741 Colonel Ledyard Highway

Ledyard, Connecticut 06339

TOWN OF LEDYARD

Inland Wetland and Water Courses

Commission

Meeting Minutes - Final

Chairman

Justin DeBrodt

Special Meeting

Tuesday, April 22, 2025

7:00 PM

Ledyard Middle School - 1860 CT-12,

Gales Ferry, CT 06335 (aka 1854

CT-12)

CALL TO ORDER

Chairman DeBrodt called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. in the Ledyard Middle School

Auditorium and on zoom.

II.

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

III.

ROLL CALL AND APPOINTMENT OF ALTERNATES

Chairperson Justin DeBrodt

Commissioner Dan Pealer

Present

Vice Chair Beth E. Ribe

Commissioner Michael E. Marelli

Alternate Member Robert Graham

Alternate Member James Thompson

Absent

In addition, the following were present:

Zoning & Wetlands Enforcement Official, Hannah Gienau

Land Use Assistant, Anna Wynn

Chairman DeBrodt stated the guidelines of conduct for the public hearing process. He additionally

outlined the schedule of the meeting and the order in which speakers would present to the Commi

IV.

PUBLIC HEARINGS/APPLICATIONS

IWWC#25-5SITE - 19, 29 & 39 Military Highway (PARCEL IDS: 91-1590-19, 29 & 39),

Gales Ferry, CT - Agent, Brian Smith, Esq., Robinson & Cole - Applicant/Owner: C.R.

Klewin LLC for approval of regulated activities associated with construction of a 278-unit

multifamily residential housing development & associated site improvements. (Submitted

2/24/25, Date of receipt 3/4/25, PH orig. scheduled 4/1/25, PH rescheduled to 4/22/25, PH

must close within 35 days by 5/26/25, DRD 65 days after close of PH)

Chairman DeBrodt and Zoning Enforcement Official, Hannah Gienau, read the exhibit list for

the application into the record.

Attorney Brian Smith of Robinson & Cole, One State St, Hartford, CT, introduced the

application to the Commission and noted several overall changes that were made since the

first application that was submitted and withdrawn in 2024.

Jeff Bord, P.E, of Bohler Engineering, 65 LaSalle Rd Suite 401, West Hartford, CT,

introduced himself and began his presentation marked as exhibit #22 noting various details of

the plans. He described ways in which the new project design mitigates or takes away all

impact to the wetlands.

Richard Ross P.E., of Epic Cleantec, 8425 Market St, San Francisco, CA 94103, representing

the applicant, introduced himself and began his presentation regarding the waste water

treatment system detailed in the applicant’s plans.

Attorney Brian Smith stated that the third-party consultant, Mark Lancor of Dymar, had

requested additional information from the applicant noted in exhibit #18. He stated that the

applicant had provided this information earlier in the day, in which documents were marked

as exhibits #21-#21-10. He stated that since Mr. Lancor will present at the May 6, 2025

meeting, Mr. Bord and Mr. Ross will need time to respond to whatever comments are

presented at that time. Attorney Brian Smith made some additional closing comments about

the application to the Commission.

Chairman DeBrodt asked if the Commission had any questions for the presenters at this time.

Commissioner Ribe asked for clarification on the wastewater system described in the

applicant. Attorney Brian Smith stated that the documents Mr. Ross had referenced in his

previous presentation at the ones that are pending before DEEP. He stated that those

documents had been submitted for the record as exhibits #21-#21-10 for the application.

Commissioner Ribe asked if the presentation slides had been entered for the record of the

application.

Zoning Enforcement Official, Hannah Gienau, stated that the presentation slides would be

marked as exhibit #22 for the record.

Commissioner Ribe asked for clarification on the drainage plan and the various details shown

on the plan. She and Jeff Bord reviewed the presentation slides.

Chairman DeBrodt introduced the Verified Notice of Intervention submitted by Lee Ann

Berry and the Gales Ferry Fire District marked as exhibit #17. He stated that the Town

Attorney and Land Use Director, Elizabeth Burdick had already spoken and suggested that the

Commission accept the intervention petition.

Attorney Brian Smith stated that he does not object to the intervention by Ms. Lee Ann Berry,

but that he objects to the intervention by the Gales Ferry District because it was not properly

done. He referenced Chapter 6 of the Uniform Acknowledgement Act and submitted it for the

record. Hannah Gienau, Zoning Enforcement Official, stated that the document would be

marked as exhibit #23 for the record. He spoke to the criteria outlined in the document that

nullifies the intervention by the Gales Ferry District.

Chairman DeBrodt stated again that the Town Attorney recommended that the Commission

accept the intervention petitions. Chairman DeBrodt asked that intervenor Lee Ann Berry

speak to the intervention petition.

Lee Ann Berry, 78 Military Highway, Gales Ferry, stated that her attorney is not present at the

meeting but that Steven Trinkaus of Trinkaus Engineering will be present on Zoom to give a

presentation in opposition of the application. She additionally stated that she was in contact

with her attorney during the meeting and she and Attorney Pirese will meet to discuss the

objections made by Attorney Brian Smith to the intervention petition. Ms. Berry asked if the

public hearing will be continued until May 6, 2025. Chairman DeBrodt confirmed that the

public hearing will be continued to give more time for presentations and documents to be

submitted for the record.

Chairman DeBrodt stated that the Commission would begin taking public comments from the

audience. He called Mobby Larsen to come to the stand.

Mobby Larsen, 53 Harvard Terrace, Gales Ferry, came to the stand and spoke in opposition of

the application. She read her statement into the record for the Commission. Hannah Gienau,

Zoning Enforcement Official, stated that it would be marked as exhibit #24 for the record.

Hannah Gienau and Chairman DeBrodt clarified that she would read her staff report into the

record. She read her report which was marked previously as exhibit #19.

Chairman DeBrodt called for Eleanor Murray. Eleanor Murray, 26 Devonshire Drive, Gales

Ferry, gave her public comment statement in opposition of the application.

Chairman DeBrodt called for Gary Shneider. Gary Schneider 61 Inchcliffe Drive, Gales Ferry

gave his public comment in opposition of the application. Mr. Schneider submitted his

statement for the record and it was marked as exhibit #25.

Richard Ross of Epic Cleantec, attending via Zoom, commented that there seems to be some

confusion regarding the wastewater estimates related to the application. He spoke to the

wastewater estimates that are outlined in the application.

Dave Shroeder, 290 Whalehead Road, Gales Ferry, gave his public comment statement in

opposition of the application.

Steve Trinkaus, P.E., of Trinkaus Engineering, 114 Hunters Ridge Rd, Southbury, CT 06488,

consulting engineer for Lee Ann Berry and the Gales Ferry Fire District, introduced himself

and reviewed his report with the Commission that was previously marked as exhibit #20.

MOTION to continue the public hearing on application IWWC#25-5SITE to the IWWC

Special Meeting of May 6, 2025 at 7:00 p.m. in the Ledyard Middle School Auditorium

CONTINUE

Dan Pealer

RESULT:

MOVER:

Beth E. Ribe

SECONDER:

DeBrodt, Pealer, Ribe, Marelli, and Graham

Thompson

AYE:

ABSENT: