To the Editor:
The Old Lyme Zoning Commission is scheduled to meet on January 9 to finally vote on the Halls Road Overlay District plan.
As a citizen of Old Lyme for nearly two decades, and a former member of the Economic Development Commission, I would like to voice my support for the excellent proposal from the Halls Road Improvement Committee.
Enhancement of our commercial district has been called out in the POCDs of 2010 and 2020. In addition, during my tenure on the Economic Development Commission we finalized the report from AdvanceCT, which specifically called out the need for a walkable, attractive commercial district to support a viable economic future for Old Lyme. In several places, the report highlighted the dearth of housing suitable for young couples and seniors. The need for multi-family housing (also called out by the Affordable Housing Committee) is crucial for the economic sustainability of our town, and this need can be addressed by the Halls Road Overlay District plan.
Many small towns in our region such as Chester, Old Saybrook, Essex and Mystic, offer attractive, walkable village districts for their residents. Niantic is actively developing their streetscape with the addition of Sift (a bakery), Five Churches by the Bay (a brewery) and other businesses to the Morton House complex. Further afield, Westerly has been transformed into a destination for eating and music, and Wakefield hosted a street fair this summer featuring local restaurants, and music on the river that runs through town. If Old Lyme is to continue to attract new residents, it would be necessary to offer amenities comparable to our neighbors.
Finally, I would like to commend the Halls Road Village District Commission for their tireless persistence and the high quality of their thorough work. It behooves the town to reward its work with support, and act on the call for development described in the three documents referenced here.
Sincerely,
Candace Fuchs,
Old Lyme.
Like many other Old Lyme residents I believe that people move to Old Lyme because they do not want those amenities that you indicate are found in other shoreline towns like East Lyme and Old Saybrook. The thinking is if I want to go to a high end bakery, bar or music venue then I’ll get in my car and drive the short distance to East Lyme or Old Saybrook.
Think of Old Lyme’s relationship to these enlightened towns with the same mindset that the towns of Lyme and Old Lyme have with one another, that is residents in Lyme have little or no options when it comes to shopping or dining, they have no problem driving to Old Lyme for those services, they like it that way, and yes that’s the way Old Lyme residents feel about providing only the basic services in town and driving elsewhere for additional services.
We like it small, keep it small and reject the Halls Road proposal.
“We like it small” should be Old Lyme’s new town motto.