Author Archives: Sloan Danenhower

Letter to the Editor: Halls Rd. Overlay District Proposal is ‘All About the Money’

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To the Editor:

To begin: This letter is from a person who staunchly opposes the Halls Road Overlay District Proposal.  The specifics by their own admission include:

 “No more than 40 dwelling units shall be built per 1 acre of land“ (HROD [Halls Road Overlay District] 11-18-24) and

According to Bill Sweeney the HROD lawyer salesman from the 1st hearing the developers will increase to 200′ limits on building length and 20,000sf of footprint, (60,000sf for the 3 story buildings), and 3 story parking garage(s) to afford maximum developer desireability (stet). Added to that the need to max out the building sizes to make up for the affordable housing, (which is acceptable), shortfall.  Don’t let ’em fool you it’s all about the money. Once these increased density zoning reg’s are in place, they are very difficult to reverse. Like trying to stuff the genie back in the bottle! Small zoning changes can be small mistakes. Large ones? well, you figure it out.              

What’s the hurry? Even though it’s been 12+ years since the H.R. Improvement committee was tasked with adding sidewalks, lighting, signage and greenery to the area, that plan has morphed to the above. 

Odd how the town has started a $125,000 2 year zoning project to in year 1, review all the reg’s, and in year 2 poll the “entire town” about their wants/needs make resulting changes to town Zoning regulations.  One of the larger, and arguably most contentious areas is Halls Road.

If this overlay is such a great proposal the HROD people should welcome being “dovetailed” in to the “process”.  Change is inevitable but swinging the pendulum from one extreme to the other is wrong.

Sincerely,

Sloan Danenhower,
Old Lyme.

Editor’s Note: The author is an Alternate on the Old Lyme Zoning Commission and has recused himself from voting on the Halls Road project. He is the husband of Old Lyme Selectwoman Jude Read.

Letter to the Editor: Halls Road Improvements Committee’s Proposals are ‘Extreme’, Zoning Should Keep Intensity, Scale of Plans ‘in Keeping with Rest of Town’

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To the Editor:

The question of development on Halls Road is likely to come to a head at the continued public hearing scheduled for Thursday February 27th, 2025 at 6:30 at the Old Lyme Middle School.

The proposed guidelines for that development have been the subject of intense debate.

What began as the Halls Road Improvements committee more than 12 years ago has morphed into a proposed overlay District which allows up to 40 dwellings/acre – a quantum leap from installing sidewalks, lighting, greenery, and signage.

The Halls Road Committee has gone from uncontroversial to extreme, but now the public is catching on.

At the same time, the town of Old Lyme is paying lawyers $125,000 over 2 years to review and help rewrite the town’s entire set of Zoning rules …except Halls Road.

Why had the most contentious and crucial section of those rules, Halls Road, been excluded from consideration as part of this larger professional process, and one that will be guided by impartial questionnaires provided to all towns people?

As an alternate on the Zoning Commission, I have recused myself from voting on Halls Road, so that I can speak like any other townsperson.

The public has been told that the town’s Board of Selectmen are in favor of this redevelopment.  That is not the whole truth.  My wife Jude Read, a selectperson in Old Lyme, voted against the proposal long ago feeling it was too ambitious and far reaching and had lost sight of the original point of the Halls Road Improvements Committee: to make improvements.

The Halls Road Improvements Committee, by their own admission, have told the Zoning Commission that developers will be reluctant to invest if the town refuses to allow parking garages, and 60,000 sq’ buildings directly on Halls Road.

But why should we allow our town to be exploited by developers?

Many who have signed the petition against this effort at redevelopment are agreeable to responsible development.

The prudent response is for members of the Zoning Commission to include these ideas in the larger rewrite and revisions – at an intensity and scale in keeping with the rest of the town.

Sincerely,

Sloan Danenhower
Old Lyme, CT

Letter to the Editor: Danenhower Defends His No Vote on HRIC Overlay Plan; Says Plan Was Flawed, Vote Not Political But in Best Interest of Town

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To the Editor:

This letter is in response to Sandra Rueb’s letter published on October 17, 2023, regarding the Zoning Commission vote on the Halls Road Improvement Committee’s overlay plan on March 27th 2023.  Rather than state the reasons I gave on the record for my No vote, she personally attacked me, and Michael Barnes the other No vote in her first sentence by stating, “sometimes members promote their personal agendas” Quite an insinuation!  

Despite being an unaffiliated voter for decades, she calls me “nominally affiliated, but normally voting as Republican”.  I serve as a volunteer and had absolutely no interest, personally or pecuniary in the outcome of the Halls Road Overlay Plan vote. My only interest was to cast a vote in what I firmly believe was in the best interest of the town of Old Lyme. The town I grew up in and Love. It is a personal insult to “float” these innuendos.

I have sat on the Zoning Commission for dozens of meetings and rarely if ever have seen Ms. Rueb at the meetings.  She should also know the commission is made up of Democrat, Republican and unaffiliated members.

The overlay plan that was presented on the night of my Nay vote was seriously flawed. So flawed it came to the Zoning Commission with a negative referral from the Planning Commission, not to mention major changes were considered right up to minutes before the vote.

The approval by the Board of Selectmen and Board of Finance were not factors in the Zoning Commission vote because those two entities gave only a broad-brush approval.  They were not involved in the details of the plan as the Planning Commission was. 

Regarding the 2020 survey: “80% of those responding to the survey conducted for the town are in favor”. In fact, the respondents numbered 700, (according to Ms. Twining, chairperson of the H.R.I.C.), meaning 560 were in favor; <8% of the population of Old Lyme. A stunted margin.  Nobody knows what percentage of our community now supports or opposes the plan that was presented.

Lastly, Ms. Rueb asks the citizens of Old Lyme to vote for incumbent Paul Orzel who has been endorsed by the Democratic Town Committee.  Mr. Orzel has been the longtime chairman of the commission and brings great knowledge.  What she neglects to say is Mr. Orzel has also been cross endorsed by the Republican Town Committee. Why was this significant fact omitted?

Please Ms. Rueb, refrain from making erroneous and or misleading statements about my No vote. And leave politics out of it.

Sincerely,

Sloan Danenhower,
Old Lyme.

Letter to the Editor: Vote Read/Kerr to Increase Old Lyme Town Hall Transparency

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To the Editor:

As an unaffiliated voter in Old Lyme, the upcoming election for Selectmen is particularly important.

Seeking to fund the extension of a town project, largely with state money, without a guarantee for the money from the state is putting the “cart before the horse”……..The state has been broke for years.

Case in point: The rearranging/bump outs/sidewalks/repaving of Hartford Avenue in anticipation of state funding to connect with the exit 70 off ramp of I-95-N, (4+ miles), for a pedestrian/bike/greenway lane was “pie in the sky”. 

Foreseeable bad timing, as Hartford Avenue will have to be torn up again to install the upcoming sewer lines.

There are numerous other examples …….      

The town needs more timely public knowledge dissemination about project planning, coupled with increased town hall transparency allowing government to function more smoothly.

We need selectmen who will be better at, “minding the store.”

Vote common sense.

Vote READ/KERR November 7th. 

Sincerely,

Sloan Danenhower,
Old Lyme.

Editor’s Note: The author is the husband of First Selectman candidate Judith Read.