By Tara Fischer

Staff Writer

(July 30, 2026) The Berlin Town Council has approved an engineering proposal to advance design work for an access road to serve Heron Park. It’s a step town officials believe will push the long-awaited redevelopment of parcel 57 closer to construction.

At Monday night’s mayor and council meeting, the municipality’s governing body authorized a proposal from Davis, Bowen & Friedel (DBF) for design and permitting services for a Heron Park access road in the amount of $35,000.

The work will establish roadway elevations, coordinate how the developer’s entrance ties into the town’s road, and prepare the project for future permitting and construction.

“What you have is a proposal by DBF to enhance the design work of the roadway for Heron Park to a further level to allow us to take the design of where it is now to a point where it’s more shovel-ready,” Berlin Mayor Zack Tyndall told the council. “More specifically, to allow us to get the elevations needed for the roadway, the town’s portion of the roadway and the developer tie-in, to a place where they need to be.”

According to the proposal included in the meeting packet, the engineering firm’s scope of work includes additional topographic surveying, preparation of construction documents, and permitting. The agreement estimates a $5,000 cost for additional surveying and $30,000 for construction documents and permitting.

Monday night’s discussion also focused on stormwater management, which is excluded from DBF’s proposal. The stormwater design will be reviewed separately by the town’s stormwater engineering consultant, EA Associates.

Councilman Jack Orris questioned language in the agreement that stated stormwater management design was absent from the engineering contract.

Tyndall explained that the town’s consultant must verify the developer’s final drainage plans comply with municipal standards.

“The town’s stormwater engineers, EA, need to work with [the developer] to make sure … their final drawing is compliant and makes sure it adheres to the town’s standards,” he said.

Developer Palmer Gillis said his team had already addressed concerns raised by the town and submitted revised plans to EA Associates.

“We had already submitted a redesign to EA Associates,” Gillis said. “They’ve conceptually approved it. I think they’re close to finalizing approval.”

Gillis said the updated design eliminates any discharge to town-owned infrastructure.

Tyndall maintained that the town wants its engineering consultant to make the final determination on compliance.

“We bring on engineers that we trust for stormwater management,” he said. “We should continue to allow them to make the decisions and advise us if it’s compliant.”

The discussion also touched on curb-cut design. Tyndall noted that the town’s agreement with parcel 57’s developer, Coastal Ventures Properties, requires the builder to pay for those improvements. He said the town recommends maintaining that arrangement, with roughly $5,000 in curb-cut expenses remaining the developer’s responsibility.

Gillis told the council his company would prepare those plans at its own expense before submitting them to DBF for review.

“We have and will design the curb cuts so there will be no expense to the town,” Gillis said.

Councilman Jay Knerr asked how close the parties are to closing on the sale of parcel 57.

“I would like to go to settlement next week,” Gillis responded. “We’ve provided our evidence of financing, we’ve met all the criteria, we have Worcester County Soil Conservation approval. We’re ready to go.”

Tyndall said both the town and the developer continue working toward that goal.

“From the town’s perspective, both parties have been working diligently to get to settlement,” he said. “I think we’ve had some points to make sure they address them, and everybody is progressing toward where we need to go, which is ultimately settlement.”

The road has already been designed conceptually, Tyndall added, and the newly approved engineering contract is intended to move the project to the next phase of development.

Earlier this month, the Berlin Planning Commission granted final site plan approval for the project’s first phase, which includes two commercial buildings. One facility is expected to house medical offices, while the second is planned for retail or restaurant use.

The council approved the DBF proposal unanimously.