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Commission approves temporary laydown areas for multi‑beach sewer project with strict operating conditions
Summary
The commission approved amended special permits allowing temporary off‑site staging at 224 and 250 Shore Road to support a three‑association sewer installation, setting daily hours (7 a.m.–5 p.m.), a 9/30/2027 end date, no hydrant use, required stockpile locations, dust controls, neighbor outreach at project completion, and a restriction blocking other permits until restoration. Vote: 5‑0‑0.
The Old Lyme Zoning Commission on July 13 approved amended special permits to allow temporary off‑site laydown and staging areas at 224 and 250 Shore Road for a multi‑association sewer installation undertaken by Old Colony Beach, Old Lyme Shores and Miami Beach associations.
Brendan Sharkey, attorney for the associations, said the work implements a state consent order to stop pollution migrating to Long Island Sound and the groundwater. “These sewer installations are ... pursuant to a consent order from the State of Connecticut,” Sharkey told the commission, and he framed the laydown sites as necessary because the beach communities themselves lack sufficient on‑site storage for equipment and materials.
Contractors and association representatives described the operational plan: staging‑area activity and contractor access would generally be limited to 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily; heavy work at an Amtrak crossing would require a limited overnight window under Amtrak’s rules, but during deliberations the commission decided to prohibit night work and added a condition requiring the project team to find alternate staging for any night work rather than using the local staging yards. Applicants told the panel the longest construction contract would run into 2027; the commission set the temporary permit to expire on Sept. 30, 2027.
The commission attached several conditions to the approvals:
- Work at both staging yards limited to 7:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. daily; no new permanent lighting and no overnight site lighting; no night work allowed at the approved laydown yards. - Temporary permit effective through 2027‑09‑30; property owners may not pursue other site permits (including any pending self‑storage construction) until the laydown permit has expired and the site has been restored (topsoil returned and seeded, trailers removed). - No hydrant use for staging yards; water must be sourced by contractors (truck tanks, permitted wells, etc.). - Show topsoil/stockpile areas on the 224 Shore Road plan; add dust‑control measures to the proposed erosion and sediment control narratives for both 224 and 250. - Contractors must contact immediate neighbors when the project is complete to review any outstanding negative impacts to property.
Commissioners repeatedly pressed applicants about traffic routing, Amtrak night windows, dewatering and drainage, stockpile locations and fencing; applicants said they would restore sites and use temporary silt fences, anti‑tracking pads and privacy screening. An adjacent homeowner, Tracy Sunderland, said prior work had generated widespread dust and asked that the plan protect neighbors’ windows and air quality. Association members and WPCA officers urged the commission to approve the staging permits so the sewer project could proceed and comply with the State’s consent order.
Jane Marsh moved to approve the amended permits with the conditions summarized above; the motion passed 5‑0‑0.
What happens next: Applicants must revise plan sheets to show stockpile/topsoil areas and dust control features, and staff will verify those updates before issuing the written permit. The commission made clear it expects restoration when staging ends and retains enforcement authority if conditions are not met.
