Sustainable CT Community Certification Report
Download PDF VersionThis is the Sustainable CT Certification Report of East Lyme, a Sustainable CT bronze certified applicant.
East Lyme was certified on October 31, 2022 with 250 points. Listed below is information regarding East Lyme’s Sustainable CT efforts and materials associated with the applicant’s certified actions.
Contact Information
The designated Sustainable CT contact for East Lyme is:
| Name: | Gary Goeschel |
|---|---|
| Title/Position: | Director of Planning / Land Use |
| Phone: | 860-235-6211 |
Actions Implemented
Each approved action and supporting documentation for which East Lyme was approved for in 2022 appears below. Please enjoy this opportunity to view and learn from the information and materials provided.
Notes: Submission content was created by East Lyme, and Sustainable CT makes no claims, promises or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the submission, beyond that an individual reviewer approved at least some elements of the action for certification. Further, standards for actions below may have changed, and the documentation listed may no longer satisfy requirements for that action. Finally, approved actions here may include some documents and descriptions in support of action elements that were not approved, in addition to elements that were approved. In preparing your own application, please rely only on the action write-ups for the current certification year to guide your submission. Please contact [email protected] with specific questions.
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1. Inclusive and Equitable Community Impacts
Approved Information: 1.1 Optimize for Equity (10 points)
Supporting Documentation:
Documentation Details: Action 1.1 - East Lyme's Equity Toolkit. Applied to Action 13.1. Resource documents can be accessed through links included in this document.
Partners: The East Lyme Board of Education was principally involved in actions taken to address the equity issues described in the tool kit. Equity Institute carried out the community survey. The local newspaper, The New London Day, was helpful in its timely reporting of events.
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2. Thriving Local Economies
Approved Information: 2.4.2 Support Main Street Programs: Niantic Main Street (5 points) 2.4.3 Three events supporting local businesses, (5 points)
Supporting Documentation:
Documentation Details: See doc "Niantic Main Street-Budget-FY22.pdf" and FY23 for East Lyme's 2021-22 and 2022-2023 budgets, respectively. On page 3 there is a line item for the amount of $2,000 for community services. This is the funding described in the partnership letter. "2.4.2 NMS Partnership Letter" is a partnership letter outlining the organization East Lyme is supporting and the resources East Lyme is supporting them with (municipal leadership and funding). Funding mentioned in the letter is corroborated with the two East Lyme Fiscal Budget documents attached. "The Niantic Main Street Brochure" is a scan of the first 3 pages the fold-up brochure as one way their events are advertised to the community. "2.4.3_Business Events" is a description of each event
Partners: 2.4.2 (Main Street Program): Niantic Mainstreet. The Niantic Main Street (NMS) organization is a 501c (3) not-for-profit (tax exempt) organization and a Non-Designated Member of the Connecticut Main Street Center. Comprised of all volunteers, the group is made up of a Board of Directors and various volunteers from within the community of East Lyme and the region. Kevin Serry, First Selectman of East Lyme is Ex-Officio member on the Board of Directors. The Municipality also provides $2000 to the organization yearly.
