“We owe it to ourselves and to those who come after us to … meet the challenges of our own time. If we do not, we will have voted for decay“
On March 27, the Old Lyme Zoning Commission voted 3-2 in favor of the Halls Road Overlay District (HROD) proposal, with two alternate members casting the negative votes. Because the Planning Commission had previously given the proposal a “negative referral,” a vote of 4-1 was required for passage, and the measure failed.
The problems the HROD was designed to address still exist. We believe the proposal is a viable response to those challenges, and that its rejection was a set-back for Old Lyme.
The new overlay district would have created an alternative to the commercial-only C30-S zoning along Halls Road, while leaving that older zoning intact. The HROD was aimed at promoting the creation of a walkable, bike-able, mixed-use shopping street along Halls Road—a new town center for Old Lyme that took as its model Lyme Street in its centuries-long role as a living, mixed-use town center.
The HROD is a significant piece of zoning regulation. It takes some effort to understand how it works, and to comprehend the implications of its detailed requirements. Those of us who worked on it spent years talking with local residents, business owners, property owners, town officials, regional regulators, developers, and land use lawyers to create the document we presented to Planning and to Zoning. After hundreds of hours, we understood it well.
Planning took a few hours to consider it, and flatly refused to allow HRIC the opportunity to answer any of their questions. The Zoning Commission held two public hearings totaling a few hours, then held its final vote after two more hours of deliberation in which no new fact or evidence of any kind was allowed to be introduced, even by Commission members. From the comments in each body’s final deliberations, it is clear that several of the participants had only the vaguest understanding (and sometimes a total misunderstanding) of the document. This was not a reasonable way to arrive at a good decision on a measure of this importance to Old Lyme’s future.
HROD was an attempt to meet the changes now shaping our economy, and to secure our town’s main business district in that new environment. Failing to pass HROD does not make those changes go away. It just leaves us relying on 1950s approaches to 2030s conditions.
Without HROD, there will be no one to bid against those who see Halls Road as a truck stop. There have been three proposals for gas stations/convenience stores in the last couple of years, and no proposals to build anything else.
Without HROD, there will be no mixed-use, walkable town center where people can live, work, shop, and enjoy the sort of human contact the Internet can never provide.
Without HROD, smaller-scale housing—if it comes at all—will be spread over the few remaining open acres, dotted here and there, and we will lose the opportunity to create a vibrant, living, mixed-use neighborhood in the heart of our town.
Without HROD, our main shopping district will lose the support that a mixed-use neighborhood provides for retail—the pedestrian traffic and walk-in trade that makes such neighborhoods the one bright spot in retail investment.
Times are changing, as they always do. In the middle of the last century Old Lyme made radical zoning changes to meet the future they saw then. We owe it to ourselves and to those who come after us to do likewise and meet the challenges of our own time. If we do not, we will have voted for decay.
The Lyme-Old Lyme High School Mock Trial team won top honors in the state championship held at the Supreme Court in Hartford . Photo courtesy of Lyme-Old Lyme Schools.
Lyme-Old Lyme Schools Superintendent Ian Neviaser commented, “[It] was a great accomplishment for this program, which only restarted at the high school about five years ago after a brief hiatus,” adding, “Jim [Wygonik, LOL High School Principal] and I had the opportunity to watch them argue their case at the Supreme Court in Hartford to win the state championship.”
Nevaiser concluded, “These young men and women are incredibly talented, well coached, and put in countless hours on weekends to prepare their arguments.”
Winning the state championship earned the LOLHS team the honor of representing Connecticut at the National Mock Trial Competition in Little Rock, Ark. in early May.
A GoFundMe campaign has been started to raise the required funds to send the team and its coaches to Little Rock to compete. The school administration explains on the campaign site, “Normally we would utilize traditional fundraising methods. These, however, take time.”
The statement on the website continues, ” Our window to commit to the national competition is just a few weeks. We hope that you will consider donating to our trip fund so 12 aspiring attorneys and their two coaches can continue this exciting journey.”
‘Those March winds shall blow, and we shall have snow and what will the Robin do then, poor thing? He’ll hide in the barn and keep himself warm and hide his head under his wing’.
Maureen Haseley-Jones
March is a month of ‘wait and see’ as we anticipate walking around our gardens. This morning I walked outside, into a westerly breeze and a gentle sun. I took a deep breath and as I did, I caught the rich fragrance of the soil beginning to awaken.
