Minutes - Inland Wetland and Water Courses Commission

741 Colonel Ledyard Highway

Ledyard, Connecticut 06339

TOWN OF LEDYARD

Inland Wetland and Water Courses

Commission

Meeting Minutes - Final

Chairman

Justin DeBrodt

Regular Meeting

Tuesday, August 4, 2026

7:00 PM

Council Chambers -Hybrid Format

CALL TO ORDER

IC.hairman DeBrodt called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. in the Town Hall Annex Council

Chambers and on Zoom.

II.

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

III.

ROLL CALL AND APPOINTMENT OF ALTERNATES

Commissioner Dan Pealer

Vice Chair Beth E. Ribe

Present

Alternate Member Robert Graham

Chairman Justin DeBrodt

Alternate Member Sarah Bowen

Michael E. Marelli

Chairman DeBrodt appointed Alternate Member Robert Graham as a voting member for the

meeting to fill the vacancy.

In addition, the following were present:

Zoning & Wetlands Enforcement Official, Hannah Middleton

Assistant to the Director of Land Use & Planning, Anna Wynn

IV.

APPROVAL OF ADDITIONS TO AND/OR CHANGES TO THE ORDER OF THE

AGENDA

None.

CITIZENS PETITIONS (NON-AGENDA ITEMS ONLY)

None.

VI.

PRE APPLICATION DISCUSSION AND/OR WORKSHOP

None.

VII. PUBLIC HEARINGS/APPLICATIONS

None.

VIII. OLD BUSINESS

IWWC#26-17SITE - 6 Winthrop Road (Map ID: 91/2720/6), Gales Ferry, Applicant - Town

of Ledyard, Owner - Mark Horbay, for regulated activities associated with the emergent

repair and restoration of an eroded drainage ditch abutting a residential home. (Submitted

6/25/26, Date of Receipt 7/7/26, DRD 9/9/26)

Director of Public Works and Town Engineer, Steve Maslin, agent for the application, presented

the survey map marked as file document #4 showing additional erosion compared to previous

maps. He reviewed with the Commission the work that would need to be conducted to prevent

further erosion. He spoke about the locations where the Public Works Department would be

armoring and filling the ditch.

WEO Hannah Middleton briefly reviewed her staff report marked as file document #5.

After giving due consideration to all relevant factors, including those in Section 6 of the

Ledyard Inland Wetland Regulations and Section 22a-40 of the Connecticut General

Statutes, Commissioner Ribe made

MOTION to APPROVE Application

IWWC#26-17SITE, submitted by the Applicant / Agent, Town of Ledyard, Mark Horbay,

Owner for regulated activities for remediation and restoration of a severely eroded drainage

ditch that conveys stormwater from a Town drainage system that is expanding towards a

residential home & associated site improvements as more fully described in the application

& supporting documents, dated July 11, 2026 with the following conditions:

1. Soil erosion and sediment controls shall be installed prior to the start of work and

maintained in good working order until any disturbed soils are permanently stabilized with

vegetative cover.

2. Prior to the start of any work at the site, the Ledyard Wetlands Enforcement Officer shall

be notified and shall conduct an inspection to verify soil erosion, and sediment controls have

been properly installed prior to the start of work.

3. Any future proposed changes to the proposed site plan submitted as part of this

application shall be reviewed and approved by the Wetlands Official and/or the IWWC.

APPROVED WITH CONDITIONS

Beth E. Ribe

RESULT:

MOVER:

Dan Pealer

SECONDER:

Pealer, Ribe, Graham, DeBrodt, and Marelli

Bowen

AYE:

NON-VOTING

IWWC#26-18RESUB - 12 Hyde Park Dr. (Map ID: 107/1060/12) & 975 Long Cove Road

(MAP ID: 107-1340-939), Applicant - Peter Gardner, Owner - Spencer Bay Properties, LLC,

for regulated activities associated with a 14-lot resubdivision and construction of a new town

road. (Submitted 6/23/26, Date of Receipt 7/7/26, Site Walk 7/28/26, DRD 9/9/26)

WEO Hannah Middleton briefly reviewed her staff report and stated that the applicant needs to

address Town Engineer comments previously submitted as file document #9. She stated that she

received a consent to table the application to the next regular meeting that has been marked as

file document #12.

