SPECIAL MEETING SATURDAY 12/6/25 NOON WESTBROOK PUBLIC LIBRARY
Chapman Beach vs Cedar Crest
**************************************************************** SPECIAL MEETING SATURDAY 12/6 AT THE WESTBROOK LIBRARY LOWER LEVEL COMMUNITY ROOM AT 12:00 NOON ****************************************************************
Letter mailed to our members today 12/1
District of Chapman Beach
PO Box 356
Westbrook, CT November 30, 2025
Dear Chapman Beach Members,
We are writing with our final update before the December 6th special meeting regarding the petition submitted by Mike Zubretsky and signed by 28 members. This petition calls for a special members’ meeting to vote on a proposed settlement, and a Cedar Crest representative be present and permitted to speak.
Our attorney has confirmed there will be no voting on those two items at this meeting.
It has come to our attention that some members have been told the Board is not communicating or negotiating with Cedar Crest. This is completely untrue, and the authors of the petition are fully aware of this. We understand how these statements can create confusion or doubt, but they do not reflect reality.
The Board has met with Cedar Crest on multiple occasions—twice in a 4-on-4 format, and again with attorneys present on November 25. We have previously offered a path forward that includes membership for Cedar Crest residents, with negotiated monetary compensation and full tax participation going forward with equal privileges and responsibilities.
Despite these efforts, we have repeatedly heard the same response: “We will not combine.” After 25 years of contributing nothing to Chapman Beach while representing to homebuyers that they have the same privileges our members pay for, Cedar Crest continues to reject integration, citing a lack of trust. This latest position—that a one-time payment of $75,000 should grant full privileges, including the right to alter our jetties, while paying nothing thereafter—is not acceptable. Recording such an arrangement in their land records would ensure they never combine, leaving our members to carry the financial burden indefinitely while they contribute nothing. We have worked in good faith to address the Cedar Crest concerns.
We realize this situation is discouraging, but we remain hopeful that a fair resolution is still possible. Another meeting was discussed, but due to the upcoming holidays, a mutually agreeable date has not yet been set.
As we approach the December 6th meeting, your involvement matters more than ever. Please stay informed, attend the meeting if possible, and make your voice heard.
For updates and documents, please continue to visit www.chapmanbeach.org, and use the “Contact Us” feature with any questions.
Thank you for your ongoing support and engagement
Chapman Beach Board of Directors
WE NEED THE SUPPORT OF ALL MEMBERS AT THIS MEETING.
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DISTRICT OF CHAPMAN BEACH
Special Member’s meeting
Saturday December 6, 2025 12:00 noon
Westbrook Public Library
Downstairs Community Room
In person only - no ZOOM
AGENDA
*****************
Call to order
*Motion to enter Executive session: Discussion of legal matters regarding the presented petition and potential settlement of the pending Cedar Crest lawsuit with District of Chapman Beach members and special litigation counsel for the District present.
NOTE: All District of Chapman Beach members may attend and participate in the executive session.
*Motion to exit executive session and resume public meeting:
Note: The voting to accept the two items as stated in the submitted petition will not take place in this meeting
*Motion to adjourn:
Stay informed here
Please check right here for the only up to date accurate source of information. if you hear something other than here please use the 'Contact Us' feature in the upper banner of this HOME Page to fact check it and someone will get back to you. Any other source may not be totally factual.
Chapman Beach vs Cedar Crest
****************************************************************Late yesterday afternoon Cedar Crest accepted an invitation to meet with us as a 4 on 4 discussion with our lawyers present. if we have anything to share we will post it later today, we will also be sending out another mailing soon with any further information and the agenda for the 12/6 meeting. Please keep checking here for info as it comes available. ****************************************************************
Petition from our members see below in important information'. Letter to our members
District of Chapman Beach
PO Box 356
Westbrook, CT November 21, 2025
Dear Chapman Beach Members,
We are writing to update you on the ongoing lawsuit filed against us by the Cedar Crest Tax District (CCTD) and to inform you about an important upcoming meeting.
