Old Lyme EDC urges seat at zoning table as state housing law changes reshape local planning
June 08, 2026 | Old Lyme, Lower Connecticut River Valley Planning Region, Connecticut
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The Old Lyme Economic Development Commission on [date not specified in transcript] heard a detailed briefing from Howard Margules, chair of the town’s Housing Strategic Planning Steering Committee, who urged the commission to review RiverCOG’s housing assessment and to participate directly in zoning decisions being shaped by the state’s new housing law (P.A. 25-1).
"I suggest E D C should evaluate impact of the law on its economic development strategies and make sure the E D C has a seat at the table in drafting our housing plan," Margules told commissioners, noting that the law permits multi‑unit “middle housing” forms in commercial districts.
Why it matters: Margules and residents warned that Old Lyme’s overwhelming predominance of single‑family housing limits the town’s ability to attract and retain younger workers and new businesses. RiverCOG’s assessment, as discussed in the meeting, highlights a regional concentration of single‑family homes and the potential for P.A. 25-1 to change land-use options in commercial areas.
Commissioners tied those housing observations to economic indicators in the town: one member said residential property now represents about 94 percent of assessed value, with apartments and commercial property representing small fractions. A public commenter, Mark Terwilliger, cited town data that 85 percent of housing units are single‑family and argued the EDC should press for zoning changes to support a walkable town center and a broader housing mix.
During discussion commissioners agreed to fold housing-related recommendations into the draft EDC strategic comments for zoning and to monitor upcoming zoning hearings. They flagged specific items for additional detail before filing comments, including parking and traffic‑study thresholds for larger retail or mixed‑use projects, how to define and permit grocery or supermarket uses in C10/C30 zones, and the potential effects of allowing two‑ to nine‑unit middle housing in commercial districts.
Next steps: Commissioners asked staff and volunteers to refine the EDC’s written recommendations and to submit them to the zoning board in time for the July hearings; commissioners also encouraged members to attend the RiverCOG/zoning meetings and to use RiverCOG’s materials (slides and minutes) to inform the EDC’s formal comment.
The commission’s discussion emphasized preserving local commercial areas while adapting to state rules, not asserting specific zoning changes on the commission’s own authority. The meeting did not adopt any zoning changes; it focused on developing informed recommendations to send to the zoning board.
"I suggest E D C should evaluate impact of the law on its economic development strategies and make sure the E D C has a seat at the table in drafting our housing plan," Margules told commissioners, noting that the law permits multi‑unit “middle housing” forms in commercial districts.
Why it matters: Margules and residents warned that Old Lyme’s overwhelming predominance of single‑family housing limits the town’s ability to attract and retain younger workers and new businesses. RiverCOG’s assessment, as discussed in the meeting, highlights a regional concentration of single‑family homes and the potential for P.A. 25-1 to change land-use options in commercial areas.
Commissioners tied those housing observations to economic indicators in the town: one member said residential property now represents about 94 percent of assessed value, with apartments and commercial property representing small fractions. A public commenter, Mark Terwilliger, cited town data that 85 percent of housing units are single‑family and argued the EDC should press for zoning changes to support a walkable town center and a broader housing mix.
During discussion commissioners agreed to fold housing-related recommendations into the draft EDC strategic comments for zoning and to monitor upcoming zoning hearings. They flagged specific items for additional detail before filing comments, including parking and traffic‑study thresholds for larger retail or mixed‑use projects, how to define and permit grocery or supermarket uses in C10/C30 zones, and the potential effects of allowing two‑ to nine‑unit middle housing in commercial districts.
Next steps: Commissioners asked staff and volunteers to refine the EDC’s written recommendations and to submit them to the zoning board in time for the July hearings; commissioners also encouraged members to attend the RiverCOG/zoning meetings and to use RiverCOG’s materials (slides and minutes) to inform the EDC’s formal comment.
The commission’s discussion emphasized preserving local commercial areas while adapting to state rules, not asserting specific zoning changes on the commission’s own authority. The meeting did not adopt any zoning changes; it focused on developing informed recommendations to send to the zoning board.
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