By Morgan Pilz, Staff Writer

(April 30, 2020) The Berlin mayor and Town Council approved the purchase of seven Equivalent Dwelling Units (EDUs) in sewer and water capacity for the car dealership i.g. Burton of Berlin during its Town Hall meeting on Monday.

The Berlin mayor and Town Council approved a request from i.g. Burton to purchase seven Equivalent Dwelling Units during its Monday evening meeting.

The Chevrolet dealership, located on Old Ocean City Blvd., brought its six-acre parcel into the town limits in November with the intention of improving the property. Those improvements will necessitate the additional water and sewer capacity.

Each EDU costs $16,686, Berlin Town Administrator Jeff Fleetwood said during the meeting Monday night.

“[i.g. Burton] had provided a check to the town of Berlin pending this motion in the amount of $116, 802,” Fleetwood said. “Basically, this is one of the conditions needed to approve and upgrade that property with the necessary EDUs.”

i.g. Burton acquired the dealership on Old Ocean City Boulevard from the Barrett family during the summer of 2018. The company also operates dealerships in Milford, Lewes, Smyrna and Seaford, Delaware.

The i.g. Burton’s Chrysler Dodge Ram Jeep shop, which sits opposite the Chevrolet dealership is already inside the town limits.

Burton plans to demolish the current Chevrolet shop and rebuild it. In addition, the Chrysler Dodge Ram Jeep shop is expected to increase by approximately 8,000 square feet to include a shop with eight work stalls and a drive-through.

The work at the Chrysler dealership will cost roughly $1.5 million, and the Chevrolet project will cost somewhere around $5 million. Construction on the Chrysler dealership is expected to begin toward the end of 2020 and be completed around 2021.

In addition, i.g. Burton assumes the responsibility of maintaining Barrett road, which is located within the property and therefore had also been annexed into Berlin town limits.

The Town of Berlin will provide several services, including police protection and water service, and i.g. Burton will agree to pay “ready-to-serve” fees for the seven equivalent dwelling units of wastewater service to the property.

All but Troy Purnell, who was absent, voted to approve the request.