East Lyme Conservation Commission Calls for Town Action on Land Trust Practices and Environmental Concerns

On October 14, the East Lyme Conservation Commission for the Conservation of Natural Resources came together, all five members agreeing that something had to change. In a unanimous vote they asked the town’s planning officials to put the brakes on any effort to turn parcels that the Land Trust has labelled as open space into future building lots.

Commission chair Penelope Heller drafted a letter—dated October 15—that was attached to the meeting minutes. In it she points out that the East Lyme Land Trust appears to be moving forward with plans to re‑zone several parcels, including sites off Cedarbrook Lane and Goldfinch Terrace, into developable lots. The letter asks the Planning Commission to act quickly to block those conversions and, perhaps more controversially, to cease all business dealings with the Land Trust, which the commissioners say has not lived up to its stewardship responsibilities.

When the motion to send the letter was put to a vote, it sailed through 5‑0, with Commissioner Mark Christensen moving the measure and Laura Ashburn seconding. Copies of the letter were sent to Planning Director Gary Goeschel, Planning Commission Chair Brian Bombach, First Selectman Daniel Cunningham and the Board of Selectmen.

Beyond the land‑trust drama, the commissioners spent a good chunk of the evening discussing alternatives to the dreaded rodenticides that many municipalities still use. Lisa Stark from Newtown and local resident Holly Kocet gave a presentation on “non‑chemical” ways to keep rodent populations in check, highlighting contraceptive products that don’t poison predators that feed on mice and rats.

Stark reminded the group that Connecticut towns such as Newtown, Southbury, Bethel and Farmington have already outlawed second‑generation anticoagulant rodenticides (SGARs) because of the toll they take on hawks, owls and other raptors. She cited a study where more than 80 % of dead wildlife tested positive for these poisons, and a smaller study where 29 of 30 raptors examined had died from rodenticide exposure. The alternative she praised most was Southbury’s use of a contraceptive called Evolve, plus advanced trapping systems that can catch multiple rodents at once.

East Lyme’s own pest‑control contractor, Orkin, was on the table too. Alex Klose reported that after a meeting with Orkin, the company agreed—at no extra cost—to swap out brodifacoum, a potent anticoagulant, for a vitamin‑D3‑based product called Terad³ at 19 municipal sites, including Town Hall, the Community Center, firehouses and water‑sewer facilities. Each location typically hosts three to five bait stations. While the switch seems promising, Stark warned that more research is needed to understand how a vitamin‑D3 rodenticide might affect animals that eat poisoned rodents.

The commission also got an update on the town’s drinking‑water sodium levels. Heller said the latest data through 2025, supplied by Ben North, show concentrations holding steady for now, but there’s a slow upward trend over the longer term. The group speculated that road‑salt runoff—especially from winter de‑icing—could be a culprit. Donald Danila mentioned that both the town and local businesses use large quantities of salt, and suggested encouraging reduced application and thorough cleanup after storms. Public Works is looking into brine‑truck technology, which could slash the amount of sodium laid down on roads, while the school district is reviewing its own salt usage.

Finally, the commission turned its attention to a 13‑home subdivision slated for the Latimer Brook area, known locally as the Mayfield Terrace project. Danila, who attended the Inland Wetlands Agency hearing on Oct. 6, voiced concerns about nitrate runoff from storm‑water and septic systems, but noted that the agency approved the development with a list of 25 conditions intended to protect the brook and surrounding wetlands. No further action was taken by the commission, though they pledged to keep an eye on how those conditions are enforced.

In short, the East Lyme Conservation Commission is pushing hard on several fronts: protecting open space from being repurposed, seeking safer ways to control rodents, keeping an eye on water quality, and scrutinizing new development. Their next steps include following up with the Planning Commission, monitoring the switch to the new rodent bait, and revisiting the sodium discussion at the November meeting.