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, December 2, 2025

7:00 PM

Council Chambers -Hybrid Format

CALL TO ORDER

Chairman DeBrodt called the meeting to order at 7:03 p.m. in the Town Hall Annex Council

Chambers and on Zoom.

II.

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

III.

ROLL CALL AND APPOINTMENT OF ALTERNATES

Chairman Dan Pealer

Present

Alternate Member Robert Graham

Alternate Member Justin DeBrodt

Michael E. Marelli

Vice Chair Beth E. Ribe

Excused

In addition, the following were present:

Director of Land Use & Planning, Elizabeth Burdick

Zoning & Wetlands Enforcement Official, Hannah Gienau

Assistant to the Director, Anna Wynn

Chairman DeBrodt seated Alternate Member Robert Graham for Vice Chairman Ribe.

IV.

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

AGENDA

None.

CITIZENS PETITIONS (NON-AGENDA ITEMS ONLY)

Ty Lamb, 95 Lambtown Road, Ledyard, stated thanks for the many hours of volunteer work

the Commission provides for the Town.

VI.

PRE APPLICATION DISCUSSION AND/OR WORKSHOP

None.

VII. PUBLIC HEARINGS/APPLICATIONS

Public Hearing: IWWC#25-19SITE - Lambtown Rd Extension, Ledyard, CT -

Applicant/Agent, Town of Ledyard for a permit to replace a failed culvert with new custom

inlet control. Proposed work to be conducted within town right of way. (Submitted 9/9/25,

Date of Receipt 10/7/25, PH scheduled 11/18/25, PH opened 11/18/25, PH must close by

12/23/25, DRD 1/27/25)

Chairman DeBrodt stated that the applicant had submitted a withdrawal letter for the record

marked as exhibit #20. Wetlands Official Hannah Gienau read the exhibit for the record.

Discussion & Decision: IWWC#25-19SITE - Lambtown Rd Extension, Ledyard, CT -

Applicant/Agent, Town of Ledyard for a permit to replace a failed culvert with new custom

inlet control. Proposed work to be conducted within town right of way. (Submitted 9/9/25,

Date of Receipt 10/7/25, PH scheduled 11/18/25, PH opened 11/18/25, PH must close by

12/23/25, DRD 1/27/25)

Application withdrawn.

VIII. OLD BUSINESS

None.

IX.

NEW BUSINESS

IWWC#25-27AR- 25 Harvard Terrace (MAP ID: 9/910/25) & 39 Military Highway (MAP

ID: 92/1590/39), Gales Ferry CT - Applicant/Agent, Town of Ledyard, - Property Owners,

Avalonia Land Conservancy Inc. & C.R Klewin LLC, for an after-the fact, as of right

determination per IWWC Regulations Sec. 4.2.f (Uses of Right) for emergent work

conducted on 7/24/25 to cut a trench into an existing berm topped with a beaver dam on the

boundary between of 39 Military Highway and 25 Harvard Terrace to immediately alleviate

flooding along CT Route 12 & Christy Hill Rd. (Submitted 11/26/25, Date of Receipt

12/2/25, DRD 2/4/25).

Applicant and agent for the Town of Ledyard, Steve Maslin, Director of Public Works and

Town Engineer, explained the work previously conducted on the property to perform

emergency work. He spoke about the technicalities of the drainage and topography of the

land. The Commission asked a few clarifying questions.

After giving due consideration to all relevant factors, including those in Section 4 of the

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

General Statutes, Commissioner Pealer moved that IWWC#25-27AR - 25 Harvard Terrace

& 39 Military Highway, Gales Ferry CT - Applicant, Town of Ledyard - Owners, Avalonia

Land Conservancy and C.R. Klewin, LLC is for emergency work to immediately alleviate

flooding as described in the Application is a Use of Right activity and, therefore, no permit is

required.

APPROVED AND SO DECLARED

Dan Pealer

RESULT:

MOVER:

Michael E. Marelli

SECONDER:

Pealer, Graham, DeBrodt, and Marelli

AYE:

Ribe

EXCUSED:

IWWC#25-25AR - Founders Preserve, 334 Colonel Ledyard Highway (MAP ID:

191/530/334), Ledyard, CT - Applicant/Owner Avalonia Land Conservancy, Inc. for as of

right determination to clear invasive species along existing woods roadway in the area of

West Branch watercourse southerly of adjacent Tribrook Pond. (Submitted 11/24/25, Date of

Receipt 12/2/25, DRD 2/4/25).