MOTION to table application IWWC#26-18RESUB to the IWWC Regular Meeting of

September 1, 2026

TABLED

RESULT:

Dan Pealer

Beth E. Ribe

MOVER:

SECONDER:

Pealer, Ribe, Graham, DeBrodt, and Marelli

Bowen

AYE:

NON-VOTING

IWWC#26-22SITE - 669 Shewville Road (MAP ID: 71-2210-669), Ledyard CT -Property

Owner, John Hardy, for regulated activities associated with the construction of a driveway

including a wetland crossing and associated site improvements, to serve a future

single-family residence. (Submitted 7/6/26, Date of Receipt 7/7/26, DRD 9/9/26)

Owner/Applicant John Hardy introduced himself to the Commission. WEO Hannah Middleton

reviewed her staff report marked as file document #5 and gave a brief summary of the property.

She spoke about the previously installed crossing. She reviewed an email from Ian Cole marked

as file document #6. She stated that the staff recommendation is that the application be ruled

non-significant impact.

Commissioner Marelli commented on the engineering report noting the recommendation from

the engineers report. Staff and the Commission stated that they could make it a condition of

approval.

MOTION that the Commission find that the proposed regulated activities within the

watercourse/waterbody as submitted in the Application IWWC#26-22Site, plans and all

supporting documents, do not meet any of the criteria of significant impact activities as

defined the Town of Ledyard Inland Wetlands & Watercourses Regulations per IWWC Regs

Section 2 and therefore are Class “B” activities.

RESULT:

5-0 NON-SIGNIFICANT IMPACT

MOVER: Marelli

SECONDER: Graham

AYES: 5 DeBrodt, Ribe, Marelli, Graham, Pealer

After giving due consideration to all relevant factors, including those in Section 6 of the

Ledyard Inland Wetland Regulations and Section 22a-40 of the Connecticut General

Statutes, Commission Ribe made a MOTION to APPROVE Application #IWWC26-22SITE,

submitted by the Applicant / Owner, Hardy Home Builders LLC. , John Hardy, for regulated

activities for a New Single-Family Residence & associated site improvements as more fully

described in the application & supporting documents, dated July 6, 2026 and plan set entitled

“Plan Showing Proposed House, Drive, Well, and Sewage Disposal System, Prepared for

John Hardy, 669 Shewville Rd, Ledyard CT, 06339, dated June 2026, Scale: 1in = 30ft” with

the following conditions:

1. Soil erosion and sediment controls shall be installed prior to the start of work and

maintained in good working order until any disturbed soils are permanently stabilized with

vegetative cover.

2. Prior to the start of any work at the site, the Ledyard Wetlands Enforcement Officer shall

be notified and shall conduct an inspection to verify soil erosion, and sediment controls have

been properly installed prior to the start of work.

3. Any future proposed changes to the proposed site plan submitted as part of this

application shall be reviewed and approved by the Wetlands Official and/or the IWWC.

4. Wetland Placards shall be installed every 25ft along the wetland boundaries of the

property and shown on final As-Built upon completion of work.

5. As part of the driveway construction, any unsuitable soil 10-feet either side of the culvert

(topsoil, vegetation, etc.) would be removed and replaced with compacted gravel and that

there would be a minimum of 12 inches of gravel over the top of the pipe, as shown on the

final as built and revised plans.

APPROVED WITH CONDITIONS

Dan Pealer

RESULT:

MOVER:

Beth E. Ribe

SECONDER:

Pealer, Ribe, Graham, DeBrodt, and Marelli

Bowen

AYE:

NON-VOTING

IX.

NEW BUSINESS

IWWC#26-23SITE - 78 Christy Hill Road (MAP ID: 92-470-78), Gales Ferry CT, - Property

Owner, Gail Curland - Agent, Peter Gardner, for regulated actives associated with the

construction of a driveway, septic system and single-family home and all site improvements.

(Submitted 7/29/26, Date of Receipt 8/4/26, DRD 10/8/26)

Owner Gail Curland introduced herself to the Commission. She and staff discussed the

administrative process. WEO Hannah Gienau gave a brief overview of the application. The

Commission and the applicant briefly discussed that the applicant would just be received and the

meeting as they have not had sufficient time to review the material to make a determination if it

is significant or non-significant impact.

