Category Archives: Town Hall

Old Lyme’s Inland Wetlands Commission Continues Public Hearing on Big Y’s Controversial Gas Station/Convenience Store Proposal to Next Month

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The site of the proposed Big Y Express at the western end of Halls Rd. in Old Lyme. Map courtesy of the Halls Rd. Improvement Committee.

OLD LYME — Around 50 people joined Tuesday’s Public Hearing for the proposal presented by Big Y Foods for a gas station/convenience store at 99 Halls Rd. and 25 Neck Rd., which was hosted Tuesday via Webex by the Old Lyme Inland Wetlands and Watercourses Commission (IWWC).

According to the application submitted to the IWWC, the proposal is for a 2,100 sq. ft. convenience mart and a gas station on a site surrounding Essex Savings Bank that is currently vacant and partially cleared. The application states that the fuel system consists of six dispensers under a protective canopy and two double wall fiberglass underground fuel tanks with electronic monitoring.

The IWWC’s role is to assess whether there is potential for significant impact to the watercourses located on the property proposed for the development. Commission Chairman Rachael Gaudio stressed both at the Feb. 23 meeting of the IWWC and at this meeting that it is not under this commission’s purview to consider zoning, planning or traffic matters.

The Commission had received written responses from the project engineer for the applicant, Ryan Scrittorale, PE, of Alfred Benesch & Co. to comments by the IWWC engineer Thomas Metcalfe and soil scientist Eric Davison of Davison Environmental. These have been published on the Town website at this link.

Since Martin Brogie, of Martin Brogie, Inc., the applicant’s soil scientist, was not able to attend the meeting due to being hospitalized for COVID, the applicant’s attorney, Robin Pearson, requested that the hearing be continued until next month.

The commission heard testimony from Dr. Michael W. Klemens, who has a PhD in Ecology/Conservation Biology. He was introduced by Marjorie Shansky, the attorney representing the intervenor at  85 Halls Road, LLC.

Krewson said that a major problem he was facing in terms of assessing the environmental impact of the proposed project was that “We don’t know where the boundary of the vernal pool is … we need to understand where the vernal pool is … to determine what is present in the vernal pool.” He noted that the most recent data available is from 2006, but emphasized, “There needs to be a lot more detail.”

He noted, “Wood frogs are a unique and special case. They are actually involved in nutrient recycling,” adding, “We need to see robust data on biodata.” Klemens said he would assume, “The majority of the migration comes from the north,” but stressed again, “We need to know [what is at the vernal pool.]”

The owner of the adjoining property Brain Farnham at 29 Neck Rd. responded to comments that he was not permitting access to his property to inspect the vernal pool. He said, “There are diucks in that pond. It’s their breeding season. That’s why I’m resisting people walking on my property.”

Gaudio countered that, as someone who had obtained two bachelor’s degrees, one in Biological Sciences and the second in Wildlife Conservation and Mangement, prior to attending law school and receiving a Masters in Environmental Law and Policy, she understood Farnham’s concerns. She stated, however, “I don’t think a scientist would go out and be a big impact [on the property or duck nests],” noting the inspection would primarily involve walking around the edge of the pool and looking for evidence of wildlife.

Chairman Gaudio agreed to continue the hearing until Tuesday, April 27, at 6 p.m., when it will be held again via Webex. She urged all parties, including members of the public, to submit any further comments by the end of the day on April 26.

The Public hearing will likely be closed on April 27, but the IWWC will not necessarily vote on the proposal at that meeting.

Editor’s Note: The full Minutes of the meeting have now been published on the Town of Old Lyme website at this link.

 

 

Old Lyme Planning Commission Opposes CT Bills on Affordable Housing Currently Being Considered by Legislature

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OLD LYME — The following is the text of a letter being sent to various Connecticut House Representatives and State Senators by the Old Lyme Planning Commission. These include State Rep. Devin Carney (R-23rd) and State Senator Paul Formica (R-30th), both of whose Districts include Old Lyme.

Dear Legislator: 

The Old Lyme Planning Commission supports the development of Affordable Housing (AH) in the town of Old Lyme.  This has been stated in the Town’s Plan of Conservation & Development. Zoning regulations must be modified and developed to support affordable housing yet maintain the rural and historic character of the Town.