Hannah Gienau read her staff report for the Commission marked as file document #3.

Chairman DeBrodt asked Dennis Main how they would be getting to the location to clear the

invasive species. Dennis Main clarified how they would be accessing the property. He

additionally noted that he added all the Dam information from DEEP to the application and

had found they had previously asked that the property owners to remove all the invasive

species so the Dam could be inspected.

The Commission stated their thanks that Avalonia would take care of the Dam.

After giving due consideration to all relevant factors, including those in Section 4 of the

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

Connecticut General Statutes, Commissioner Marelli moved that IWWC#25-25AR-

334 Colonel Ledyard Highway, Ledyard, CT - Applicant/Owner, Avalonia Land

Conservancy, Inc. for an As of Right Determination to clear invasive species along an

existing woods roadway, as more fully described in the Application and all its

supporting documents, is a Non-Regulated Activity and, therefore, no permit is needed.

APPROVED AND SO DECLARED

Michael E. Marelli

RESULT:

MOVER:

Dan Pealer

SECONDER:

Pealer, Graham, DeBrodt, and Marelli

Ribe

AYE:

EXCUSED:

IWWC#25-26AR - Pike Marshall Preserve, 104 Gallup Hill Road (MAP ID: 85-810-104),

Ledyard, CT - Applicant/Owner, Avalonia Land Conservancy, Inc. for as of right

determination to clear invasive species across an existing causeway located on Pike-Marshall

Preserve southeasterly of Morgan-Billings cemetery. (Submitted 11/24/25, Date of Receipt

12/2/25, DRD 2/4/25).

Hannah Gienau summarized her staff report previously marked as file document #4.

Commissioner Marelli commented that he had been involved with connecting the trailways

for many years and had been to the property and saw that the paths are overgrown.

Commissioner Pealer and Dennis Main clarified the reasoning for using the Gallup Hill

entrance to access the site and not Lambtown Road.

After giving due consideration to all relevant factors, including those in Section 4 of the

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

Connecticut General Statutes, Commissioner Pealer moved that IWWC#26AR - 104

Gallup Hill Rd, Ledyard, CT - Applicant/Owner, Avalonia Land Conservancy, Inc. for

As of Right Determination to clear invasive species along an existing causeway as more

fully described in the Application and all its supporting documents, is a Non-Regulated

Activity and, therefore, no permit is needed.

APPROVED AND SO DECLARED

Dan Pealer

RESULT:

MOVER:

Michael E. Marelli

SECONDER:

Pealer, Graham, DeBrodt, and Marelli

Ribe

AYE:

EXCUSED:

APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETINGS

IWWC Regular Meeting Minutes of November 18, 2025

Commissioner Pealer noted a lack of spacing between a number 1 and Commissioner

Graham’s name on page 2 of the draft minutes. The Commission asked for this error to be

corrected.

MOTION to approve as amended the IWWC Regular Meeting Minutes of November 18,

2025

APPROVED AS AMENDED

Dan Pealer

RESULT:

MOVER:

Michael E. Marelli

SECONDER:

Pealer, Graham, DeBrodt, and Marelli

Ribe

AYE:

EXCUSED:

IWWC Special Meeting Site Walk Minutes of November 22, 2025

MOTION to approve the IWWC Special Meeting Minutes Site Walk Minutes of November

22, 2025 as submitted.

APPROVED AND SO DECLARED

Michael E. Marelli

RESULT:

MOVER:

Robert Graham

SECONDER:

Graham, DeBrodt, and Marelli

AYE:

Ribe

EXCUSED:

ABSTAIN:

Pealer

XI.

CORRESPONDENCE

None.

XII. REPORTS

Wetlands Staff Report of December 2, 2025

ZEO Hannah Geinau and Director Burdick spoke with the Commission about the ongoing

issues at 109 Christy Hill Road and stated that they were able to determine that they had not

performed any clearing to date in the upland review area.