MOTION to table application IWWC#26-23SITE to the IWWC Regular Meeting of September

1, 2026

TABLED

RESULT:

AYE:

Pealer, Ribe, Graham, DeBrodt, and Marelli

Bowen

NON-VOTING

IWWC#26-24SITE - 1363 Baldwin Hill Road (MAP ID: 121-140-1363), Gales Ferry, CT -

Applicant/Property Owner, RVE Properties - Agent, Michael Ott, P.E, L.S, for regulated

activities associated with the construction of a commercial office space addition and

associated site improvements. (Submitted 7/30/26, Date of Receipt 8/4/26, DRD 10/8/26)

Michael Ott, P.E., introduced himself and gave a brief overview of the application. He spoke

about the previous building and the fire that had destroyed the commercial building. They

reviewed file documents #3, #4 and #5.

WEO Hannah Middleton stated that a URA permit for the building demolition was approved last

year. She stated that this application had been granted a variance from the Zoning Board of

Appeals on July 15, 2026. She stated that the placement of the building would be the most

efficient to protect the wetlands and to accommodate the hardships of the lots. They discussed

the wetlands located on the parcel. The Commission concurred they would wait until the next

meeting to make an impact ruling. The applicant asked if Commission wanted a site walk. The

Commission stated that they would make that determination at the next meeting when they got

more information.

MOTION to table application IWWC#26-24SITE to the IWWC Regular Meeting of September

1, 2026.

TABLED

RESULT:

AYE:

Pealer, Ribe, Graham, DeBrodt, and Marelli

Bowen

NON-VOTING

IWWC#26-25SITE-611 Lantern Hill Road (MAP ID: 74-1210-611), Ledyard, CT,

Applicant/Property Owner, James Holley, Agent, CT Cabinetry & Millwork

LLC/Boundaries LLC, for regulated activities for construction of a new single-family

residence, installation of a floating dock, and restoration of the eroded shoreline with

associated site improvements. (Submitted 7/30/26, Date of Receipt 8/4/26, DRD 10/8/26)

John Faulise of Boundaries LLC introduced himself and gave a brief overview of the

application. He presented various sheets of the submitted topographical survey marked as file

document #4. He passed out photos of the bank erosion. He spoke about the erosion and

sediment controls that are proposed on the plans. The owner addressed the Commission about

previous issues concerning drainage on the parcel.

Commissioner Ribe confirmed the location of the septic on the plans. Commissioner Graham

confirmed the zone of the parcel. Commissioner Pealer clarified E&S controls for the apron.

MOTION to table application IWWC#26-25SITE to the IWWC Regular Meeting of September

1, 2026

TABLED

RESULT:

Dan Pealer

Robert Graham

MOVER:

SECONDER:

Pealer, Ribe, Graham, DeBrodt, and Marelli

Bowen

AYE:

NON-VOTING

APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETINGS

IWWC Regular Meeting Minutes of July 7, 2026

Commissioner Pealer stated that there is a misspelling of the word Agenda in one of the

agenda headers and asked that it be corrected.

MOTION to approve the IWWC Regular Meeting Minutes of July 7, 2026 with the

amendment of correction “agneda” to agenda.

APPROVED AS AMENDED

Beth E. Ribe

RESULT:

MOVER:

Robert Graham

SECONDER:

Pealer, Ribe, Graham, DeBrodt, and Marelli

Bowen

AYE:

NON-VOTING

IWWC Special Meeting Site Walk Minutes of July 28, 2026

MOTION to approve the IWWC Regular Meeting Minutes of July 28, 2026

APPROVED AND SO DECLARED

Beth E. Ribe

RESULT:

MOVER:

Robert Graham

SECONDER:

Ribe, Graham, DeBrodt, and Marelli

AYE:

Pealer

ABSTAIN:

NON-VOTING

Bowen

XI.

CORRESPONDENCE

None.

XII. REPORTS

Wetlands Report of August 4, 2026

WEO and Commission discussed monthly staff report.

XIII. ADJOURNMENT

Commissioner Ribe moved the meeting to be adjourned, seconded by Commissioner Pealer

VOTE: 5-0

The meeting was adjourned at 7:53 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

__________________________________________________

Chairman Justin DeBrodt

Inland Wetlands & Watercourses Commission

DISCLAIMER: Although we try to be timely and accurate these are not official records of the

Town.