Additional Information: 2.4.2: The mission of NMS is to help promote and implement downtown revitalization efforts in the commercial centers or villages of Niantic and Flanders, in the Town of East Lyme, Connecticut using recommendations in the April 1997 East Lyme Charrette Report and incorporating best practices including the comprehensive approach of the Connecticut Main Street Program. The vision of NMS is to help create an inviting seaside village easily accessible by car, foot, boat and/or train. It is a wonderful place to live, work and play, and a place where residents and visitors can gather for specialty shopping, creative entertainment and arts, specialty dining, and water activities within a village that has recaptured its historic past. Niantic Main Street maintains the Discover East Lyme website: http://discovereastlyme.com/niantic-main-street/
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3. Well-Stewarded Land and Natural Resources
CT Success Story
Approved Information: 3.1.1a Sponsor or host a program to educate residents and business owners in your community about the value of watersheds and the importance of protecting and restoring them. (5 points) 3.1.2 institute a local monitoring program related to watershed functions or health to be conducted by citizen groups such as local nonprofits or K–12 students.(5 points)
Supporting Documentation:
Documentation Details: 3.1.1 Septic Brochure was created by EL High School Environmental Studies class to educate the public about their septic system 3.1.1 WatershedEd.docx. Explains the educational outreach events , including Minutes of the Aquifer Protection Agency Meeting with a presentation of the report "Protecting Drinking Water in East Lyme": https://eltownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Aquifer-Protection-Agency-November-21-2019-Minutes.pdf Watershed Protection screenshot is a one-page summary of the above report posted on the EL Town Website -Natural Resources page 3.1.2 Details 2 Citizen Monitoring programs ongoing in East Lyme
Partners: 3,1,1 East Lyme High School Environmental Studies teacher and students to create a brochure for the public 3.1.2 CT DEEP Water Quality Division staff have assisted with training, data QA , analyses, and public reporting of results
Approved Information: 3.3.2: Revise Regulations (15 points)
Supporting Documentation:
Documentation Details: Action 3.3.2 Details the regulation change that enlarged the Inland Wetlands Review Area from 100 to 300 feet.
Partners: 3.3.2 none
CT Success Story
Approved Information: 3.4.2 Prioritize Resources for Protection (5 points) 3.4.4b Increase Open Space (10 points) 3.4.4c Improve Open Space (5 points)
Supporting Documentation:
Documentation Details: 3.4.2 Worksheet Shows the attributes used to prioritize open space parcels available or possibly available for purchase or easement agreements. Action 3.4.4bc_3.9 Describes a recent open space purchase and the improvement of town land into Pitch Pine Park. The Pitch Pine Park represents an improvement of open space owned by the Town of East Lyme for the purposes of developing a tree nursery and educating the public about the decline of pitch pines in New England. Associated information about the forestry component of the improvement (3.4.9) is included for a more complete narrative and easy reference. Action 3.4.4b Open Space Purchase is a news article describing the purchase of the Nehantic Preserve.
Partners: 3.4.2 (PrioritizeResources) None 3.4.4b (Increase Open Space) The East Lyme Land Trust was principally involved in purchasing the new preserve. 3.4.4c (Improving Open Space) Several local businesses donated materials for the park; East Lyme Public Works provided initial help clearing and preparing the land for new trees and native vegetation. Three nurseries were consulted and provided trees. The local boy scout troop 7, as part of an Eagle Scout project, facilitated the set up of educational displays.
Approved Information: 3.9.2 Complete a FAC activity (10 points)
Supporting Documentation:
Documentation Details: "Action 3.4-3.9 PitchPine _ForestPark" : The third page describes the formation of the Forestry Advisory Committee and their subsequent activities developing a pitch pine tree nursery. The first two pages give the details the activities carried out to establish a Pitch Pine Park (Action 3.4) at entrance to the Oswegatchie Hills Nature Preserve to enhance the neglected area and provide space for the pitch pine nursery. The two actions are linked in time and purpose so were repeated to make a complete narrative here. Action 3.9.1 Shows a map of where trees will be transplanted in the Oswegatchie Nature Preserve. "Darrow Pond Forestry Report" is a scan of the cover of the report by the CT DEEP forester referred to in Action 3.9.2
Partners: 3.9.1 CT DEEP Forestry Division provided guidance along with the on-the-ground survey by Emory Gluck 3,9,2 CT DEEP Forestry Division provided an analysis of the forestry potential of the Darrow Pond Preserve 3.9.2 Kingsvillegrower Nursery provided guidance on transplanting and growing pitch pines
Approved Information: 3.10.3 a. Post invasive species education resources on municipal website; b. Host and sponsor an educational workshop about invasive species (5 points)
Supporting Documentation:
Documentation Details: Action 3,10,3 a & b describes the educational workshop and town website postings
Partners: 3.10.3b : The speaker for the workshop is an active member of the Friends of Oswegatchie Hills Nature Preserve.
