From: Carmen Garcia Irizarry Sent: Tuesday, August 11, 2026 4:22 PM To: Elizabeth Burdick Cc: Fred Allyn, III; Gary St. Vil; Jessica Michaud Subject: Re: Ad-hoc committee to evaluate the separation of the planning & zoning commission Good afternoon Liz, Thank you for your response. Your presence is crucial because all the committee members had questions that only the Town Planner can answer. While you addressed some of these questions in your last paragraph, we need a detailed understanding of how separating the commissions will impact your department to create an accurate and comprehensive report with recommendations. Given your daily work with the P&Z commission, you’re uniquely positioned to discuss the practical functioning of the current combined structure and how the decisions of one structure versus the other will affect your department. We value your input on a few specific points: 1. Operational Flow: How frequently do planning and zoning matters overlap on the same application? How would splitting the functions affect processing time and staff workload? 2. Coordination Risk: If we move to two separate commissions, what are your concerns about the risk of inconsistent or conflicting decisions between them on related applications? 3. Staff Capacity (already addressed to some extent in your email): Would supporting two sets of meetings, agendas, and legal notices be feasible with the current staffing? Or would it require additional resources? 4. Any other issues not mentioned: Are there any issues you’ve encountered that we should consider and discuss? The committee has received correspondence from Mr. Treaster, including his feedback and insights. As with any other feedback, we carefully read and consider it. Any correspondence we receive is part of the public record, and whether Mr. Treaster’s statements are accurate or not, I believe in listening to everyone, regardless if I agree with them or not. Ultimately, the committee will provide a report to the Town Council with our recommendations based on information gathered from multiple sources. We thoroughly review all the information. As Chair of the committee, I am focusing on examining this issue from an operational, financial, administrative, etc. to determine what is best for the entire town. To deliver unbiased recommendations to the full Town Council at the end of the six-month period of the committee’s work, I have reached out to the Land use department of several other municipalities with separate commissions. I have also contacted former P&Z commission members, such as Mike Cherry, who have worked under both models. Currently, I don’t have a preference for which approach we should adopt, and since you are the most knowledgeable person on this topic, I rely on your expertise. Many residents are familiar with planning and zoning regulations, but many others are not. My objective over the next six months is to compile a comprehensive report that presents accurate information, free from emotional and political biases. This report aims to educate all members of the Town Council and anyone else who reads it about the planning and zoning process, decision-making procedures, and potential recommendations to enhance the current structure if the committee reaches the conclusion that the commission should stay as one. Ultimately, if the committee concludes that the Planning and Zoning Commission should be separated, the report will provide a detailed explanation of the rationale behind this decision. Many committee members, including myself, value your insights because your department is the most directly affected by this issue. It would be irresponsible to make recommendations without the input of those who will implement them. I understand that your department is very busy and that attending meetings in addition to your regular responsibilities can be challenging. I would greatly appreciate it if, instead of attending tonight’s meeting, you could answer the questions I mentioned above at your earliest convenience. Your answers will be shared with the rest of the committee and can be discussed at next month’s meeting. Regards, Carmen N. Garcia-Irizarry Ledyard Town Council Administration Committee Chair On Aug 11, 2026, at 2:19?PM, Elizabeth Burdick wrote: 8/11/26 Good afternoon, Councilor Garcia Irizarry, Thank you for your email. I am in receipt of your request that Land Use Dept. staff attend the meetings of Ad Hoc Committee for P & Z Separation. I apologize for the delayed reply. Unfortunately, due to a previous commitment, I am unable to attend tonight’s meeting. In further reply, I'm not sure what my presence would contribute to the meeting. I can inform the Committee in writing the powers granted to separate zoning and planning commissions by the CT General Statutes, but ultimately it is not for me to decide which way to go. I feel that I should remain neutral on the issue. I can also, time permitting, review documents that have been attached to the Committee’s agenda and point out any irregularities or obvious inaccurate information. I also want you to be aware that prior to the passing of the resolution that created the Ad Hoc Committee, Mayor Allyn advised Chairman St. Vil that no one from the Land Use Dept. could support another meeting. We are a small staff, have enough work for two of each of us and already attend multiple night meetings that may increase in the coming months for larger applications. Also important is that since my return to Ledyard in April 2024, the Council has allowed multiple residents to disparage me, both verbally and in writing with unfounded comments. This is not limited to me, but also to other Land Use & Town staff. The only comment I have heard from the Council to those residents that chose to disparage staff is “thank you” after public comments of disparagement. It disappoints me that the Council does not direct members of the public to discontinue this practice, so it continues as the norm. With respect to the Ad-Hoc Committee to Separate Planning & Zoning Commission, one of the main promotors of the separation, Eric Treaster, submitted a letter entitled "Reasons to Reestablish Separate Zoning and Planning Commissions" dated "10 December 2025" that disparages "the Planner" multiple times. Mr. Treaster was allowed to read it and then submit it for the record to the Town Council, I believe in December. Now he has submitted that same letter for record of the Ad Hoc Committee. It can easily be found and read by almost anybody as it is attached to your Subcommittee meeting agenda, including potential future employers. By allowing the letter to be attached to your last agenda, Mr. Treaster is being given a second bite at the proverbial (defamatory) apple, with the tacit blessing of the Committee. Lastly, based on the comments I have heard from the public over the past 2+ years and the current climate in Gales Ferry and Ledyard, my professional opinion is that the promoters of the Separation are proposing it so that a separate Zoning Commission could adopt Zoning Regulations that are so restrictive, that new development would be, if not improbable, so cost prohibitive as to be impossible. If this should happen, future development- including desperately needed commercial and industrial projects that would increase the Town’s tax base (thereby reducing the residential taxpayer burden) - would languish. Alternatively, future developers may be forced to submit 8-30g applications that do not need to comply with zoning regulations. These types of applications are often appealed whether they are approved or denied and the Town’s legal expenses would soar. Additionally, staff would be split, which is typical of the few CT Towns with separate Commissions. The Town Planner would staff the Planning Commission and the Zoning Official would staff the Zoning Commission. Job descriptions would need to be revised in that case to reflect new duties and the separated Commissions would require additional administrative staff to prepare for and attend meetings and prepare minutes and agendas, amongst other duties, adding even more cost for the Town. Thank you, Liz Burdick, Director of Land Use & Planning Town of Ledyard 741 Colonel Ledyard Highway, Ledyard, CT 06339 Telephone: (860) 464-3215 Email: planner@ledyardct.org From: Carmen Garcia Irizarry Sent: Monday, August 10, 2026 6:48 PM To: Elizabeth Burdick Cc: Fred Allyn, III ; Gary St. Vil Subject: Re: Ad-hoc committee to evaluate the separation of the planning & zoning commission Hi Liz, I hope you are doing well. I just want to confirm that you will be able to attend tomorrow’s meeting (Tuesday) for the ad-hoc committee evaluating the separation of the P&Z commission. Your perspective is very valuable and very much needed. Please, let me know if you can attend. Regards, Carmen N. Garcia-Irizarry Ledyard Town Council Administration Committee Chair On Jul 26, 2026, at 9:45?PM, Carmen Garcia Irizarry wrote: Hi Liz, I hope you had a wonderful weekend. Earlier this month, we held the first meeting (post-organizational meeting) for the ad- hoc committee tasked with evaluating the potential separation of the planning and zoning commission. The resolution requests to the Mayor the assignment of someone from the Land Use Department to this committee. Would you or someone from your staff be able to attend the next meeting? Our last meeting was quite lengthy, and we eagerly anticipate your insights, feedback, and expertise. Thank you very much for your help. Regards, Carmen Sent from my iPad