741 Colonel Ledyard Highway

Ledyard, Connecticut 06339

TOWN OF LEDYARD

Economic Development Commission

Meeting Minutes - Draft Minutes

Chairman

John Vincent

Tuesday, July 2, 2024

6:00 PM

Town Hall Annex - Hybrid Format

REMOTE MEETING INFORMATION

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CALL TO ORDER

Chairman Vincent called the meeting to order at 6:10 p.m. in the Conference Room of the Town

Hall Annex Building. Chairman Vincent welcomed all to the Hybrid Meeting.

II.

ROLL CALL

Commissioner Carol Ann Schneider

Commissioner Michael Dreimiller

Chairman John Vincent

Present

Commissioner Peter Hary

Commissioner Richard Tashea

Absent

In addition, the following were present:

Mayor Fred B. Allyn III.

Liz Burdick, Director of Land Use & Planning

III.

APPROVAL OF MINUTES

MOTION to Approve the Economic Development Commission regular meeting minutes April 2,

2024

APPROVED AND SO DECLARED

Carol Ann Schneider

RESULT:

MOVER:

Michael Dreimiller

SECONDER:

Schneider Dreimiller Vincent Hary

Tashea

AYE

ABSENT

IV.

APPROVAL OF AGENDA

No changes.

CITIZENS COMMENTS

None.

VI.

REPORTS

Mayor’s Report

The sewer line extension project is progressing nicely. It is stubbed at the south side of the

driveway of the Ledyard Congregational Church and are almost down to the intersection of

Center Dr. A little slower than anticipated. They ran into some rock and ledge requiring blasting

and jackhammers. The design phase for Phase 3 from Ledyard High School to Pennywise Lane

is underway and will commence after phase 1 is completed. They have to get a contract on that

as soon as possible because the ARPA funding has to be authorized by Dec. 31st 2024. Phase 2

from the Ledyard Congregational Church to the Rt. 117/Rt. 214 intersection. The design and

engineering work for that will follow along with a cost estimate. The CT DOT did not want Rt.

117 dug up until the state was ready to resurface it. The Town will attempt to convince the state

to allow that portion of Rt. 117 to be resurfaced so that the sewer project can be completed. 1 to

1.5 year away. It has to be completed by Dec. 2026 in order to use the ARPA funding. Some

residents had asked about sewer assessments but there are none on Phase 1 or Phase 3, but there

will be on the Phase 2 portion if grant dollars isn’t used.

Town Planner Burdick asked if people along the route will be connected to the sewer. Mayor

Allyn said the plan is not to have them connect. However, there are a couple of undersized lots

on the Phase 1 portion that could have issues between water and sewer and separation. So they

are prepared to allow them to connect if the need arises. Phase 1 $390,000 - budgeted $950,000.

Vincent asked if Phase 1 will extend to the condominiums at the end of Fairway Dr. Mayor

Allyn said that the initial plan was to stop at the intersection of Fairway Dr. and Colby Dr. and

letting the developer on Fairway Dr. and the Habitat for Humanity project on Colby Dr. extend it

further themselves. However, there may be up to $400,000 left from the $950,000 that had been

budgeted for Phase 1 budget so they are looking into extending it to the edge of both properties.

Mayor Allyn shared a page from a book that the Greater Norwich Area Chamber of Commerce

had published some time ago. It’s being updated so the Ledyard page is being revised by the end

of July.

RECEIVED AND FILED

RESULT:

Planner’s Report

There were three applications on the agenda when she started work.

18 lot 8-30g subdivision at 96,98,100 Stoddards Wharf Rd.

GFI, LLC excavation - She has getting up to speed on this. She expects it to be

resubmitted sometime in late July or August with a hearing probably in

September.

59 Kings Hwy mobile manufactured home park - approved at the last meeting

with several conditions. They have permission to mow and to cut branches and

chip but can’t disturb soil.

Then a fourth application came in at the former Dow property to relocate a

previously approved building away further away from the river and the neighbors’

property. This was approved.

A new application was submitted last week that will be received at the Wetlands

Commision meeting tonight for a 320-unit multi-family development at Sweet

Hill Farm which was sold recently.

Rt. 12 corridor study has been revised by Mayor Allyn so that the RFQ and RFP

are combined into one document. Interested firms will submit their qualifications

and other information as well as a sealed bid. The selection process will be to

review the submissions and select the top 3 proposals and then open their sealed

fee proposal. She requested that the commissioners review it as soon as possible

so that it can be posted this week in various locations. The document requests that

submittals be made by August 8th.

The recently hired admin has left and a new admin has been hired.

RECEIVED AND FILED

VII. OLD BUSINESS

RESULT:

Corridor Study Update

Covered in Planner's Report.

CONTINUE

RESULT:

Business Directory Update

Town Planner Burdick will have a link to the Business Directory added to the home page of the

Town’s website.

Hary stated that Dreimiller had sent some changes that had been made to the online directory and

he will be making those changes to PDF version.

Vincent noted that Human Performance is out of business. A protein drink shop will replace it.

Also, there’s a new business that just opened up, Tripple M, next to Yoko Loko.

Twisted Sugar Bake is almost ready to open, just waiting for the building official to sign off.

Dreimiller noted that Edwards Martial Arts has changed its signed to Gracie Jiu-Jitsu but a sign

on the door states that they are closed. Town Planner Burdick knows something about this and

will follow up with Dreimiller.

Dreimiller also stated that CT Lash has been replaced JY Glow Esthetics, Vanessa Villena, and

House of Glamour on 2nd floor. A new business next to Triple B named Smaug’s Chamber has

opened. It is a tattoo parlor and collectibles shop. 2Q Nails Salon has closed and Fancy Nails has

opened in the same location.

Dreimiller asked for clarification on three businesses. Do we know anything more about the

firearms research and development business that was mentioned in a previous meeting, is

Computech Auto Center is still in business at the corner of Rt. 12 and Long Cove Rd. or is that a

new business, and has K-Trail moved in at Lorenz Parkway yet. Town Planner Burdick met with

someone from K-Trail recently and that is moving along and she will get more information on

the other two businesses.

Schneider noted that Sew Mindful has closed.

CONTINUE

VIII. NEW BUSINESS

RESULT:

Development of the FY 2023-2024 EDC Annual Report. Review and update of the

FY2022-2023 Annual Report

Dreimiller noted that Mayor Allyn has already provided his feedback on draft #2. Anyone else

with feedback should forward it to him.

Vincent suggested that we remove the Business Directional Signs page as a Future Project.

Mayor Allyn thought those signs would be a good idea and that we should start defining what’s

required, such as whether permission from the state is required to locate the signs on sign posts

that are in the state’s right-of-way.

Mayor Allyn noted that permission has been approved from the CTDOT for the electronic sign

in Ledyard Center.

Vincent mentioned the abundance of sandwich signs located along Rt. 12. Town Planner

Burdick stated that Joe Larkin used to drive around town on a Friday and pick up signs. She

noted that the regulations were re-written since she last worked for the Town so she needs to

review them to see what needs to be enforced. Mayor Allyn stated that we need send the Town’s

Zoning Enforcement official out to do a sweep.

CONTINUE

RESULT:

IX.

ADJOURNMENT

Our next meeting will be on August 6th at 6:42pm in the Town Hall Annex.

Mr. Hary moved the meeting be adjourned, seconded by Ms. Schneider

The meeting adjourned at 6:34p.m.

VOTE: 4-0 Approved and so declared

Respectively Submitted,

_______________________________

Michael Dreimiller, Secretary

Economic Development Commission

Dated: July 2, 2024