Old Lyme Searches For New Zoning Enforcement Officer As RiverCOG Staffers Fill In

Old Lyme Memorial Town Hall

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OLD LYME — As of Monday, August 12, Torrance Downes and Dan Bourret, will serve as interim zoning enforcement officers in Old Lyme, after the long-expected departure of Keith Rosenfeld.

Downes and Bourret are staff members at the Lower Connecticut River Valley Council of Government. This week each will spend 4 hours filling in on Tuesday morning and Thursday afternoon in an effort to provide services previously performed by Rosenfeld. 

“Our work allows things like private resident projects to keep moving along,” Downes said. “But, enforcement work will fall behind because it takes too much time.”

A zoning enforcement officer is in charge of reviewing all construction plans to ensure they meet building codes and zoning regulations in the town including smaller home projects like additions, as well as larger projects, like new developments.

Downes has previously filled in as the interim zoning enforcement officer in Old Lyme as well as in Westbrook. Downes and Bourrett are also currently filling in 8 hours each week in Deep River.

“I was the one who got the ball rolling on appointing someone in the interim,” said the town’s land use technician, Kim Barrows. Without her initiative, the town would likely have continued to operate without an officer, potentially delaying application timelines.  

For the time being, there is no timeline for when the town will hire a new zoning enforcement officer, according to Jane Cable, the chair of the town’s zoning commission. 

The application was opened Monday, August 5, and will remain open until Friday, August 23 at 4 p.m. In the meantime, the town is working to assemble a search committee to interview candidates.