Approved Information: 3.11.2 a: Best Management Practices: Integrated Pest Management Plan, 2022 (5 points)
Supporting Documentation:
Documentation Details: "Action 3.11.2.pdf " is a copy of the 2022 Integrated Pest Management Plan for East Lyme Parks and Recreation and applies to all East Lyme Parks and Recreation/East Lyme Town Facilities.
Partners: 3.11.2a (IPM practices) None
Approved Information: 3.12.1 Provide education to improve pollinator habitat (5 points) 3.12.2 Create Pollinator Gardens (15 points)
Supporting Documentation:
Documentation Details: Action 3.12.1 and 3.12.2 are described in "Action 3.12.1_2_PollinatorAll_2nd.docx" Action 3.12.3 is shown in "Action 3.12_PollinatorProclamation.pdf
Partners: None
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4. Vibrant and Creative Cultural Ecosystems
Approved Information: 4.1.1 Cultural Asset Map (10 points)
Supporting Documentation:
Documentation Details: Action 4.1.1a-e details the development of a Tourism and Cultural Asset Map and its maintenance.. The attached worksheet identifies the information available for each asset. Action 4.1d is a link to the map .
Partners: None.
Additional Information: All of the organizations that helped with this project are affiliated with the town.
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5. Dynamic and Resilient Planning
Approved Information: 5.1.1 b Plan of Conservation and Development- Sustainability Concepts. (20 points for 3 concepts plus 5 points each for 4 more for a total of 40).
Supporting Documentation:
Documentation Details: Action 5.1.1b Integrate Sustainability into 2020 Plan of Conservation and Development into Concepts 1-7 in worksheet 2
Partners: The 2020 East Lyme POCD made reference to Sustainable CT concepts and text.
Additional Information: 5.1.1 b Plan of Conservation and Development, 2020; https://eltownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/FINAL-DRAFT_-ELPOCD2020_11-10-2020.pdf
Approved Information: 5.3.1 Promoting Agriculture in Zoning Regulations. (5 points). . 5.3.4 Farmers Forum, (5 points), occurred virtually January 27, 2022; minutes of the Agribusiness Committee discussing the outcome January 2022.
Supporting Documentation:
Documentation Details: Action 5.3.1 East Lyme Zoning Regulations - shows the revised regulations for keeping chickens and other small livestock, and a new regulation for keeping honey bees. Action 5.3.4 -Farmers Forum -Outlines the results of the Farmers Forum held over Zoom in January 2022 to allow many farmers who don't normally participate in the Agribusiness sub-Committee of the EL Natural Resources Commission to voice their comments and suggestions concerning the future of farming in East Lyme. Action 5,3,4 -The Agribusiness group discussed the forum event at their January 2022 meeting. Action 5.3.4 -Lyme Times Article - Describes a new online program to aid farmers in gaining and efficiently serving customers.
Partners: 5.3.1 (regulations) None 5.3.4 (Farmers Forum) The Agribusiness sub-committee of the EL Natural Resources Commission.
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6. Clean and Diverse Transportation Systems and Choices
Approved Information: Action 6.4.2 Support Zero Emission Training (5 points)
Supporting Documentation:
Documentation Details: Action 6.4.2_5_EVdeployment_2,docx describes the training sessions completed and the procurement process for EV charging stations on town property. Action 6_Town of East Lyme (Level 2 Option)_ESC_EV Charging Station proposal shows the map where the stations will be located and the specifications of the installations. Action 6 BOS August 3, 2022, Agenda documents the discussion of the EV charging stations by the Board of Selectmen BOS August-3-2022Regular-Meeting -Minutes has a summary of the discussion (topic 2d. and Attachment #1) .
Partners: 6.4.2 Training sessions were offered by CT Greenbank and Clean Technica online news service
Additional Information: The BOS minutes and later discussion with Town Engineer Alex Klose, and First Selectman Kevin Seery, made clear that the town is committed to at least 2 if not 4 EV charging stations as soon as EverSource can schedule their installation with the chosen contractor ESC.
