The Town of Berlin’s cautious quest for the right balance between growth, prosperity and the preservation of its small- town charm has placed it in more than one unusual situation in recent years.

Now, it occupies that same territory as it endeavors to free itself of the debt incurred by its purchase of the Heron Park property in 2016 by selling portions of the property.

At odds with the mayor and Town Council’s desire to get the highest price they can for these parcels is their wary approach to what they should allow to be built on them.

That wariness is understandable, given the concerns of elected officials and residents about the problems and benefits that growth and development could bring.

Obviously, land prices are tied to value, which depends on how the property may be used. In other words, the critical issue is what kind of return the buyer is likely to receive on the money spent. That’s where Planning Commission member Ron Cascio was on the money, so to speak, when he advised the mayor and council on Monday to have these parcels reappraised.

A part of that process has to include providing the appraiser some idea of what town officials are willing to allow to take place on the property once it changes hands. In the meantime, no developer is going to gamble an excessive amount of money on an uncertain outcome.

That puts the mayor and council in a difficult situation. They need the money to relieve the town of a hefty debt service burden, yet also are obligated by their constituencies to keep a leash on development.

Among the things an appraiser will want to ascertain before issuing an opinion is a property’s use potential, which in this instance might not be dictated by zoning alone, since that can change.

At some point before bidding on the land resumes, the mayor and council will need to establish to the appraiser’s satisfaction what degree and what kind of development they will support. Only then can a fair price be established.