Mystic — A group of Old Mystic neighbors are asking the Stonington Board of Police Commissioners to  address what they say is a dangerous situation on narrow North Stonington Road caused by the crowds that flock to B.F. Clyde's Cider Mill each fall. 

The neighbors say large numbers of cars park along both sides of the street and people then walk to the mill, sometimes pushing children in strollers and walking with dogs. They say they have seen pedestrians and cars almost struck by other vehicles, and police officials have acknowledged the parked cars make it difficult for firetrucks and ambulances to not only access the cider mill but to navigate the street.

Neighbors say the situation has worsened as Clyde's has expanded its operation by offering music and vendors selling local products on the weekends.  

But Annette Miner, one of the owners of the 140-year-old business, told the board that they realize there is a parking issue but have tried unsuccessfully to find a solution as there is no additional room on the property to park cars in the fall. 

"We got slammed right out of the gate this year. It was because of COVID because there was no other place for people to go. We were blown away,"  she said about the popularity of the mill, which has been in the Miner family for generations and is the last steam-powered cider mill in the country.

The parking situation has been a long-running issue for the board, and last year police erected "no parking signs" along the street in the immediate vicinity of the cider mill. After listening to the neighbors at their Thursday afternoon meeting, the police commissioners agreed to meet with the neighbors and the mill's owners to find a solution.

At Thursday's meeting, neighbor Betty Tylaskla, who said she has lived across from the mill for 61 years, said there has been a "huge expansion" of Clyde's. She pointed out the street has been designated as a scenic road for the past 31 years to protect its rural quality.

She told the board that last Oct. 10, she counted 138 cars parked along the side of the road at 2 p.m. She said it makes it difficult to get through the area. She suggested the cider mill run a shuttle from the former School Administration Building. 

Diana Lurie Boersma told the board that there are significant disruptions along the street on weekends.

She said more picnic tables, vendors, and music are encouraging people to stay much longer and use it as a destination. 

"They don't have adequate parking to accommodate their customers, so the overflow into the neigborhood for it ... is significant and creates traffic hazards," she said.   

Christian Morgan, who lives next door to the mill, said she is a big fan of the mill, but over last few years she has become concerned about people getting in and out of their cars and children almost getting hit.    

"It really is significantly different than when we moved here 22 years ago. We love the business, we love the idea of the business, but some sort of management needs to occur on weekend and holidays to manage safety. It really is a safety issue. The firetrucks need to safely get down the road. Emergency vehicles need to get down the road. I'm not sure what the solution is, but I'm happy we can come together to discuss it," she said.  

But Jane Burke, who has lived on the road for more than 40 years, said while traffic does pick up when the mill opens for a few month in the fall, she just avoids the area. She said it is not a problem during the week.

"I don't find it onerous or something I can't deal with because I feel they are a very integral part of living in Old Mystic," she said.      

Miner said they have not added any picnic tables, and the five local vendors selling products such as dog biscuits, soupy and honey, also sell them inside the mill. She said the business, which the family has run for six generations, has not added anything but expanded what it has, such as wine tastings.  

"We're trying to encourage local, small busineses who can't afford a storefront," she said, adding the mill loves its neighbors.

As for offering more to do for the cider mill's customers, Miner said, "if you don't grow, you will die."

Miner said the mill has had no success buying land to expand its parking, but she said she is open to suggestions about how to fix the issue. Mill employee John Miner said efforts are made to park as many people on the mill property as possible.  

"We're doing the best we can with what we have. To suggest cutting back our business because 6-10 weeks a year makes some people uncomfortable is not fair," Annette Miner said.

As for anyone who moves to the neighborhood and is surprised by the busy mill operation, she said they should phone their Realtor and say, "Shame on you, you should have told me there was a very busy business for eight to 10 weeks of the year on the weekend up the road from where I bought."

"Don't go into it blindsided. You should research where you buy so you will like where you live," she said.

j.wojtas@theday.com