All of us are itching to get into the garden and I believe that foray will be earlier than last year since frost did not penetrate deep into the ground.
The sodden soil will dry out in the next few weeks, but I urge you to tread gently as you tend the soil, which is our precious commodity of Mother Nature. In that regard I am asking that you do not till the soil as tilling damages soil structure and can break friable root systems.
I am asking you to be patient right now. I know you are chafing at the bit to get your hands into the soil, however, I suggest you continue planning for the upcoming season. Planning means organizing, which prevents gardening mistakes.
When you go outdoors, check the trees in your garden to decide what might need pruning, which limbs need to be removed or the canopy lifted to allow more sunshine into that area of the garden. Now is the time to call in an arborist, as tree branches without foliage takes less time for arborists to do the tree work and the work is therefore less expensive.
If you would like branches with blossom like these, it’s time to think about trees.
What to look forwith trees:
Are there broken or dead limbs? What branches require cabling? If a tree appears to be 50 percent dead, then it should be removed.
A medium shade area can be changed to a dappled shade area, allowing more sunlight in by thinning out the upper tree branches or tree canopy.
Perhaps you would like a tree removed to transform a shade area to a sunny spot which allows for a larger choice of plants available to you.
I always hesitate to remove a healthy tree but sometimes a treemay have been planted too close to the house and consequently the roots have undermined your home’s foundation and the shading over the roof has resulted in mold and mildew.
There is an art to tree work … knowing how, when and why to cut. Work on the trees should be carried out by a professional so that at the completion of the work, the effect is both practical and aesthetically pleasing. An experienced arborist will also take into consideration the health of the trees. Having the work done by an arborist avoids injury: falls from ladders or perhaps tree branches or trees falling on you.
PRUNING
This is a task that you may feel you are able to accomplish yourself.
March is the month to prune evergreens before the new growth appears.
Hedges can be sheared for shape, so that any stubby ends will be concealed by new spring growth. Please keep to the natural shape of the shrub – no round balls.
Prune Spirea to six inches from the ground.
In April, prune Lavender to three inches.
In late March, prune Sweet Pepper Bush (Clethra), cutting out the oldest branches.
Lilac – Prune back all old branches to various lengths before leaf growth begins, from two to five feet, keeping to a natural shape. Sprinkle lime around the base of the Lilac and add manure in May. Lilacs enjoy alkaline soil and receive benefits from a small amount of lime sprinkled about a foot away from the base of the Lilac.
Prune Butterfly Bush to two feet from the ground and in May apply composted manure around the base.
Prune Forsythia after it has bloomed, pruning out sparse flowering old wood.
Prune forsythia after enjoying its yellow burst of spring color.
Prune roses when the forsythia blooms. If the roses have only been in the ground for one year, do not prune, wait until October.
Do not remove the protective mulch from around the base of the roses, wait until mid May, and then apply a dressing of manure and fine bark mulch.
You may be asking, ‘Why wait until May to apply manure?’ The answer is that the soil needs to warm up to 55 degrees otherwise the nutrient benefits of the manure bacteria that works with plant roots and soil organisms are not activated. I suggest you invest in an inexpensive soil thermometer to check the soil temperature. At a soil temperature of 55 degrees, apply a three to four-inch layer of composted manure.
When April arrives, carefully begin to clear away winter debris, treading carefully on the soil to avoid damaging soil structure and friable root systems. When you have cleared away the debris, make a clean edge to the borders with a sharp spade; this makes such a difference to the look of your garden.
The best tool to use is a sharpened lawn-edger, the blade is a half-circle nine inches wide and 4.5 inches deep with a flat top – this tool creates a deep edge. Face the bed and thrust the edger down to its full depth and push the cut soil into the bed. Continue along and then remove the spade and surplus clumps of soil and grass.
Edging was one of the first lessons I was taught at our family nursery in England; my great grandfather was a strict taskmaster standing over me until I got the edge correct.
When you start planning a new flower bed, think about where you may choose to sit to enjoy the bloom, fragrance and structure of your plantings.
If you are contemplating the location of a new planting bed or expanding an existing one, here are some tips:
Think in terms of where you spend your leisure time outdoors, and where you may choose to sit, in close proximity to the new bed, to enjoy the bloom, fragrance and structure of your plantings.