There are unidentified affordable housing units in Town which qualify as affordable but do not have deed restrictions. Prior to any new legislation being considered, it is necessary to redefine affordable housing to ascertain what already exists in each community but is not identified under the current definition. Enacting legislation without regard to what could currently be considered to be existing affordable housing is premature and unrealistic.

Currently, two bills being considered by the Connecticut legislature (SB-1024 and SB-804) are intended to promote the construction of affordable housing in all Connecticut municipalities.  The bills would eliminate local control over most accessory dwelling units and over most multi-family housing.  If adopted, these bills would limit local control to only single-family homes.  Local municipalities would have no authority to influence the affordable housing process, including the preservation of the town’s historic appearance and rural character. 

As written, the two pieces of legislation are a one-size-fits all scenario.  The character of shore-line communities are in sharp contrast to communities in the middle of the state and also to communities in the northeast and northwest corner of the state.  Anyone making decisions concerning affordable housing that does not live within the community will not demonstrate ownership toward the character of the town.  Therefore, residence will likely be left with a housing structure based on a contractor’s priorities that will not reflect the local character of the community.  

The timing of the bills is suspect.  Available information indicates that the bills were drafted in January but not released until recently.  This appears to be an attempt to push a bill through legislation while “while under the radar.”  This commission considers this to be a disingenuous attempt by some in the legislature.  

It should also be noted that the Chairman of the Planning Commission is also a member of an Affordable Housing Task Force that has provided guidelines to the Selectman’s office for the creation of an Affordable Housing Commission that will facilitate the development of affordable housing on currently available property and the development of additional housing where feasible. 

The Old Lyme Planning Commission opposes bills SB-1024 and SB-804 in their current form. The Old Lyme Planning Commission is of the opinion that local review of any new construction is paramount to maintaining the character of the local community. 

Sincerely,

Town of Old Lyme Planning Commission,
Old Lyme.

TONIGHT: Old Lyme’s Inland Wetlands Hold Public Hearing on Halls Rd. Gas Station/Convenience Store Proposal

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OLD LYME — Old Lyme’s Inland Wetlands Commission is holding a Public Hearing on this controversial proposal as part of its regular monthly meeting this evening starting at 6 p.m. The hearing is scheduled after New Business and you can join the meeting via your computer or phone.

No in-person attendance is permitted at this meeting.

To join via your computer:

Visit this link:
https://oldlymect.webex.com/oldlymect/j.php?MTID=md7e689c717d8e5cc0a01ba…
Enter meeting number (access code): 129 901 7985
Enter meeting password: M2FraPiuY82

To join by phone:
Call +1-408-418-9388 (United States Toll)

The agenda reads as follows:

NEW BUSINESS

1.      21-5 – Christopher Marchant – 7 Sandpiper Point Road – Cut down some broken tree limbs and removal of some fallen trees on the ground.

2.      21-6 Town of Old Lyme WPCA – Shore Rd, Hartford Ave, Portland Ave, Swan Ave, Pond Rd, Cottage Ln, Old Colony Rd. Breen Ave, Gorton Ave.  –

Regional Wastewater Project to sewer Sound View Beach and Miscellaneous Town Area B.

3.      21-7 Prospect Transportation of New England, LLC – 38 Hatchetts Hill Rd –   Build a truck service building for its transportation and logistics business.

4.      21-9 Daniels Propane – 5 Gould Lane – Setting two 120 LP tanks which includes running 15′ of copper and trench approximately 10 feet.  Property Owner: Michael Switzer

5.      21-10 Michael Riggio – 18 Cutler Road – Adding four feet to existing deck.

PUBLIC HEARING

6.     20-26 –Big Y Foods/Tony Coppola – 99 Halls Road & 25 Neck  Road –  Construct new convenience mart with retail motor vehicle fueling facility.

OLD BUSINESS

7.     21-8 – 6 Jericho – Ken Sweitzer –- Clearing

8.      21-1 – Point O’Woods Association – South Lyme – Maintenance and cleaning within the channel.

9.     21-4 – Christopher Papadopulos – 27 Connecticut Road – Deck on rear of  house and replace existing shed with new 10 x 20 shed

MINUTES

10.    Regular Meeting Minutes – February 23, 2021

Site Walk Meeting Minutes – March 17, 2021

Visit this link to read a letter on the subject of the proposed gas station/convenience store and all the comments that it sparked.

