Acquisition of 238 Acres Inclusive of Equestrian Trails, Dock Access to the CT River and Six Distinct Properties in Lyme, CT

Represented private client in the acquisition of 238 acres comprising six distinct properties located in Lyme, Connecticut. The property contained various improvements including three houses, residential amenities such as tennis courts, stables, private roads, and tidal wetlands, marshes, pastures, fields, equestrian trails and walking trails. A significant portion of the property makes up the equestrian trails of the Lyme Trail Association, used by several hundred people each year for horseback and therapeutic riding, hiking and equestrian events. Three ponds, each of which include regulated dams, and a FAA-approved water-based landing strip are located at the property along with related docks, a launch ramp and other access points to the Connecticut River.

The extraordinarily complicated title to this property provided for a multitude of title issues, including private roads over which many parties have rights and obligations through various agreements, conservation restrictions, building and use restrictions, various dock rights for access to the Connecticut River, and other title rights, duties and obligations that could fill a treatise. As part of the work related to the dams, our team uncovered compliance issues with respect to the dams and set in place corrective measures, including the negotiation of an easement with an adjacent property owner for the construction of improvements related to a dam and flowage rights. Additional corrective measures had to be taken with respect to the dams, the docks and ramp involving the State of Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and local municipal authorities. Various related environmental issues were addressed along with issues related to the water-based landing strip in order to bring the property back into compliance, resulting in a successful acquisition by our private client.