From indoors are you able to view and enjoy the new border?
Is it an area where there will not be drainage problems, erosion concerns or water pooling?
Is it convenient to tend and enjoy where you place a bench or chair?
Will you be able to water it with relative ease?
For an informal garden I prefer a curved bed – a curved line gives grace and fluidity. I lay out a garden hose in the desired shape and size of bed, adjust the hose until you are satisfied with the gentle curves.
As previously mentioned, the best tool to use to edge or cut out a new bed is a sharpened lawn-edger.
MANURE
Many of you, who have been my radio listeners and lecture audiences, know how I feel about that wonderful natural product. Manure is not a fertilizer – it builds soil structure, aids in drainage and its bacteria encourages the millions of soil animals below the surface to come alive and work with the manure bacteria to produce nutrients for the roots of the plants.
Types of manure:
Poultry manure – I know the odor can be rather objectionable, however, this manure contains about 2 percent nitrogen, one of the highest levels in any manure. If you have access to poultry manure, allow it to age for two months and then add it to the garden.
Horse manure is about 0.5 percent nitrogen. If you obtain horse manure from a stable, which has sawdust on its floors – it should be pretty weed free. What I have done in the past is obtain horse and cow manure from stables and farms in April. When you get it home, spread manure out in a flat area (not in a planting bed) then cover it with a tarp for a month. Using this method, the tarp will suffocate the weed seeds and the sun on the tarp encourage the manures to continue to decompose. A week before using horse and cow manure, remove the tarp to allow the sun to further decompose it.
Cow manure is 0.25 percent nitrogen and is the most available manure. If you get horse and cow manure from the farm, ask the farmer to give you manure from the bottom of the pile so that it is already partially decomposed.
Compost pile – If you do not have a compost pile, maybe it could go on your list for this season. Vegetable waste from the kitchen, plus grass clippings, and wood pruning can be added to the pile. The high temperature in the compost kills the weed seed and cooks all those other necessary ingredients. The ratio of compost and manure for your garden is one part compost to three parts manure – but if you do not have compost – manure will do the trick.
**DO NOT apply fresh manure to the garden, as it will burn the plants. If you do not have a source of manure from a farm, purchase composted manure in bags from the garden center.
Manure builds soil structure and aids in drainage. Its bacteria encourage the myriad of soil animals below the surface to come alive and produce plant root nutrients.
To produce the best-planting environment, resulting in a soil that is ‘black gold’ apply three inches of composted manure to all planted areas in May, July and October.
Natural fine bark Mulch can be added later in May. Do not use buckwheat mulch as it flies everywhere. Do not, I repeat do not use cocoa mulch, which is poisonous to dogs and cats and please do not use the chemically colored red mulch. The benefits of natural fine bark mulch are, that mulch helps to retain the beneficial moisture in the soil and aids to retard weeds as does Bradfield organics, a corn gluten weed pre-emergent.
THE HUMUS COMPONENT I know I have written about the importance of the Humus component for the soil but I feel I must continue to stress this fact. In 1937 Franklin D Roosevelt told us ‘that the nation that destroys its soil destroys itself.’
Unfortunately, America has not heeded that warning. Precious soils in this country and around the world are being destroyed by dangerous practices used in industrialized agriculture as well as poisonous chemicals, which completely disrupts our eco system and poisons all living things.
In your own garden you can build and retain a rich growing environment by building the Humus component. We are all carbon-based creatures as is all life on earth. Not only humans but also our soil microbes need carbon to flourish. To attract carbon from the atmosphere into your soil you need to build the humus component.
HOW TO BUILD THE HUMUS COMPONENT Do not till soil — tilling breaks up soil structure.
Step 1 Add composted manure three times – in spring when the soil has reached a temperature of 55 degrees. If the soil has not reached that temperature, the soil organisms are not able to work with the bacteria in the manure to produce nutrients for the roots of the plants.
This year, as we have not experienced deep frost therefore, the soil temperature may reach 55 degrees by the end of April or early May. Add the manure again in July to continue to nourish your growing plants and again in October to protect and nourish your plants and roots through winter. Manure is not a fertilizer; it builds soil structure and works with all the soil animals to keep a healthy disease- free growing environment.
Step 2 Add wood chips in the form of brown fine bark mulch or wood chips that you produce from your garden; these are aged wood chips combined with leaves, twigs and branches.
