Letter to the Editor: Negative Outcome of Old Lyme Zoning Commission’s Vote on Halls Rd. Overlay District Raises Many Questions

To the Editor:

I am writing as a follow-up to Mark Terwilliger’s Op Ed in LymeLine on the Zoning Commission’s vote against the Halls Road Overlay District proposal.

Elizabeth Regan, who covers Old Lyme for the “New London Day”, also reviewed the action in an article published in that newspaper on March 29th. 

Because the proposal had not been endorsed by our Town’s Planning Commission, approval required a supermajority of the Zoning Commission voting in favor (i.e., four of the five members in attendance); but the proposal only received three. 

Unfortunately, two members of the Commission did not attend this important meeting; and Land Use Coordinator Eric Knapp reported that Mike Miller could not attend because of an injury; and Ms. Tammy Tinnerello was absent and could not vote because she had missed the past two meetings, and not reviewed the audio recordings, which are available via the Town’s website.  Presumably, had she reviewed the recordings, she could have voted by calling in. 

Alternate members Sloan Danenhower and Michael Barnes filled in for the two absent members and voted to oppose the proposed plan.

The “New London Day” reported that “Miller had previously expressed support for the overall concept, pending assurances that the language would be clarified to prevent a ‘Costco-sized building’ from going up on Halls Road”; and such restrictions seemed to have been proposed and passed at the meeting. I could find no guesses on how Ms. Tinnerello was expected to vote. Infrastructure issues were also raised, and I ask the Commission to allow the Town some input to determine whether they should be considered as “insurmountable”.

I am concerned that, after several years of very public effort by Ms. Twining’s “Halls Road Improvement Committee”, which involved regular and frequent updates, and Q&A opportunities for the community; the project was blocked by votes from two alternate members of the Zoning Commission. I am also concerned that the Commission is again out of synch with the Town in their actions (i.e., the Town provided Ms. Twining’s group with $135,000 to support design work.)

Further, these positions are elected, not appointed, and require serious commitment. I do not feel that missing three consecutive meetings reflects strong commitment. 

Finally, the “New London Day” article also reported that horses and elephants came up in the discussion at the meeting. On her way to Oz, Dorothy only had to contend with lions and tigers and bears, but Ms. Twining. got trampled by an alternate who brought in horses and elephants.

Sincerely,

Thomas D. Gotowka,
Old Lyme.