Monthly Archives: January 2025

Old Lyme Zoning Commission to Review Applications for New Home on Smith Neck Rd., Halls Rd. Overlay District Tonight

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OLD LYME—UPDATED 1/12 10:20PM with links to additional Letters to the Editor: On Monday, Jan. 13, at 6:30 p.m. in the Memorial Town Hall Meeting Room, the Old Lyme Zoning Commission will hold its next regular monthly meeting. The agenda features two topics that have been sparking interest in the community.

The first is 43 Smith Neck Rd. in the RU-40 Zone, which is the subject of both a Continued Public Hearing and an Old Business item. The applicants, Jeffrey and Emily Merriam, are seeking a Special Permit to replace and construct a new five-bedroom residence with an attached two-car garage.

Visit this link to read a Letter to the Editor that offers an opinion about the project.

Visit this link to read a Letter to the Editor that raises concerns about well water supplies after completion of the project.

The agenda also notes in another item that a Public Hearing will be opened into a Petition to Amend the Old Lyme Zoning Regulations, Section 5.15 to create a Halls Road Overlay District allowing, among other items, mixed zoning use along Halls Road and the entire C-30S Zoning District, with associated architectural design guidelines. The applicant in this case is the Halls Road Improvement Committee (HRIC.)

The HRIC suggests residents interested in the project should bring written thoughts to read and submit, and make a statement for the record. Visit this link to read a Letter to the Editor urging supporters of the proposal to attend the meeting.

Attorney William Sweeney will describe the details of this optional Overlay District and answer questions.

The HRIC believes approval of this addition to Old Lyme’s Zoning is a vital step supporting the future prosperity and livability of Old Lyme.

The HRIC submits that the key features of its proposal are that it:

  • Is totally optional; it allows but does not require change to any property.
  • Keeps the shopping area vital and focused on Old Lyme, not the highway.
  • Creates options for much needed apartment type housing.
  • Balances housing stock without covering the remaining open land.
  • Promotes creation of a safe, walkable, bike-able, mixed-use town center.
  • Guides (via the Design Review process) development to be “like Old Lyme.”
  • Promotes increased town revenues, reducing residents’ taxes.

The HRIC suggests readers visit this link for more information: https://www.oldlyme-ct.gov/343/Halls-Road-Improvements-Committee

Letter to the Editor: Halls Rd. Overlay District on Agenda at Old Lyme Zoning Meeting; Residents Encouraged to Attend, Support Proposal

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A Open Letter to the Residents of Old Lyme

To the Editor:

On Monday, January 13, 2025 at 6:30 pm in Memorial Town Hall, the Halls Road Improvements Committee of the Town of Old Lyme will present the Halls Road Overlay District (HROD) proposal in a public meeting of the Old Lyme Zoning Commission. Attorney William Sweeney will describe the details of this optional Overlay District and answer questions. 

The Planning Commission has unanimously agreed that the HROD proposal is consistent with the goals and standards set out for the Town in its latest Plan of Conservation and Development (2020). Now it is up to Zoning to approve, reject, or modify the proposal. 

The HROD is the centerpiece of the Halls Road Master Plan. Current commercial-only zoning does not allow the changes envisioned there. HROD creates the options needed to allow investors to help change the focus of Halls Road toward the needs of Old Lyme and not through travelers. 

This is an important public meeting, and a chance to show your support for a better future for Old Lyme. I urge you to come and be counted; bring your written thoughts to read and submit, make a statement for the record. We need your support to carry this important matter forward. 

Approval of this added flexibility in our zoning is a vital step in supporting the future prosperity and livability of Old Lyme.

The image above shows a rendering of what the northwest segment of Halls Rd. might look like after the implementation of the proposed HROD. Image credit: Edie Twining.

Key Features of HROD are that it:

• Is totally optional; allows but does not require change to any property. 

• Keeps our shopping area vital and focused on Old Lyme, not the highway. 

• Creates options for much needed apartment/town-house-type housing. 

• Balances our housing stock without using up our remaining open land. 

• Promotes creation of a safe, walkable, bikeable, mixed-use town center. 

• Follows Design Review process guides development to be “like Old Lyme.” 

• Promotes significant new town revenues, reducing resident taxes. 

Thank you in advance for your help with this important issue. I look forward to seeing you there!

For more information on the project, visit this link.

Sincerely,

Edie Twining,
Old Lyme.

Editor’s Note: The author is the chair of Old Lyme’s Halls Road Improvements Committee.