These two major steps build the humus component. If you do this in your own garden – not only, will you be helping to heal the planet but also produce the healthiest of gardens.
A question I am often asked is ‘can I put manure over mulch in my summer garden’? The answer is ‘yes’ – the manure together with nature’s moisture and your own irrigation enables the manure to find its way easily into the soil and to the roots of your plants.
WHAT EXACTLY DOES HUMUS DO?
Humus acts like a sponge and can hold 90 percent of its weight in water. Because of its negative charge – plant nutrients stick to humus for nitrogen, calcium, phosphorus and minerals, which prevents these from washing away and acts as nature’s slow- release fertilizer throughout the year.
Humus improves soil structure making it loose and friable, which helps plants to root in this soil to get better access to nutrients, water and oxygen. It also helps to filter toxic chemicals from the soil, mulch, like carbon-based water filtration systems filter toxins from your water.
We are not able to control industrialized agricultural practices – but in your own garden you can make a difference, if you feed the soil, it will feed the plants.
Once again, I’m getting a little ahead of myself. So back to a cloudy day at the end of March, when you may gradually begin to remove protective covering from shrubs and small trees. In exposed garden areas, where wind is a problem, leave the covering on until mid April. Cold wind is more damaging and drying to plants than extreme cold and frost.
FROST HEAVE:
If some perennials, trees and shrubs have heaved out of the ground, cover the roots with fresh topsoil or mulch until mid May when they can be settled back in place. I just walked around the corner of my house to check on my trellis on the chimney where I have roses and clematis planted together. Roses and clematis are a delightful combination in a companion planting.
This planting method means that the rose and the clematis planted together have the same growing needs, ‘feet in the shade and heads in the sun.’ Beginning in May, add manure and mulch around the base of both. Discontinue feeding roses and clematis in mid August; this enables both plants to go into a necessary slow dormancy.
BACKSCRATCH: When the lawn has dried out in April, rake lightly and remove excess debris such as leaves and dead twigs. Raking gently raises the mat of the lawn, which enables the emerging grass to breathe again. Aerating machines are useful to develop a healthy lawn. Puncture holes with the aerator and pull out plugs of soil every four to six inches; following this treatment, root development takes off and thatch is reduced. Do not use the large thatching machines, as these machines damage the grass.
GRASS FERTILIZER: In April, apply organic fertilizer, lime and organic grub control before the grass begins to grow. Reseed bare or sparse spots after gently loosening the soil, liming and fertilizing, then cover the seed with salt hay to keep the seed warm and to prevent wind from blowing the seed away. Water the seed for the first three weeks. Do not blast the area with water, which scatters the seeds. As with lilacs, grass enjoys alkaline soil which is why we use lime together with the fertilizer and grub control.
MOLES: To keep the mole population to a minimum in your garden; apply organic grub control once a month from March for two months; less grubs, less food for the moles. When you see signs of moles, find the mole holes and insert Exlax, which contains Senna, an organic herb. The moles eat the Exlax, become dehydrated from defecation and die. Apply organic pre-emergent crabgrass killers in March and April.
VOLES: Spread castor oil around the base of plants and keep mulch away from the base of the plants so that voles, which are canny creatures, are not able to hide there and gnaw on plants and roots.
DEADHEAD: Do not cut off the leaves of the crocus as they bloom; the leaves make food for the bulbs for next season’s bloom.
DAFFODILS:
When the green shoots emerge, spread composted manure around the plants.
DAFFODILS FOR DISPLAY INDOORS:
The stems release a sap like “goop” that harms other flowers. Before adding Daffodils to an arrangement, cut the stems at an angle, and leave them in a vase half filled with lukewarm water for a couple of hours. Discard that water and add the Daffodils to the other flowers. If you recut the stems, you will need to repeat the process. Change the water in the vase often.
PERENNIALS:
In May when perennials are about four inches above soil level and when the soil is 55 degrees, apply composted manure around them to encourage healthy growth.
DIVIDING PLANTS:
At the end of April or beginning of May, you can divide late blooming perennials that have been in the ground for four years or more; these new divisions encourage stronger bloom.
Discard the older, inner parts of the clumps and plant the new outside portions. Do not plant the new divisions any deeper than they were originally in the ground.