At our winter Board meeting, Mike Zubretsky informed us that he had a proposal to bring forward. The Board welcomed the opportunity to consider it. Instead, he submitted a petition—signed by 28 members—calling for a special members’ meeting and a vote on a proposed settlement, with a Cedar Crest representative present and permitted to speak. By submitting it as a petition rather than a proposal, the Board was legally prevented from discussing it and was required to forward it to counsel at a significant cost. The petition and proposal can be found on our website at www.chapmanbeach.org, under Important Information.
A special meeting has been scheduled for Saturday, December 6, 2025, at 12:00 p.m. in the downstairs Community Room of the Westbrook Public Library. On the advice of our attorney, no voting will take place at this meeting. Cedar Crest members may attend the open session, but they will not be permitted to speak.
What should concern and upset every Chapman Beach member is this: while we are actively defending ourselves against a lawsuit from CCTD, some of our own members are urging us to accept a settlement that is fundamentally unfair to Chapman Beach and which was drafted and promoted by individuals with direct family ties to CCTD. Your presence at this meeting is essential.
CCTD, through Mr. Schatz, has launched a pressure campaign based on fear,
threatening us with rising legal costs in an attempt to force us into granting access, through a change in their land records, to our beaches, roads, and rights-of-ways. Our beachfront is our most valuable asset. It enriches our community life and is a major driver of our property values. Protecting it is not optional; it is our responsibility.
Despite these realities, Mr. Schatz has demanded deeded rights to our property. In exchange, he has offered $75,000 for access to our beaches and roadways—less than two years of our operating budget. He has also offered $125,000 to purchase our beachfront along the Cedar Crest homes—560 feet of prime Long Island Sound shoreline. The impact such an acquisition would have on Cedar Crest property values is obvious. The Board unanimously determined that these were not real offers. Contrary to Ed Gale's accusation, we did not “bury our heads in the sand.” We declined to pursue further negotiation because the proposals demonstrated no genuine intention to reach a fair or equitable resolution. Instead, they were designed to pressure Chapman Beach into giving up irreplaceable rights for minimal compensation.
We continue to believe that there is only one fair and sustainable long-term solution: unifying the two districts into a single community through Membership. Under unification, all property owners—Chapman Beach and Cedar Crest—would pay taxes based on assessed value and share the same rights and privileges. Any merger would also require appropriate cash compensation.
To put the financial picture in perspective:
- Chapman Beach members have contributed approximately $1,200,000 over the past 25 years.
- Had Cedar Crest been part of our district, they would have contributed roughly $300,000 during that same period based on historical property values. This would have computed into 25% lower taxes you would have paid all these past 25 years.
This substantial disparity has not been included in any of the two formal discussions we have held with CCTD. They have continually said they will not join so this subject was never discussed.
Looking ahead, Chapman Beach members are projected to contribute an additional $2,500,000 over the next 25 years to maintain and enhance our community. Under the status quo, CCTD would contribute nothing, yet demands to enjoy the same privileges. While we understand that not all members favor unification, we firmly believe it is the only solution that ensures long-term fairness, stability, and the health of our community.
Our attempt to schedule a third meeting with CCTD resulted in a direct and unequivocal response: “We will not combine with you.”
We will provide further updates next week and the agenda for the meeting. Please continue to visit www.chapmanbeach.org for information, and use the Contact Us feature with any questions.
Your Board of Directors
District of Chapman Beach
WE NEED THE SUPPORT OF ALL MEMBERS AT THIS MEETING.
PLEASE MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO ATTEND.
WE MUST PROTECT OUR OWNERSHIP OF CHAPMAN BEACH.
Stay informed here
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Chapman Beach vs Cedar Crest
Summons-Civil served
We have been served a Summons-Civil notice of pending legal action by members of the District of Cedar Crest. We will present this summons to our legal counsel on 10/28/2025. We will share what information that is for public distribution as it comes available as advised by out attorney.
