To the Editor:
Having attended [Monday] night’s [Old Lyme] Selectmen’s debate, this unaffiliated voter sums up the outcome as follows:
The candidates for Select-person Reed and Lampos were impressive, their responses to all questions were well stated leaving no doubt as to their position on the subject. One could almost feel their passion for wanting to serve the town and willingness to hear all sides of the matter at hand. The candidates for First Select-person Mesham and Shoemaker were, to say it kindly, less impressive with typical canned wishy-washy responses to the questions.
The issue where there was a definite divide between the R’s and D’s was the issue of Halls Road. The D’s like the grand plan that would remake Halls Road into a dense mixed-use neighborhood that would forever change the character of Old Lyme. The R’s position is that the Halls Road Improvement Committee have gone way beyond the original mandate of sidewalks and lighting improvements and are against the grand plan.
Whichever party wins the majority of Select-person positions in this upcoming election will most likely decide which direction Halls Road will take. Voters have a clear choice here, grand plan or sidewalks and lighting. Hopefully voters will not let party affiliation blind them into making the wrong choice.
Sincerely,
William Folland,
Old Lyme.
What is the character of OL? Yes, it consists of its natural beauty and architecture represented by Lyme Street. Halls Road is the outlier and certainly does not represent the quintessential NE town we prefer. The overlay district proposal includes an architectural advisory board to make sure HR future construction conforms with the architecture on Lyme Street.
Our town’s character also includes supporting both our senior citizens as well as our young adults who grew up here. It is completely in character to offer seniors looking to downsize or young adults, who cannot afford single family homes, a less expensive alternative. Providing reasonably priced housing for them is a great way to maintain Old Lyme’s character.
Most of our businesses on Halls Rd. are hidden away and not visible from the main road. Providing business with an alternative to relocate where customers can actually see them is also very consistent with our town’s character.
Howard Margules
The rejection or the grand plan by a significant number of the community should tell the HRIC and town officials it’s time to pause and reset the plan.
Hi Howard, can you please explain the components of the halls road overlay that will allow this comment (quoted below) to be a actual fact. How does the Halls road overlay offer a less expensive alternative in it’s plan. There is no affordable housing component included in the last overlay. How do you determine the variable of what is Less expensive when no buildings have been built therefore no ability to determine how much rent or condo prices would be. Just saying things like they’re going to be “less expensive” doesn’t make it a fact. If I were a developer and I was putting in market rate apartments or condos I would assume they’re going to charge the most they can, they’re not gonna give the public a deal. They’re going to give them market rate. Let’s just say for conversation reasons that the zoning changed to allow multi-family housing in that area but without the need to build numerous new buildings , what if it could be done or contained within the existing structures that exist today? I see a better opportunity to having less expensive units if it’s contained within an existing structure or one that could simply be added onto as opposed to building all new buildings and support infrastructure. If you haven’t noticed the Hair Salon in the 19 halls road plaza, they’re septic area took up the entire footprint of an area that could have been built on easily that already had a foundation. Think about that for a second. They used an entire huge approved preexisting building footprint to service one hair salon customer in their retail building. The septic system took up the entire area to the service just one customer.
“character to offer seniors looking to downsize or young adults, who cannot afford single family homes, a less expensive alternative”