East Lyme - An architect will unveil the first design drawings for the proposed elementary school project to a committee on Thursday.

Architect Al Jacunski is slated to present the footprint layouts for a new Flanders Elementary School and a renovated Niantic Center School at the Elementary Schools Design Steering Committee's meeting.

The meeting will take place at 4 p.m. at the Central Office conference room.

Board of Education Chairman Tim Hagen also updated the school board Monday that a referendum vote on the elementary school proposal won't happen in time to apply for state funding this year.

The school board had endorsed a plan in December to build a new school at the site of Flanders Elementary, renovate and expand the Niantic Center School and close the Lillie B. Haynes School and return it to the town. The board's vote had allowed the committee to begin planning the project.

Hagen said Monday the committee reviewed the steps needed and realized last month that it would be "impossible" to have a referendum on the school project before June 30, 2015, the deadline to submit materials to the state for reimbursement. The proposal requires approval from the Board of Selectmen, Board of Finance and then a 30-day period after those approvals before it can be voted on at referendum.

He said the preliminary schematic drawings to be presented on Thursday are not "set in stone." The board will receive the drawings at their next meeting and have time to review them in detail before voting to approve them.

Hagen said that the elementary school project is such a big project that it's important to make sure the design is right and the town understands what is entailed in the proposal to return the Lillie B. Haynes School to the town.

Superintendent of Schools James Lombardo said town officials toured Lillie B. Haynes last Monday and looked at the building's layout. He thought their first response was that there was more room within the building than the town would need for its services.

"I think in the end no matter who uses the building there's going to be some reductions in space," said Lombardo, because there is extra space that requires heating and maintenance.

Hagen also said a traffic study for Niantic Center School is beginning.

k.drelich@theday.com

Twitter: @KimberlyDrelich