What we’ve heard repeatedly from Lyme residents on the issue of affordable housing is that they would like a solution that allows the town to keep its rural charm and open space, while enabling our fire and ambulance volunteers, teachers and older residents to live here. It is the position of the Lyme Democrats that clustered housing and multifamily housing don’t meet those criteria. The preferred affordable housing options that residents cited in the most recent Plan of Conservation and Development were single-family homes and accessory dwelling units (ADUs) and those are solutions we support.
Our goal, as a town, is to identify a solution that allows us to keep our rural charm and open space – which are components of life here that we all treasure – while enabling our fire and ambulance volunteers, teachers and older residents to live here. It’s a challenge that will demand the best thinking of the members of our Board of Finance, Planning & Zoning Commission, Affordable Housing Commission, Board of Selectmen and our 2,200 residents.
I would prefer Lyme not to be in a position where the state dictates how our town is required to provide affordable housing, and I will continue to encourage our state representatives to fight for us at the state level. It’s possible that the state will come around to adopting a more regional focus on affordable housing, which would be a more sensible approach for rural communities like ours. — John Kiker, LDTC Chair