TOP STORY: Old Lyme Zoning Commission Candidates Respond to Our Questions

Hopefuls Weigh in on Halls Road, Regulation Rewrite and Why They’re Right for the Job

Share on Facebook | Share on X | Share on LinkedIn

OLD LYME–With the Zoning Commission deep into the first major rewrite of its regulations in over 15 years, a seat at the five-member table carries more weight than it has in a long time. 

As planners like to say, zoning is destiny. Those three words tell a story that would otherwise take hundreds of pages of local codes—and a stack of maps—to explain: The rules about what we can build, and where we can build it, are the most powerful tool a town has to shape its future.

Recognizing the commission’s critical role in a pivotal year, we invited the candidates to answer four questions. You can find the responses here in their own words. 

This year’s race for a full seat on the Zoning Commission pits current Zoning Commission alternate Michael Fogliano, an unaffiliated candidate endorsed by the Democrats, against former alternate Sloan Danenhower, an unaffiliated candidate running under the Republican banner. The term begins Nov. 18. Incumbent commission member Jane Marsh, R, is running unchallenged for a term beginning in November 2026. 

The candidates responded with a 350-word limit to four questions that we posed. We thank them for responding in a timely fashion and adhering to our rules.

Click on each name below to learn more about them in their own words. 

1. Why are you running for the Zoning Commission, and what skills or experiences make you the right candidate for that role?
2. Despite a decade-long effort to create a vision for Halls Road that the community can support, the goal remains out of sight. What do YOU want the future of Halls Road to look like, and what role should the Zoning Commission have in making it happen? 
3. Old Lyme, like the other municipalities in the state, is being called upon to increase the availability of affordable housing. Do you think Old Lyme needs more diverse housing options, and what part does the Zoning Commission play in ensuring the appropriate amount of residential development in town? 
4. In order of importance, what do you see as the top three challenges facing the commission over the next five years?

Candidates for Old Lyme Zoning Commission, term beginning 2025

Michael Fogliano (U)

Sloan Danenhower (U)

Candidate for Old Lyme Zoning Commission, term beginning 2026

Jane Marsh (R-incumbent)