Letter to the Editor: Neighbors Question if Well Water Supply Sufficient for Proposed 7-Bathroom House on Smith Neck Rd., Old Lyme Zoning to Discuss at Monday Meeting

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Editor’s Note: This letter was previously submitted to Paul Orzel, Old Lyme Zoning Commission Chair, and members of the Old Lyme Zoning Commission.

To the Editor:

My husband and I have the good fortune to live on Smith Neck Rd, a beautiful spot many town residents visit throughout the year for recreation and relaxation. Our house is at 39 Smith Neck Rd,, just one property away from the proposed structure(s) planned for 43 Smith Neck Rd.

We are worried that the existing well at 43 Smith Neck will not support the current plans for a house of approximately 10,500 sf (with auxiliary structures) that includes 7 baths, 2 laundries, a pool, and an orchard,  and, further, that this could result in serious water problems for their closest neighbors, including us.

Because of the water issues we have on our property, I question if this complex of buildings can be supported by the well water available on the site. Our well is a 15 foot dug well. I believe the one at 43 is the same. I do not know this for certain, as there is no public record of anyone in town no one has (sic) bothering to look. What I know for certain is that their well is about 100 yards from ours and our nearest neighbor’s well is in between the two! All three are in a direct line quite close to the Back River which runs past all three of these properties. All three are in a 100-year flood zone. Why is FEMA not involved in this approval process?

When we bought our home 10 years ago, we had a water flow analysis done. Here is a direct quote from the notes concluding that report:

“For a shallow well, the system functioned properly, shallow wells do have limitations. After running 300 gal. the well dropped 3’ indicting low yield of 1.5-1.8 gpm under current conditions. After the water run (sic) during inspection and flow test, 3’ feet or 159 gallons of water remained. System is susceptible to seasonal or drought conditions.”

Our well has run dry twice since we bought the house. Our neighbors on either side of us have also experienced significant water issues. These three households and possibly more have the potential to be negatively impacted by the construction project proposed for 43 Smith Neck Rd.

We fear that our water supply is under threat and ask the Zoning Committee to protect our water rights by –

–       Denying approval of this Applicant’s permit as it currently stands.

–       Conducting appropriate hydrology studies through the Town Engineer, Ledge Light, and other appropriate entities to determine the amount of water available at the far end of Smith Neck. 

We ask the Commission to please slow the approval process until more facts have been gathered, so that the owner and his neighbors have full information on the available water supply before construction begins. 

We fear that allowing the permit to go forward in its present form may set a dangerous precedent.  

Anyone with an interest in protecting their well rights is encouraged to attend the Zoning Commission hearing at the Town Hall on January 13 at 6:30 pm. If the building application is approved at this meeting, the structures will go forward as planned.

Sincerely,

Claire and John Griffin,
Old Lyme.                        

The Movie Man: ‘Conclave’ is Good … But Don’t Rush to See It

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Kevin Ganey is ‘The Movie Man’

While Edward Berger’s Conclave brings an iconic cast of beloved actors, who deliver superb performances and offers thought-provoking themes, I do not believe it should be prioritized when asked for recommendations on recently released films. It is certainly worth watching, but not as soon as possible.

So often when we think of the depiction of the Catholic Church in media, it is often portrayed as an ancient institution that most of us do not relate to. Whether it is a historic film set at any point in the last two millennia, or the Church is a backdrop for sequences including a ritual (perhaps the baptism scene in The Godfather), or perhaps culture wars are at the heart of the matter, the Church appears to be irrelevant to the viewer.

Or, if the character is along the lines of Mother Teresa, Pope John Paul II, Mother Cabrini, or St. Francis of Assisi, we consider them to be heroes that have achieved a transcendent level of humanity that none of us could imitate. But Conclave reminds us, whether we are practicing Catholics or not, the Church is a human institution, dealing with familiar human matters that any of us will recognize.

One line perfectly encapsulates these themes, which are interwoven throughout the entire film: “We are mortal men. We serve an ideal. We cannot always be ideal.”

Ralph Fiennes leads the star-studded cast (which also includes John Lithgow, Stanley Tucci, Lucian Msamati, and Isabella Rossellini) as Cardinal Thomas Lawrence, Dean of the College of Cardinals, tasked with overseeing the papal conclave after the sudden death of the pope. We witness an ancient tradition taking place in buildings constructed during the Renaissance era but accompanied by contemporary technology (which I considered to be an incredible juxtaposition).

Here we witness the politics within the Church as groups with differing interpretations of pastoral care vie for positions of power, and we see the ugliness that leaders stoop to in order to achieve their goals, despite their positions as spiritual leaders. Lawrence perfectly encapsulates a hero we can relate to. He is a protagonist handed an important task that deals with the one thing he does not want: power.