When dividing Irises – barely cover the root system so they do not fall over – if Irises are planted too deep they will not bloom.
Pansies: pick the flowers regularly to encourage more bloom.
March is the time to plant the following seeds indoors: gaillardia, salvia, marigold, zinnia, petunia, snapdragon, stock and verbena. Before planting these seeds, soak them in warm water and plant them in sphagnum moss or coir. Coir is the outer shell or fiber of the Coconut, either of these two mediums prevents a disease called “damping off”, which can cause seeds to rot before germination.
Cover pots and seed trays loosely with plastic wrap, which creates a mini greenhouse, providing moisture which seeds require to germinate.
NOTE: Remove the plastic once the seeds have germinated, as the soil needs to drain and needs air circulation around the emerging stems.
If you are going away on business, or on vacation reapply the plastic wrap over the pots and trays and prop some sticks or skewers in the corners. While you are away the seedlings will stay moist, and the sticks or skewers ensure that the seedlings do not encounter the plastic.
March is the time to start tuberous begonias, and caladiums indoors.
DORMANT SPRING SPRAYING of fruit trees, flowering cherry, crabapple, hawthorn, mountain ash and lilac can be done before the leaf buds open.
Call a professional company and request that they use only organic products.
Houseplants – repot them if they need repotting in April.
GERANIUMS: The plants that you brought indoors at the end of last season, check them for new side shoots, then cut them back to four inches and repot them in clean pots about an inch and a half larger with fresh potting soil.
Well, fellow-gardeners, I know you are getting excited to be in your gardens this season and I hope that these tips have given you plenty to think about to keep you busy for a while. See photos of lovely gardens that my son Ian has designed and if you wish to contact Ian for a consultation, visit his website at LandscapesbyIan.com.
Enjoy being outdoors in spring sunshine and I look forward to seeing you in your garden in April.
About the author: Maureen Haseley-Jones is a member of a family of renowned horticultural artisans, whose landscaping heritage dates back to the 17th century. She is one of the founders, together with her son Ian, of, The English Lady Landscape and Home Company. Maureen and Ian are landscape designers and garden experts, who believe that everyone deserves to live in an eco-conscious environment and enjoy the pleasure that it brings. Maureen learned her design skills from both her mother and grandmother, and honed her horticultural and construction skills while working in the family nursery and landscape business in the U.K. Her formal horticultural training was undertaken at the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew in Surrey.
The Connecticut (CT) General Assembly passed the adoption of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Food Code into law in 2018; and it finally went into full effect on the 17th of February.
The law requires some changes for both the food service establishments (FSEs) operating in the state, and for the inspection and permitting processes conducted by the local health departments charged with regulation. For Lyme and Old Lyme, this latter is, of course, Ledge Light Health District (LLHD) along with seven other communities in Southeast CT.
In this essay, I review some of the key changes that occurred with the full enactment of this Food Code.
The U. S. FDA publishes the Food Code as a model to assist local health departments develop or update their own food safety rules; and thus ensure that local rules have a sound scientific basis, reflect best practices, and are consistent with national food regulatory policy.
The FDA Food Code was first issued in 1993, and updated and re-issued every two years until 2001; but then moving to a four-year interval.
Implementation did not alter the major components of CT’s food safety rules and best practices, since CT’s regulations were generally consistent with the FDA’s. The rules still stress hand-washing along with proper cleaning and sanitizing of food preparation surfaces and equipment.
However, there are changes in temperature standards for food preparation and storage, the classification of food service establishments, and the methods for scoring and documenting inspections.
The former CT Code required that cold foods be held at 45 degrees F. or lower, and hot foods held at 140 degrees F. or higher. The FDA Code requires 41 degrees F. or lower and 135 degrees F. or higher, respectively.
Perhaps more important are the changes in classification of FSEs. The class affects the frequency of required inspection and the qualifications required for on-site supervisory staff. I review the classification system under the newly enacted definitions in the following. Note that this is at a high level and the examples listed for each class are only for illustration and not all-inclusive.
Class 1 establishments provide hot or cold beverages and/or commercially prepackaged foods that are not “TCS” (i.e., foods that do not “require time and temperature control for safety”); and limited preparation or heating of commercially packaged precooked foods. This includes coffee and donut shops, and convenience stores. (inspected annually.)
