheartedly believe that the Staying Put and Waveny organizations will continue to complement each other as they do now: a CCRC will simply offer another eldercare option for community members – one that is currently needed to provide a full continuum of care. ______________________________________________________________________
Q: Why does New Canaan need additional senior residences when there are neighboring towns that offer senior housing?
A: We cannot emphasize enough our belief that older adults in New Canaan seeking senior residential options and services should not be forced to leave their community. Many of those who have left have reported their regret at what they have lost in terms of their quality of life.
Losses to date by our community in terms of the economic, social, volunteer, political, educational, philanthropic and religious contributions of these former residents are both irreplaceable and incalculable.
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