To the Editor:
To begin: This letter is from a person who staunchly opposes the Halls Road Overlay District Proposal. The specifics by their own admission include:
“No more than 40 dwelling units shall be built per 1 acre of land“ (HROD [Halls Road Overlay District] 11-18-24) and
According to Bill Sweeney the HROD lawyer salesman from the 1st hearing the developers will increase to 200′ limits on building length and 20,000sf of footprint, (60,000sf for the 3 story buildings), and 3 story parking garage(s) to afford maximum developer desireability (stet). Added to that the need to max out the building sizes to make up for the affordable housing, (which is acceptable), shortfall. Don’t let ’em fool you it’s all about the money. Once these increased density zoning reg’s are in place, they are very difficult to reverse. Like trying to stuff the genie back in the bottle! Small zoning changes can be small mistakes. Large ones? well, you figure it out.
What’s the hurry? Even though it’s been 12+ years since the H.R. Improvement committee was tasked with adding sidewalks, lighting, signage and greenery to the area, that plan has morphed to the above.
Odd how the town has started a $125,000 2 year zoning project to in year 1, review all the reg’s, and in year 2 poll the “entire town” about their wants/needs make resulting changes to town Zoning regulations. One of the larger, and arguably most contentious areas is Halls Road.
If this overlay is such a great proposal the HROD people should welcome being “dovetailed” in to the “process”. Change is inevitable but swinging the pendulum from one extreme to the other is wrong.
Sincerely,
Sloan Danenhower,
Old Lyme.
Editor’s Note: The author is an Alternate on the Old Lyme Zoning Commission and has recused himself from voting on the Halls Road project. He is the husband of Old Lyme Selectwoman Jude Read.
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