OLD LYME — The Halls Road Improvement Committee (HRIC) is asking local residents and interested parties, who support the Halls Road Master Plan Report compiled by the BSC Group, to indicate their support by submitting a letter to Town Hall.
Edie Twining, HRIC Chair, explains that the committee is hoping that a substantial show of support will be generated in this way. She says, “This will then be used for both the HRIC rezoning application to create a Halls Road Village District as well as in upcoming HRIC grant applications.”
A sample letter is printed below, which can be printed, signed, and mailed to Town Hall at the address shown. Supporters are naturally welcome to compose their own letters and mail them to the same address.
Twining notes, “The HRIC has also met with many local organizations and businesses to walk through the Master Plan findings and answer questions one-on-one. Committee members have enjoyed great support from everyone they have met with.”
She adds, “The committee is ready and willing to continue this presentation process for any groups looking for more information.”
Editor’s Note: Here is the sample letter:
Support for Halls Road Master Plan
Halls Road is our town’s main retail/commercial center. Going forward, it should be developed with the aim of making it look, feel, and function as a pedestrian-friendly town center. It should have safe and attractive pedestrian and bicycle connections with the historic town center and ‘Arts District’ on Lyme Street. Halls Road in the future should more nearly resemble the small-town, mixed-use neighborhood that Lyme Street was before 1960.
The limited build-able land along Halls Road should be developed in such a way as to serve the particular needs of Old Lyme. Under the current commercial-only zoning, Halls Road’s location along I-95 means new investment is almost entirely limited to either chain stores (viewing Old Lyme as no more than Exit 70), or truck stops serving highway traffic. This is not what we want for Old Lyme’s future.
The current housing stock in Old Lyme is overwhelmingly (over 92%) of one kind: a single-family home on its own lot. Halls Road is an appropriate location in which to add other, smaller-scale types of market-rate housing, such as an apartment above a shop, or a condominium in a town house. These options are particularly attractive to the younger and older cohorts of current (or prospective) Old Lyme residents.
Allowing this kind of mixed-use development along Halls Road has other important advantages for the town. First: a living neighborhood with foot traffic is far better for retail trade, and helps retail businesses resist the growing competition of online commerce. A mixed-use neighborhood along Halls Road improves the chances that Old Lyme will continue to have the convenience of in-person retail shops in 2050. Second, because these housing types are currently scarce in Old Lyme, pent-up demand makes such developments highly attractive to investors. We believe developers would be willing to build some new retail and office space if it were a part of a larger mixed-use (residential and commercial) area. New investment along Halls Road will also increase the town’s tax base and revenues.
The Halls Road Master Plan Report, prepared by BSC, is a road map to these changes.
It proposes the Town design and build (with aid from available grants) a safe and attractive pedestrian and cyclist route from Lyme Street to the heart of the Halls Road district, and to make other significant improvements for the safety of walkers and bikers in the area along Halls Road.
It also proposes the creation of a Halls Road Village District that would allow mixed use to achieve the goals mentioned above. It would also allow the town to establish Design Guidelines to help ensure the “look and feel” of new development along Halls Road is more in keeping with that of historic Lyme Street.
I/We support the Town’s initiative in creating the Master Plan, and look forward to a Halls Road that will become a new, mixed-use, pedestrian-friendly Town Center for Old Lyme in the Mid-21st Century.
Name____________________________________________________________________
If possible, could the committee share the letters of support from the Halls Road property owners? It would help the residents to know that those currently affected by the existing zoning regulations want, need and support proposed zoning changes. For example, if and when the changes are implemented, do the current owners plan to renovate, modify or even sell their property in order to align with the plans of the committee? Do the owners want to change their business models by becoming residential landlords in addition on in lieu of being a commercial landlord? Do they currently have plans or desires to construct or renovate mixed use properties?
As for pedestrian and bicycle paths, didn’t we start a similar project with Rt. 156 from the bridge to Soundview? Could we finish this project first?
