TOWN OF OLD LYME
HALLS ROAD IMPROVEMENTS COMMITTEE
SPECIAL MEETING MINUTES
February 13, 2019
Meeting Date: Wednesday, February 13, 2019.
Location: Old Lyme Town Hall, Mezzanine Conference Room.
Committee members in attendance: Howard Margules, BJ Bernblum, Edie Twining, Mike Reiter, Ray Thompson (by conference phone), Bonnie Reemsnyder, ex officio.
Others attending: Jon Curtis, Mary Jo Nosal, Barbara Gaudio.
1. Call to order 6:42 p.m.
2. Approval of January 3, 2019 minutes. Howard Margules motions, Edie Twining seconds, all approve.
3. Community information.
The Committee reviews public comments submitted to online media as well as emails to the Committee’s inbox. Discussion about the range of comments and what can be taken as actionable items from the group of comments. Noted that the frequently-asked question document (FAQs) was very well received. The Committee talked about how we can get this document more widely distributed. Bonnie will reach out to The Day in an effort to have information published there and in the Lyme Times. It was agreed to disseminate the FAQs as follows:
-Provide copies to the land use commissions, including particularly planning and
zoning, with offers of Halls Road committee members to come and discuss.
-Post and provide copies in public places such as town hall and the library.
-Provide copies (hard or electronic) to Halls Road business owners and offer to
meet and discuss in more detail.
--Circulate to PTO leadership with request to distribute to members.
The Committee discusses the need to meet with the Planning and Zoning Commissions and begin discussions about Halls Road improvement ideas, the implementation of which will undoubtedly require commission approvals.
The Committee considers additional venues for public information-sharing and discussion, such as holding a Saturday morning open house, prior to the next formal town meeting. A less formal event will allow for more one-on-one discussion between Committee members and the public.
4. YUDW—expectations and next steps.
The Committee is scheduled to meet in two weeks, on February 27, with YUDW to plan for the next public meeting, which has yet to be scheduled. Discussion of the contents of this meeting, including the role that the town is expected to play in the development process. For example, we need to explain what the town has control over, what it doesn’t have control over, and how the intent of the conceptual plans will be to illustrate future possibilities and to get current and business owners, and real estate developers, excited about the opportunities available in the Halls Road neighborhood. The presentation should make clear that the town’s jurisdiction (with the state’s consent) is limited to the right-of-way, but that it can amend the zoning regulations and the Plan of Conservation and Development
to permit and encourage sensible, effective, real estate development, consistent with the town’s character and wishes. BJ will request YUDW to provide in advance a draft of their slides for the February 27th meeting.
5. CERC status report and next steps.
CERC offers to present towns with an economic development fundamentals training workshop at no charge, which Old Lyme should accept. Our Economic Development Commission intends to request limited funding from the Boards of Selectmen and Finance for CERC to also conduct a Strengths-Weaknesses-Opportunities-Threats (SWOT) focus group and a local survey.
6. Committee budget for fiscal year ending June 30, 2020.
The Committee discussed the need for limited funding, perhaps on the order of $5,000, to finance its out-reach expenses during the next fiscal year, such as meeting invitations and materials, printing and distribution of information brochures and renderings, and materials and refreshments for public meetings.
7. Adjournment. Motion to adjourn by Mike Reiter, seconded by Edie Twining, approved by all at 8:43 p.m.
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