 

Lyme’s AHC Publishes Online Quiz to Engage Residents on Needs, Benefits of Affordable Housing

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AHC Seeks to Increase Awareness, Understanding of Affordable Housing as Part of its Efforts to Develop a State-Mandated Affordable Housing Plan in Lyme

LYME – As part of its efforts to develop an Affordable Housing Plan for the Town of Lyme by early next year, the Town of Lyme’s Affordable Housing Commission (AHC) has published an online quiz aimed at engaging residents in a thoughtful discussion of how affordable housing might take further shape in the Lyme community and how it might benefit the Town and its residents.  

The link to the quiz, “Home Sweet Affordable Home: Test Your Knowledge of Lyme,” can be found here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/NJ6DTTY.  The five-question quiz seeks to engage Lyme residents by allowing them to test their knowledge of existing affordable housing in town, and by addressing some common misperceptions about what affordable housing actually is.

The AHC is charged with developing an Affordable Housing Plan for the Town of Lyme – a task which is required to be completed by the Spring of 2022 by Connecticut statute §8-30j.  Through the development, community review and approval of this plan, the commission hopes to one day bring more affordable units to Lyme in a way that preserves the Town’s bucolic nature.

The commission is also seeking to engage residents in the issue of affordable housing by:

  • Inviting them to attend its monthly meetings, which currently take place on Zoom on the first Monday of each month at 6:30 p.m.  (Agendas for each meeting are published on the Town website, along with Zoom invitations.  Meeting minutes are also published on the website.)
  • Publishing information on the Town website that lists resources for residents interested in creating affordable housing options through the use of accessory-apartment construction loans and mortgage programs available from the State.  (That information can currently be found here: www.townlyme.org/affordable-housing-commission.)

Letter to the Editor: Proposed Gas Station/Convenience Market on Halls Rd. Raises Many Concerns

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To the Editor:

Re: Proposed Service Station Complex on Halls Rd.

We recently learned that Big Y Foods, Inc. is planning to develop the open parcel of land that lies between Treasures and the Essex Savings Bank on Halls Road into a large gas station and convenience market complex.

The open parcel, which is owned by the bank, is contiguous with another bank-owned parcel that fronts on Neck Rd. (Rte. 156). Both are for sale and, if linked, would provide access and egress on two of Old Lyme’s (already) busiest thoroughfares. The Halls Road “raceway” already connects, in less than three quarters of a mile, two busy entrance/exits to I-95 North and South. Old Lyme’s roads are already burdened by cars, trucks, and buses seeking alternate routes, when backups occur on the interstate,

I have been involved in the past in drafting certificates of need applications for Saint Francis Hospital and Medical Center in Hartford. I know that we took great care to demonstrate that a proposed expansion of service was unique and not redundant of other readily available and existing services.

I don’t believe that the approving process for this project is required to consider redundancies. However, that said, Halls Road already has a Shell gas station, which, coincidentally, had also proposed a convenience store expansion.

Further, both Andy’s Deli & Market, and the Big Y World Class Market, already serve different segments of Old Lyme residents and visitors shopping for groceries and prepared foods. Thus, Old Lyme is already well-served by two high quality organizations.

We patronize both, and interestingly, for the same reasons. We are known, by name, in both stores; and both provide us with the feel of a small-town local market.

However, the difference is that the supermarket’s customer base will not be largely compromised by the new convenience market.

In contrast, I know that Amish and Neha Shah, Andys’ owners, feel that the proposed facility would compete with their customer base, and probably, as part of a much larger organization, offer broader products and services at lower prices than they, as sole proprietors, can provide. They are very concerned that their small market and relatively small margins, could not sustain any significant new competition.

Further, I don’t think, based on the meetings that I’ve attended, that this proposed gas station and convenience market complex can possibly be consistent with the master plan that is still in development by Old Lyme’s Halls Road Improvements Committee. Finally, we don’t need to put existing local businesses at risk by approving redundant services; and Halls Road’s ability to support increased traffic from I-95 is very limited.

Sincerely,

Thomas D. and Christina J. Gotowka,
Old Lyme.