Class 2 establishments are “cook and serve” operations that offer a limited menu of “TCS” food prepared or cooked and served almost immediately. This includes fast food shops like McDonalds and Burger King. (inspected twice/year.)
Class 3 establishments are “cook and serve” operations that offer an extensive menu of “TCS food requiring complex preparation, including, but not limited to, handling of raw ingredients. This includes full-service restaurants, diners, delicatessens, and supermarket food services serving pizza and sushi. (inspected three times/ year.)
Class 4 establishments serve a population that is highly susceptible to food-borne illnesses, and includes daycare centers, convalescent and nursing homes, and hospitals. (inspected four times/ year.)
All Class 2, 3, and 4 establishments are required to have a Person In Charge (PIC), who has qualified as a Certified Food Protection Manager (CFPM) through a CT Department of Public Health (DPH)-approved testing organization and is fully onsite during peak hours of operation. The PIC can appoint an alternate, who does not need to pass an exam, but is only onsite during off peak hours when limited/no food preparation is occurring.
New inspection forms are used and no longer yield a numerical score that is posted in the establishment; but rather, a simple pass or fail. Any cited violations are categorized as “Priority”, “Priority Foundation”, and “Core”; and align with the risk of that violation as it relates to foodborne illness, and the time allowed for corrective action
Further, other changes include date-labeling of foods and notification of allergens on menus, both of which were not previously well-enforced. Product date marking will be required to ensure all refrigerated food is consumed within seven days.
My sources include:
Food Protection Program-related documents on both the CT DPH and LLHD websites.
Communications to affected food service establishments regarding the FDA Food Code from LLHD and several other CT Health Departments/Districts.
Abundant Q&A with Ms. Katie Baldwin, RS (i.e., a registered sanitarian), the Supervisor of Regulated Facilities, and the local subject matter expert regarding the Food Code at LLHD.
The U.S. “FDA Releases 2017 Food Code” dated 02/09/2018.
The U.S. FDA “Benefits Associated with Complete Adoption and Implementation of the FDA Food Code” dated 06/11/2020
Author’s Comments: After the CT General Assembly passed the adoption of the FDA Food Code into law in 2018, LLHD began implementation of some of the new requirements with the FSEs in their catchment area — well in advance of the eventual Feb. 17 effective date. These included:
Requirement to employ Food Protection Managers in Class 2, 3, and 4 FSEs.
Consequently, there was no difficult transition in February; as they were already operating under the new regulations.
Finally, there are executive level staff changes at LLHD in the offing this summer.
LLHD Health Director, Stephen Mansfield announced last July that he will retire in 2023; his final day on the job will be July 6, 2023. He has been with the organization for 25 years, the last eight as Director.
His replacement, Ms. Jennifer Muggeo, recently marked 18 years of service with LLHD. Mr. Mansfield expanded her role several months ago from overseeingfinancial operations to the Deputy Director position.
I have been on LLHD’s Board of Directors for the past several years and am comfortable saying that he leaves a very strong organization, which very visibly demonstrated its worth to SE CT during the recent pandemic.
I observed an organization with sound financials, which focused on staff development and opportunity; and held the respect of CT’s broader public health community. I had interactions with a few members of the more clinical staff, and felt their clear and prideful commitment to both the organization and the public’s health.
About the author: Tom Gotowka is a resident of Old Lyme, whose entire adult career has been in healthcare. He will sit on the Navy side at the Army/Navy football game. He always sit on the crimson side at any Harvard/Yale contest. He enjoys reading historic speeches and considers himself a scholar of the period from FDR through JFK. A child of AM Radio, he probably knows the lyrics of every rock and roll or folk song published since 1960. He hopes these experiences give readers a sense of what he believes “qualify” him to write this column.
Ready to cut the celebratory ribbon are from left to right: Old Lyme (OL) Economic Development Commission (EDC) member Wendy Russell, OL Selectwoman Martha Shoemaker, EDC Chair Cheryl Poirier, Kate’s mother Chris Lanfair, Papi’s mother Maria Luisa “Abuela” Sanchez Espejel, Kate Lanfair holding Cruz, Addy, Adrian “Papi” Vidals, State Representative Devin Carney (R-23rd), OL Selectman Matt Ward, OL First Selectman Tim Griswold, EDC members Scott Smith, Joe Camean, Mona Colwell, Teri Lewis, and Jean Wilczynski.