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7. Renewable and Efficient Energy Infrastructure and Operations
Approved Information: 7.6.1 Street light inventory and lighting needs assessment (10 points)
Supporting Documentation:
Documentation Details: "Action 7.6.1 Inventory and Assessment.docx" explains the lighting conversion history and current lighting program in East Lyme "east lyme latest list of streetlight" is a newly updated list of all street lights in town which have been converted to LED. 'Town Building Committee January 21 2021 Minutes" shows an example (page 2, last paragraph) of the vetting process town committees use to determine cost effectiveness of LED light conversions. "Action 7.6_EL Public Works Budget-FY23.pdf" is the full Public Works Document from which a paragraph was excerpted - see Line 400, bottom page 7.
Partners: 7.6.1 Inventory was supplied and reviewed by Dave Rackie of Eversource Utility.
Additional Information: This review of the town's existing lighting led us to make two recommendations, listed in the Inventory and Assessment document, that would improve the town's ability to assess and minimize costs. These recommendations have been discussed with Kevin Seery, First Selectman.
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8. Inclusive Engagement, Communication and Education
Approved Information: 8.1.1 Hold a Sustainability Event. (10 points), Five events held.
Supporting Documentation:
Documentation Details: A description of five sustainable events are provided with photo documentation.
Partners: 8.1.1: East Lyme Library provided the meeting room and AV equipment for the Pollinator Pathways and Bee Keeping Talks; The Friends of Samuel Smith Farmstead provided the meeting space for the Chicken Keeping and Home Composting Presentations. The town owned McCook Point Park was the setting for the Earthfest.
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9. Strategic Materials Management
Approved Information: 9.3 Additional recycling for: 1) mattresses & 2) paint - 20 Points (10 points each)
Supporting Documentation:
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10. Optimal Health and Wellness Opportunities
CT Success Story
Approved Information: 10.1.2 Create a food assessment (10 points)
Supporting Documentation:
Documentation Details: Action 10.1.2 "Food_Assessment.docx" : A Community Food Assessment was updated from 2017-19 to highlight progress made in providing emergency food to those in need and addressing barriers experienced by the clients using the town's food pantries.
Partners: Census data were used for both the original assessment and the update
Approved Information: 10,4.1 Community Growing Spaces (15 points)
Supporting Documentation:
Documentation Details: Action 10.4 -A description of the Community Garden program is given with accompanying photos.
Partners: 10.4.1 St Johns Episcopal Church Pantry receives excess produce from this garden. The East Lyme Giving Garden, that literally grew out of this program, still keeps 6 plots and distributes the produce through the United Way of SE CT.
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11. Healthy, Efficient and Diverse Housing
Approved Information: 11.2.2 Increase Affordable Housing. (10 points).
Supporting Documentation:
Documentation Details: "Action 11.2.2AffordableHousingIncrease.docx" documents the net increase in affordable housing between 2018 and 2021. "11.2.2 Housing_Appeals_Data_2018.pdf" documents that in 2018, East Lyme had 5.88% affordable housing. "2021-Final-Appeals-For Reort-On-Line.pdf " documents that in 2021, East Lyme had 6.15% affordable housing.
Partners: 11.2.2 CT Affordable Housing Appeals Data were used to calculate the current increase in affordable housing.
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12. Effective, Compassionate Homelessness Prevention
Approved Information: 12.2.2 Increase Public Awareness (10 points)
Supporting Documentation:
Documentation Details: "Action 12.2 HomelessnessWebpage,docx" shows a screen shot of the information posted on the East Lyme Town Website. "Action 12.2 HomelessnessTraining.docx" describes training for the development of this posting that was completed and a receipt of registration for this webinar is included.
Partners: 12.2 (increase public awareness) A staff member participated in training sponsored by the CT Coalition to End Homelessness.