We are asking for more pedestrian traffic on a connector road between two state roads and highway access points, but when will the committee be asking the property owners to make their changes so that the pedestrians have something to walk/bike to?
Are we putting the cart too far ahead of the horse?
I do agree that our zoning regulations need an update, but this should be across the town and not just for an anticipated need of a commercial area.
Thanks for your questions, Stacy.
The purpose of the Halls Road Master Plan is twofold. Part one, is to provide the design concept for public improvements to the right of way. This would be a project to provide sidewalks, bike paths, lighting, cross walks and landscaping along Halls Road which is a state road. It would be paid for in combination of public grants and town funding.
Part Two, is the rezoning of the Halls Road Commercial District to become a mixed use, Halls Road Village District. The changes are aimed at making Halls Road a more prosperous and attractive place in which to do business, and to allow the area to better serve the needs of Old Lyme. The Halls Road Village District zoning applies only to new construction or significant renovations. It will set new and different limits on future development, but it cannot create anything by itself. Private investors must do that, when and if they choose to. The new zoning simply gives them the opportunity to increase the value of their properties beyond the restrictive commercial only zone.
We have heard from property owners that the older portions of their buildings are in need of renovation. We also know that “bricks and mortar” retail is declining due to widespread internet commerce and now restrictions due to the pandemic. This means most developers and investors are looking at residential or mixed-use developments over any new commercial-only projects.
The current Halls Road zoning regulations limit the kinds of investments permitted there. These old regulations, first written in the 1950s and early 1960s, were designed to promote “strip centers” along Halls Road. That was the wave of the future in 1958. Today, the commercial only zoning is most attractive to businesses serving the highway, not those serving Old Lyme.
Something more and different is needed to maintain Old Lyme’s commercial center. That is the aim of the Halls Road Master Plan: to allow Halls Road to become more like a walk-able, bike-able, living town center that will serve Old Lyme into the mid-21st Century.
You asked about the Bike Path feasibility study conducted by the BSC Group, along Rte. 156 to connect the Baldwin Bridge to Sound View. Their findings showed that the bridge crossing Black Hall River was too narrow along Rte. 156 to allow for a bike path and the project was not pursued. I do believe the CT DOT plans to replace that bridge which might allow that bike path to happen at some future date. The same narrow issue occurs on Halls Road across the Lieutenant River which is another reason to build the pedestrian/bike bridge at the old bridge abutment. There has been an interest in providing safe bike & pedestrian access to Halls Road for over 8 years.
We would be happy to review the plans in person or answer any additional questions if you would like to contact us directly. [email protected]
Edie Twining
Halls Road Improvements Committee, Chair
This project will add beauty and energy to this area. As a frequent walker, I avoid Hall’s Road often because of the traffic. If this peaceful and attractive is created with shops and paths, I can walk along the Lieutenant River and stop for a cup of coffee or simply take in the beautiful landscape in every season.
It would be an ideal location to have an apartment if we decide to downsize. We could shop and socialize without having to drive. Thank you for this thoughtful design. You have our support to change the zoning regulations to make all this possible.
Bill and Sandra Rueb
Stacy is asking the right questions, Sandra is presenting softball comments that are typical of many supporters of the plan.
Beyond changes to the towns Zoning Regulations and. Installation of sidewalks that connect Lyme Street to Hall’s Road no public funds should be invested in this cute but unrealistic vision.
I support the need for a plan and many of the proposals included in the committee’s work. Is there an email address we can send letters of support to? Requiring letters to be mailed may limit the response.
Hi Craig
Yes here is the halls road email address. Thanks for the suggestion
[email protected]
Ultimately the voters of Old Lyme will determine any change to our zoning regulations that affect Halls road. Changes to our zoning regulations must go before the voters at a town meeting. Why not prepare a non-binding resolution this coming November asking town residents whether or not they approve of the village concept put forth in this master plan. There is no need to go forward with changing zoning regulations if there is no support for the village concept.