He reminds me of Pope Benedict XVI, who also held Lawrence’s position when he was Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, and submitted several letters of resignation from 1981 until he was tasked with overseeing the 2005 conclave. Hoping the new Pope would grant his request to return to Germany for academic purposes, he was ironically chosen to lead. 

I anticipated the film to move in this historic direction but was surprised by the film’s choice for a twist ending. Without revealing any spoilers, it bore relevance to the theme of wrestling with uncertainty, but I cannot help but wonder if there were better options to pursue.

Uncertainty is the overall theme. As we stress over the uncertainty of the future—especially regarding secular matters—the film reminds us that uncertainty is even experienced in an institution that is founded on the hope of the resurrection of the historical Jesus and has spent 2000 years professing dogmas to better understand salvation. Even the most learned scholars and leaders struggle to understand what specifically should be done in this current chapter of history. 

The viewer must contemplate the overall history of the Church as the cardinals squabble about who should take the seat of the successor to St. Peter the Apostle. As the protagonists fret that rigidly dogmatic clerics may end up in charge, they console themselves that, despite the possibility of leadership implementing harmful pastoral care, there have been worse Popes in the past (think of the Borgia Popes during the Renaissance, when the Church was run by the Mafia).

While Conclave certainly had my interest and I consider it a decent movie worth watching, I do not consider it necessary to watch as soon as possible. Perhaps it will be a movie for a rainy day in the future, but it is not a movie that requires a trip to the theater, especially during awards season.

About the Author: Having lived in Old Lyme and Lyme since the age of three, Kevin has always had a passion for movies that is beyond simply watching, but understanding the craft of cinema and and experiencing films as if they were a musical album. Kevin also has his own website devoted to movie analysis, CityOfCinema.com, and also co-hosts a podcast, Moviehouse Mystics, with Koda Uhl (available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube).

Death Announced of James Francis Ward Jr. of Old Lyme; OL’s 2023 Citizen of the Year, Founder of LOL Food Share Garden

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James Francis Ward Jr.

OLD LYME—James Francis Ward Jr. of Old Lyme, passed away Jan. 6, 2025, at Yale New Haven Hospital. Born in Pittsfield, Mass., he was the son of the late James Ward and Noreen Deyo Ward.

Jim was a cherished partner to Sheila McTigue-Ward of Old Lyme and a loving father to Meghan Danko (Dan) of Franklin and Ethan Harris of Old Lyme. He was also an energetic and devoted grandfather of Brooke and Reagan Danko. Finally, he was a beloved brother to Kathleen Pascale of Clinton and Timothy Ward of North Branford, and uncle to numerous nieces and nephews.

For Jim, stewardship-caring for the people and the planet-was the core of a meaningful life. His dedication to sustainability, education, and community upliftment was unwavering, but he didn’t wear that commitment like a heavy burden. Instead, Jim carried it with a light touch and a playful grin, always ready to share a laugh or start a silly game, especially with kids. His life was proof that deep purpose and deep joy could walk hand in hand.

Jim earned his Bachelor of Social Work from Southern Connecticut State University and a Master’s in Educational Technology from the University of Connecticut. His career began as a social worker, shifted to auto body work, then transitioned into education, where he served as a teacher, coach and Technology Coordinator at Voluntown Elementary School for numerous years.

Jim’s passion for gardening and food justice led him to establish the Lyme-Old Lyme Food Share Garden (LOLFSG), where the community grows fresh produce for local food banks. LOLFSG volunteers have donated thousands of pounds of vegetables, while the garden also has become an inclusive hub for learning and new friendships.

Those who knew Jim describe him as gentle, unassuming, and endlessly creative-a man who could work with his hands as skillfully as he could with his mind. Jim found joy in hiking and his imagination blossomed in the woods; his hikes were typically followed by a flurry of activity in the kitchen or the workshop. He was a source of inspiration, a builder of dreams, and a steadfast friend. In short, good things happened whenever Jim was around. (And many things happened when Jim was around because he never stopped moving!) Jim’s legacy lives on in the thriving garden he helped cultivate, the people he inspired, and the enduring example of stewardship he embodied. His impact will be felt for generations.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Jim’s memory can be made to the Lyme-Old Lyme Food Share Garden or Shoreline Soup Kitchens & Pantries to continue the work that was so close to his heart. A celebration of Jim’s life will be held at a later date, where family and friends will gather to honor his memory.

Jim’s legacy is a powerful reminder that caring for others and the world around us can create a lasting ripple of good.

Please visit www.fultontherouxoldlyme.com for tributes.