Hold that spray paint -- an intended community project to "tag" an exterior wall at Branford's former Atlantic Wire factory has been canceled due to town oversight.

As previously reported at Zip06, the plan was to invite the community to "tag" (graffiti slang for stylized signatures) Atlantic Wire as a way to pay homage to a piece of Branford history, build some community involvement and potentially generate some donations to benefit two local non-profits, Branford Historical Society and Branford Art Center (BAC).  The project was an idea brought together by BAC and a local realtor representing the property, Greg Robbins, with permission of the building's current owners. Branford Historical Society was not involved in the project. See the Sept. 25 story here.

Earlier this week, organizers also hung a sign outside Atlantic Wire on Montowese Street, inviting the community to get involved in the painting project.

However, late on Sept. 28, Robbins said organizers learned that "some concerns" had reached the town's Planning & Zoning Office.  As a result, the town office informed the building's owners that Atlantic Wire's exterior could not be "tagged" as hoped.

Robbins said organizers quickly made an effort to regroup and move the tagging project to the inside of the building, or to an interior courtyard, but the logistics of such a switch couldn't be put together in time to meet the project's planned kickoff date of this Sunday, Oct. 2.  The project has now been canceled until further notice.

Robbins said ideas are still being generated for ways to incorporate a community art project, perhaps with a mural and "tagging" involved, incorporating agreed-upon areas of the building. However, the project, if attempted, would likely be put off until the spring of 2017, said Robbins.