A letter being mailed to all of our members today
DISTICT OF CHAPMAN BEACH
PO Box 356
WESTBROOK, CT 06498
Dear Members,
As stated previously, we will continue to keep you informed regarding our ongoing legal matters with the District of Cedar Crest (CC). Since our last communication, we have not met again with CC, however, we have been served with a Summons – Civil outlining CC’s complaint and identifying the litigants. Our legal counsel is currently reviewing this summons, as it is lengthy and contains numerous declarations. We will provide further updates as information becomes available and can be shared.
Updates may be distributed by mail, but we strongly encourage you to regularly visit the Home Page of www.chapmanbeach.orgfor the latest news and information about any potential special meetings. Please note that the website and direct mailings are the only official and factual sources of information available to members. If you receive or hear information from any other source, you may use the “Contact Us” feature on the website to verify its accuracy or request clarification. You will receive a prompt and factual response.
The Board has taken this situation very seriously since the first threat of litigation. We have met twice with representatives from CC in an effort to avoid costly litigation. During these discussions, we proposed that CC consider joining Chapman Beach, which we believe represents a viable and mutually beneficial solution moving forward. Naturally, this would require monetary compensation from CC, however, no specific amount or payment structure has yet been discussed. Membership would also entail annual taxation based on property valuation listed in the Town of Westbrook Grand List. We believe such an agreement would grant CC residents the same privileges of membership that all current members enjoy. To date, CC has not agreed to further explore this option, though we remain open to continued dialogue.
We continue to believe that communications from CC have contained numerous inaccuracies and demands we cannot fulfill. Our most recent mailing addressed many of these issues and outlined our responses. We have remained transparent throughout this process and will continue to do so.
Your Board of Directors is fully committed to protecting your ownership rights to all properties that we collectively own, maintain, and have developed over the past 25 years. That legacy of dedication, investment, and community building cannot and will not be taken from us.
Thank You,
The Board of Directors
The District of Chapman Beach
DOCB BOD 10/27/2025P
Stay informed here
Please check right here for the only up to date accurate source of information. if you hear something other than here please use the 'Contact Us' feature in the upper banner of this HOME Page to fact check it and someone will get back to you. Any other source may not be totally factual.
Response to 9/16 CC Proposal
SEE PDF OF OUR RESPONSE TO CC 9/16 PROPOSAL IN 'IMPORTAMT DOCUMENTS' BELOW. THIS WAS MAILED TO YOU
BEACH PASSES/PLACARDS
Chapman Beach Rule
YOU MUST DISPLAY YOUR BEACH PASS WHENEVER YOU VISIT THE BEACH. ONE PASS FOR YOUR GROUP IS SUFFICIENT.
If you lost your passes
PLEASE USE THE 'CONTACT US' FREATURE TO REQUEST NEW PASSES
REQUIRED 'IF FOUND' REGISTRATION OF BOATS ON THE BEACH
PLEASE GO TO THE 'CONTACT US' BUTTON TO REQUEST A NEW STICKER FOR YOUR WATERCRAFT. THIS NEW 'IF FOUND' STICKER IS FROM THE CONNECTICUT DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY AND EVIROMENTAL PROTECTION (DEEP) AND IS MEANT TO DISPLAY YOUR PERSONAL CONTACT INFORMATION.
SHOULD YOUR WATERCRAFT DRIFT OUT INTO THE SOUND AND BE FOUND UNMANNED THE COAST GUARD CAN CALL TO SEE THAT YOU ARE SAFE, OTHERWISE A COSTLY SEACH AND RESCUE WILL BE INITIATED.
WE WILL ASSIGN A DOCB REGISTRATION NUMBER TO WRITE ON THE STICKER ALONG WITH YOUR INFO TO SHOW YOUR WATERCRAFT IS REGISTERED WITH US. WITHOUT THIS REGISTRATION YOUR WATERCRAFT WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO BE KEPT ON THE BEACH.
THE TOWN OF WESTBROOK IS PRESENTLY WORKING TOWARD MAKING THE USE OF THESE STICKERS A TOWN ORDINANCE.
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