The Open Space Commission is charged, paraphrasing § 20-56 of the town ordinances, with:
- Monitoring the local real estate market and reviewing available, or potentially available, parcels of land which may be appropriate for town acquisition as open space.
- Recommending certain parcels of land to the Board of Selectman for town acquisition as open space.
The Open Space Commission relies on members with experience in real estate or in related professional fields and professional consultants, such as appraisers, in helping to meet this responsibility.
The Town of Old Lyme, with leadership from the Open Space Commission, purchased 312 acres from David McCulloch/the Jean A. McCulloch Farm LLC in 2019. The McCulloch Family Open Space opened to the public on National Trails Day, June 6, 2020.
A 2020 Open Space Plan (PDF) describes why preserving land is important for Old Lyme; defines "open space"; and lists town open space goals for the next decade, including in the area of land acquisition.
What Land Should Old Lyme Protect?