Longtime New Canaan Planning & Zoning Chairman Laszlo Papp is stepping down as chairman of the commission he has led for 12 years and served on for 24.
Papp, an architect, sent a letter to his fellow members announcing his decision this week. Born in Hungary in 1929, he immigrated to the United States after being involved in the Hungarian Revolution of 1956.
Papp purchased a cottage in New Canaan in the late 1950s, which he expanded and renovated.
“As an architect, having been both applicant and regulator, I learned that the only way to achieve good result if the individuals and the community work together in harmony,” Papp wrote. “I am sure this will continue to be the guiding principle for the Commission in the future.”
He ran Laszlo Papp & Associates in White Plains, which did designs for residential, commercial and other buildings.
Papp served as president of the New York State Association of Architects, regional director of the American Institute of Architects, and has been active in several other organizations. In 1981, Papp was awarded membership in the College of Fellows of the American Institute of Architects.
Planning & Zoning Commission Chairman Laszlo Papp, left, presides over a September 2014 P&Z meeting, with commission member Elizabeth DeLuca to the right. (Aaron Marsh photo)
Here is Papp’s complete letter to the Commission, which he shared with the Advertiser on Thursday night, Nov. 20:
MEMO TO: Members of P&Z Commission, My Friends:
Thank you for the confidence trusting me to lead the Commission during the last 12 years. When Judy Neville asked me to take up this job I did not expect it to last this long. But it was a very rewarding experience with many important issues being tackled and resolved. Now it is time for a change.
You all know, that I had another 12 years on this Commission before, also served on the Inland Wetland Commission as a charter member, on the Town Council, and now also on the Historical Review Committee. It was a privilege to serve our beloved town and its citizens.
As an architect, having been both applicant and regulator, I learned that the only way to achieve good result if the individuals and the community work together in harmony. I am sure this will continue to be the guiding principle for the Commission in the future.
You will agree, that this town is a beautiful oasis in a very turbulent world. To a large extent it rests on this Commission’s shoulders to keep it that way. This Commission is not a bureaucratic authority, but a group of neighbors who assure preservation all that is worthy, and who guide orderly development.
Thank you all for your help and support. I also thank Steve for his continued good work. Please support and help my successor to maintain the best public Commission for the benefit of the entire community.
Laszlo