Category Archives: Town Hall

Old Lyme is Runner-Up in ‘USA Today’s’ National “Best Small Towns Art Scene” Poll

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Old Lyme’s Midsummer Festival , which features work by the ‘Fence Artists’ shown above, draws thousands of visitors each year.

“Thrilled [to be] Considered … a top pick” (Cheryl Poirier, Old Lyme EDC Chair)

OLD LYME—Yesterday, USA Today announced the results of its 2025 Readers’ Choice Award for Best Small Town Arts Scene. Old Lyme came in second behind Vermillion, S.D.

The full list of winners in descending order is as follows:

  • Vermillion, South Dakota
  • Old Lyme, Connecticut
  • Saugatuck, Michigan
  • Orange Beach, Alabama
  • Tubac, Arizona
  • Lucas, Kansas
  • Saratoga Springs, New York
  • Abingdon, Virginia
  • McCook, Nebraska
  • Stowe, Vermont

The article in USA Today revealing the results states, “Bigger isn’t always better, especially when it comes to these 10 small towns, each with a population of fewer than 30,000 people (as of the last census). They were selected by an expert panel and voted by [USA Today] readers as the best in the U.S. for their arts scenes, because what each of these towns lacks in size, they make up for with museums, art galleries, performing arts, and busy event calendars.”

Asked for her reaction to the result, Old Lyme Economic Development Commission Chair Cheryl Poirier told LymeLine exclusively, “We are thrilled that USA Today considered us a top pick as one of America’s Best Small Town Arts Scenes, and are full of gratitude for the many people who voted for us this past month. Many folks were voting daily as permitted and telling their friends to vote as well.”

She continued, “Although we came in second to another great small town, we are still proud to consider ourselves tops. Our many community members who take part in our arts organizations help to make Old Lyme the very special place that it is, and are just one reason why so many people love to call us “home.”

USA Today had previously cited these reasons for including Old Lyme in their finalists: “This town was once home to a thriving artist colony which later became the Lyme Art Association. The work of many important American artists from the colonial period to today can be found at the Florence Griswold Museum.”

The article continued,“Both are part of the Old Lyme Arts District, a vibrant central village area with art galleries, live music and the prestigious Lyme Academy of Fine Arts. Artists of all experience levels appreciate painting en plein air in the town’s beautiful natural surroundings. Old Lyme has an annual Midsummer Festival in July that is a celebration of art, music, and classic cars.“

Breaking News: Thursday’s Zoning Meeting Postponed at First Selectwoman, Applicant’s Request

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OLD LYME— UPDATED 6:10 p.m. with details of letter sent requesting postponement of meeting.

The Old Lyme (OL) Zoning Commission meeting scheduled for Thursday has been postponed at the applicant’s request.

Today, Old Lyme First Selectwoman Martha Shoemaker sent a letter to Paul Orzel, Chairman of the OL Zoning Commission, saying, “The Halls Road Improvement Committee and I acknowledge that the Zoning Commission has received many additional exhibits and request additional time to review them. We would like to request to postpone the meeting of February 27, 2025, until late March 2025. This will provide the committee with additional time to review the exhibits.”

The letter was copied to Eric Knapp, Old Lyme Land Use Coordinator; Edie Twining, Chair of the Halls Road Improvement Committee, and William R. Sweeney, Attorney for the Halls Road project.

Editor’s Note: We will update this post with more details as we receive them.

Old Lyme Zoning Commission Meets Thursday to Continue Discussion of Halls Road Overlay District

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Summary Given of All Related Communications Received by LymeLine

OLD LYME—On Thursday, Feb. 27, the Old Lyme Zoning Commission will hold Public Hearings and a Special Meeting starting at 6:30 p.m. in the Lyme-Old Lyme Middle School Auditorium.

Zoning Commission Chairman Paul Orzel notes that the Middle School has a hard “close” time of 9 p.m., which the Commission intends to honor.

The agenda notes an item under both the Continued Public Hearing and Old Business as follows:
Petition to Amend the Old Lyme Zoning Regulations, Section 5.15-creating a Halls Road Overlay District [HROD} 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 both cases is the Halls Road Improvement Committee.

Additional information on each case is available for review in the Old Lyme Land Use office and on the Zoning Commission website at this link.

Members of the public, who would like to submit written comments on either case, are encouraged to email a copy of their comments to Old Lyme Land Use Technician, Craig Bonatti, at least one day prior to the Public Hearing at cbonatti@oldlyme-ct.gov.

