741 Colonel Ledyard Highway  
Ledyard, Connecticut 06339  
TOWN OF LEDYARD  
Economic Development Commission  
Meeting Minutes - Final  
Chairman  
John Vincent  
Tuesday, April 2, 2024  
6:00 PM  
Town Hall Annex - Hybrid Format  
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Meeting ID: 823 6791 2782  
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I.  
CALL TO ORDER  
Chairman Vincent called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. in the Conference Room of the Town  
Hall Annex Building, Chairman Vincent welcomed all to the Hybrid Meeting.  
II.  
ROLL CALL  
Present were Juliet Hodge, Director of Planning & Development, Jessica Buhle (Town Council  
Liaison), Naomi Rodriguez (Town Council)  
Absent Mayor Allyn  
Commissioner Carol Ann Schneider  
Commissioner Michael Dreimiller  
Chairman John Vincent  
Present  
Commissioner Peter Hary  
Commissioner Richard Tashea  
Absent  
III.  
IV.  
APPROVAL OF MINUTES  
March 5, 2024 Draft Minutes  
APPROVED AND SO DECLARED  
RESULT:  
Peter Hary  
MOVER:  
Carol Ann Schneider  
SECONDER:  
CITIZEN'S COMMENTS  
Jessica Buhle mentioned that it's Volunteer Month and shared the appreciation of the Town  
Council for our work. Cookies were shared!  
Paul Maugle heard that the Mashantuckets have an option to make their property tax-exempt.  
Town Planner Hodge stated that it limited to property owned by teh Mashantucket tribe.  
Property owned by individuals who are members of the Mashantucket tribe is not eligible.  
V.  
MAYOR'S REPORT  
Not Present  
VI.  
PLANNER'S REPORT  
January to march quarter was busier than anticipated, partly due to the subdivisoin on Marty's  
Way of Vinegar Hill Rd.  
Several Change of Use applications. A new Tattoo parlor near Triple B, an office for company  
building the multi-use path in the former Ming Moon location in Ledyard Center, a firearms  
research and development, and a church/daycare in the old Ledyard Center School building.  
Two certificates of trade names have been submitted.  
A lot of zoning activity in Gales Ferry. Mark Coen purchases 59 Kings Hwy and wants to put an  
8-30g affordable housing development consisting of 10 single-wide mobile homes. Towns  
typically do not allow new mobile home parks since it's not the highest and best use of parcels,  
especially in towns like Ledyard where it's very easy to do multi-family housing which would be  
better for the town's tax rolls and more profit for the developer. This parcel is in the GFDD as  
well. Since mobile homes are actually considered vehicles or personal property - they only have  
a title. In this proposal, the mobile homes will not be on individual lots either, so it is unclear  
how the affordable units can be "deed restricted" when there is no "deed".  
Mike Cherry, citizen liaison for Cashman told her they will be moving the location of their  
proposed 6,000 sqft building to new location closer to Rt. 12. No new activity regarding their  
quarrying application.  
The multi-family development on Sweet Hill Farm plans to submit their proposal next month. It  
would be a big project.  
Vincent asked about the Avery Brooks development on Stoddards Wharf Rd. that had been  
denied by the IWWC. Hodge stated that they had resubmitted a smaller version of the  
subdivision (now 18 lots) preceded by a lot line adjustment so that all of the wetlands are located  
on one of the four parcels that is not part of the proposed subdivision. It is unclear if this means  
IWWC will not have the opportunity to review.  
SECOG is asking municipalities if they're interested in working with them to inventory  
brownfield sites. She told them that Ledyard is interested. She can think of 3 or 4 sites in town  
that could be eligible.  
Schneider asked about the activity at Computech Auto Center at Long Cove Rd. and Rt. 12  
intersection and noted the nice new fence that they installed. Hodge stated the new occupant is  
still an auto mechanic, but has been cleaning up the property to eliminate the enforcement.  
VII. OLD BUSINESS  
A. Corridor Study update  
Hodge stated that she put the brakes on RFQ in order to clarify the process that we want to  
follow and figure out how to write it to ensure that we get what we're envisioning. $50,000 to  
fund the study has been approved. She has picked 10 firms that she knows to send it to and will  
post it to The American Planning Association website.  
B. Business Directory update  
Hary has updated the PDF and Dreimiller has updated the online directory. Dreimiller will make  
a post about it Facebook. Vincent asked if it could be linked to from somewhere else on the  
Town's website in addition to the EDC page. Hodge will look into havining a link to it posted  
on the home page.  
C. Stonington Institute property, Kansas City owners contact info.  
Vincent would like to get in contact with the owner of the Stonington Institute property, who is  
located in Kansas City, in touch with SeCTer.  
D. Town website- available properties  
Vincent does not see the need to do this. Hodge concurred.  
VIII. NEW BUSINESS  
A. SeCTer Rise Grant and Small Business Lending program .  
Vincent attended a SeCTer realtor meet-and-greet at Groton Town Hall. They discussed  
some programs available for businesses. SeCTeRise offers a $10,000 grant and a $25,000  
grant for businesses that want to grow their business. Vincent mentioned that Puerto Lima  
was working with them. Hodge mentioned that Barkin' Barley and Twisted Sugar Bakery  
got money from SeCTer. The SeCTer Small Business Lending program helps new  
businesses get started. Joe Violette, who runs the lending program, said they were looking  
for realtors to identify vacant and underutilized commercial properties in Groton. Vincent  
suggested that Ledyard should do that. Hodge stated that had been done two years ago adn it  
would need to be updated before sharing it with SeCTEr. She will share that list with the  
commissioners.  
IX.  
ADJOURNMENT  
Our next meeting will be on May 7th at 6:00 p.m. in the Town Hall Annex.  
A motion was made by Commissioner Hary, seconded by Commissioner Schneider, that this be  
Approved and so declared. The motion carried by the following vote:  
APPROVED AND SO DECLARED  
Peter Hary  
RESULT:  
MOVER:  
Carol Ann Schneider  
SECONDER:  
4
1
Schneider Dreimiller Vincent Hary  
Tashea  
AYE  
ABSENT  
DISCLAIMER: Although we try to be timely and accurate these are not official records of the  
Town.