OLD LYME — A ribbon-cutting to celebrate the official opening of Papi’s Taqueria was held Saturday morning, March 25. The new takeout Mexican restaurant was long awaited by local diners, who were happy to see its “Coming Soon” sign replaced by a “Now Open” sign in January.
Kate Lanfair and Adrian “Papi” Vidals, pictured below, are the owners and talent behind the newest addition to Old Lyme’s food offerings. Lanfair has been an owner of Westbrook Pizza since 2001 and sole owner since 2007. Nine years ago, Papi came in hoping to be hired, and the rest is history.
“Papi joined Westbrook Pizza and was so talented with pastas, baking, and pizza of course,” said Lanfair, “but in addition he would make Mexican food for the staff meals, dishes his mother taught him in Puebla, Mexico, and we were just blown away.”
Along the way, Lanfair and Vidals began dating. “We would go out on Tuesday and Thursday nights to the [Long Wharf] food trucks in New Haven or over to Groton for authentic Mexican food.” Lanfair said, “I kept asking, why aren’t we selling your Mexican food?”
Now a family with two young children, who are six and two years old, Lanfair and Vidals committed in September 2021 to opening a taqueria in Old Lyme, renting space in the Old Lyme Shopping Center. Lanfair explained, “We felt it was an unserved market and it was still close enough to our home in Westbrook.”
But September 2021 still had halting supply chain issues due to the pandemic, which greatly altered the opening plans of the taqueria.
State Representative Devin Carney (R-23rd) and Old Lyme Selectman Matt Ward were both in attendance at the opening.
“The Town of Old Lyme was great, our delays were all related to the pandemic,” Lanfair said. “We had a nine-month delay for the fabrication of an oven hood system we needed, which had to have a special grade of stainless steel.” And as the hood was in transit to Old Lyme the truck broke down on the side of a road.
She commented with a quiet chuckle, “You can’t make this stuff up, we would get over one hurdle, and then we’d face another, like our work crew all getting COVID and then construction coming to a halt for three weeks.”
But they kept their eye on the goal and continued to move closer to opening.
Adrian “Papi” Vidals hands out traditional Mexican ‘Sopes’ to guests attending the opening.
Three months before opening day, Papi’s mother “Abuela” Maria, arrived from Puebla to help with the business by way of a 10-year visa. The kitchen staff is made up of other family and friends. Opening day finally came January 17, 2023, 19 months after first leasing the property.
The OL EDC hosted Saturday’s ribbon cutting ceremony. The event began with EDC Chairwoman Cheryl Poirier thanking Lanfair and Vidals for their patience and also, their investment in Old Lyme. She said, “Our small, family-owned businesses are part of the fabric of Old Lyme.”
State Representative Devin Carney (R-23rd) reads a General Assembly Official Citation welcoming Papi’s to Old Lyme while Old Lyme Selectman Matt Ward (right) listens attentively.
Old Lyme First Selectman Tim Griswold then welcomed the new owners. State Representative Devin Carney (R-23rd) spoke next, reading aloud a General Assembly Official Citation introduced by State Rep. Carney and State Senator Martha Marx, which offered the General Assembly’s sincerest congratulations and wished the business many years of prosperity.
Lanfair then thanked everyone for the warm welcome they had received to Old Lyme and shared they have been very happy with the response from the community. “Everyone has been so nice,” she said. “Everyone is so appreciative, so curious, and friendly. The kids that come in on their own are always well-mannered, which has really been wonderful.”
Old Lyme EDC member Joe Camean chats with Old Lyme Selectwoman Martha Shoemaker at the opening.
The couple is looking forward to their first summer serving the Old Lyme community and its visitors.
Papi’s daily specials are on their Facebook page and will soon be on their newly-launched website.They have added Shoreline Menus delivery service and will continue to add special features such as “Tamale Thursdays,” when their homemade tamales will take center stage.
Although their first few weeks were a cash-only operation, they now accept cards although they offer a discount to those paying with cash.
All the people attending the celebratory opening gathered outside the store for a photo prior to the official ribbon-cutting.
Editor’s Note: Papi’s Taqueria is located at 19 Halls Road in Old Lyme. Hours are Monday through Saturday 11am-8pm and Sundays 3pm-8pm. To phone in an order, contact them at 860-434-8226 (TACO).
