Linden Shore District History

The geographic area of the Linden Shore District runs from 67 Linden Avenue to 291 Linden Avenue (number 275 Linden Avenue lies outside the district property) and also includes those properties on the following roads; Bayberry Lane to the salt marsh, Pawson Park Road to the salt marsh, Maltby, Dorr and Hemingway Streets, Old Pawson Road, Pawson Landing Drive, Linden Place, number 1 & 2 Fenway Road and all the area known as Linden Shores.

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Historically, in the 17 th century, the area heretofore known as Indian Neck, of which Linden Shores District is a part, was owned by the Totoket Indians whose leader was Chief Pawson. The Indians were encouraged to divide their land into small farms of “half acres”. Gradually, for various reasons, the Indians sold their land piece by piece to the First Society, later to be called the First Ecclesiastical Society of the First Congregational Church of Branford. The first purchase was August 9, 1675. In 1716 virtually the entire Neck was in the possession of the Society. In 1770 some of the land was leased out for the first time. When the leases expired they were not renewed. However, in 1868 a lease was given to Samuel Beach and others for a period of 99 years with the privilege of subleasing and developing the 200 acres involved. During this time the lease families built summer cottages on land they did not own. In 1959 the Ecclesiastical Society advised that they planned to sell the land rather then renew the leases. The leases were up in 1967. The question then arose as to what would happen to the shorefront property between Linden Avenue and the high water mark of the Long Island Sound of which certain areas had been available to leasehold families for bathing, boating, and fishing.

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Meetings held between representatives of the Indian Neck Improvement Association and the First Ecclesiastical Society developed the viewpoint that the Society would turn the shorefront property over to a duly constituted group of present lease holders who would have rights and responsibilities under Connecticut State Law. The end result was the formation of the Linden Shore Erosion District of 1959 under section 7-6 of the 1958 revision of the Connecticut State Statutes. This granted taxing authority to the district to carry out the purposes for which the Linden Shore District was formed.

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Subsequently in 1967, when the 99 years lease was up, The Ecclesiastical Society gave Linden Shore Erosion District a quit claim deed giving up possession of the shorefront area to be used for recreational purposes by residents and their guests. To quote directly from the State Statues,….."the district‚ purpose is to plant and care for shade and ornamental trees, to appoint or employ or employ a watchman or police officer, construct, maintain and regulate the use of recreational facilities, to plan, layout, acquire, construct, reconstruct, repair, maintain, supervise and manage a flood erosion control system.

 

The Board of Directors oversees the business of the district. The Board consists of the President, the Vice President, Treasurer, Secretary and five directors. The President and Vice President serve for two-year terms while the directors serve three-year terms. All officers except the Treasurer and Secretary serve without pay.

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The annual meeting of all voting members is held the last Saturday in May each year. Each property is allowed one vote. Notification of the meeting is published in the Branford Review and all pertinent information about the meeting is mailed out to the residents ten days prior to the meeting. At this meeting the budget is presented, the tax mil rate established, committee reports given and officers elected. The mil rate cannot exceed 5.2 mils and is based on the assessed value of the property. The property is subject to a tax lien for unpaid taxes and the taxes are subject to late penalties.

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All members of Linden Shore District are common owners of the waterfront property and are extremely fortunate to have this beautiful area for their exclusive use. The information above is intended to make all members more cognizant of their responsibilities for the upkeep of this fragile piece of land.