We also recommend readers to review the Halls Road Improvement Committee’s page at this link, which contains links to numerous pages detailing the proposals.

The HROD proposal has aroused significant controversy throughout the town and on social media. A large number of residents is expected to attend the meeting.

To assist our readers in understanding the various and conflicting opinions on the Halls Road Overlay District (HROD) proposal, we provide links below to all the correspondence/op-ed’s/opinion pieces that we have received regarding the matter. Be sure to read all the Comments, which have been posted, too.

Please let us know promptly if we have omitted any correspondence in our listing above.

Letter to the Editor: Disagreements Voiced with HROD—Pause Plan Now, Discuss it Further, Make New Proposal Supported by Majority

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To the Editor:

I am writing to voice my disagreement with the [Halls Road Overlay District] proposal as currently written. 

There has been a lot of discussion regarding the proposed density of housing. It’s not 600 and I seriously doubt it’s 250 as the HRIC [Halls Road Improvement Committee] claims (with no basis, mind you). It all revolves around the “40 units per acre”. If that is not envisioned, why is it in the reg [regulations]? Why not lower it to 20-25 units?

Secondly, the thought of any 3 story structures on the edge of Halls Road is so far removed from the “character of Lyme Street” it makes me wonder what the true intent is. Lyme street is predominately (stet) 1 and 2 story structures, with I believe 3-4 3 story structures, yet the reg. as proposed, limits 1 story structures. Why not limit the 3 story structures to areas not directly on/facing Halls Road?

Is there “on street parking” proposed for Halls Road? I could not find any. If not why? I understand it is a state road…but I can’t think of one shoreline town center that does not have it…even Lyme Street!

If the current zoning regulations are being reviewed/rewritten why should this “portion of that document” be approved…I say No.

I could go on and on but i feel as if (from written and voice record) that the committee has bought into the Pro developer proposed by Atty Sweeney. Imagine if our forefathers followed that ideology.  Lyme Street would’ve never been kept in its current condition. 

This change should be paused, further discussed, and proposed in a form that is agreeable to the majority of towns people.

Sincerely,

Charles and Joan Meek,
Old Lyme.

Editor’s Note: This letter was also submitted to the Old Lyme Zoning Commission.

Letter to the Editor: An Open Letter to the People of Old Lyme—Take Action to Support the Halls Road Overlay District

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An Open Letter to the People of Old Lyme:

Dear Neighbor, 

Guided change will allow Halls Road to better serve Old Lyme in the 21st century. 

The proposed Halls Road Overlay District allows the private investment needed to create a new, mixed-use town center there, scaled to the needs of Old Lyme: 

  •  Smaller scale housing for down-sizing seniors and young families, 
  •  Browse-able retail street, 
  •  Walkable, bikeable, living neighborhood,
  •  A viable alternative to Halls Road being dominated by highway services – its likely future without HROD.

For the full details on the Halls Road Overlay Zoning, please go to Town of Old Lyme website at  https://www.oldlyme-ct.gov/343/Halls-Road-Improvements-Committee .

Halls Overlay Zoning has been fully reviewed and approved by the Old Lyme Planning Commission, carefully reviewed by the Old Lyme Economic Development Commission and the Old Lyme Zoning Commission has reviewed at several meetings and is now scheduled for its Final Zoning Hearing.

Opponents of Halls Zoning are ‘flooding the zone’ with wild exaggerations and outright lies. We need your help to show such scare tactics cannot work in Old Lyme. 

PLEASE TAKE ACTION

Come and show your support for a better future for Old Lyme. 

  1. SHOW UP at Zoning Hearing.
  2. BRING FRIENDS to show that people care about this.
  3. SPEAK UP at the Hearing.


WHAT: Old Lyme Zoning Hearing

WHEN: Thursday, 6:30pm February 27, 2025

WHERE: Old Lyme Middle School Auditorium

If you cannot attend please share this email with like-minded friends. Also please submit a Support Letter (Either copy, sign and email/mail this Support Letter or use it to write your own.)

Send via email or mail to below:

Postal: (must arrive before February 27)                
Old Lyme Zoning Commission                                                    
52 Lyme Street, Old Lyme Memorial Town Hall
Old Lyme, CT 06371

Eric Knapp <eknapp@oldlyme-ct.gov>
cc: Craig Bonatti <cbonatti@oldlyme-ct.gov>

Thank you for your time and your consideration of this important matter.

Sincerely,

Edie Twining,
Old Lyme.

Editor’s Note: The author is the Halls Road Improvements Committee Chair