ALLY LANASA/BAYSIDE GAZETTE

Town embarking on two plans to guide spending, zoning, policies for future

By Cindy Hoffman, Staff Writer

(Dec. 7, 2023) Berlin is embarking on two planning efforts: updating the comprehensive plan, which is being managed by the planning commission, and the strategic plan, which is being managed by Salisbury University’s BEACON. Residents could be confused by these two parallel planning efforts.

“The comprehensive plan is at a more planning level, related to land growth and development,” Mayor Zack Tyndall said.

It is, fundamentally, a guidebook for land use planning and zoning, and all legal jurisdictions — counties and municipalities — are required by the state’s land use article to have one. It must be updated every 10 years.

“The strategic plan is more operational, more goal-oriented and a strategic vision for the overall town. It’s not focused on land planning, growth and development,” Tyndall said.

The comprehensive plan was last updated in 2010 to address potential growth in housing and infrastructure and the associated impacts through 2030.

The first strategic plan was approved in 2015 under Mayor Gee Williams. That plan was created with input from residents through surveys and public meetings. BEACON has collected survey data from residents and is planning town meetings in January.

Once the Berlin Planning Commission has completed its work on the comprehensive plan, it will go before the mayor and council for approval.

Tyndall said that while the plans have different purposes, some areas could overlap in both. For instance, increasing services such as fiber optics cable or more affordable housing could be found in both documents.

Tyndall said decisions on such things as annexations are based on the comprehensive plan.

The strategic plan will guide spending and policy decisions for the next three to five years.  The comprehensive plan will address land planning, annexations and land use over the next 10 years.

“Both are important,” Tyndall said.

“It’s easy for those not involved in it every day to see them [the two plans] as one. They are really separate documents with specific purposes.”

Members of the public are invited to attend the next public meeting of the planning commission on Wednesday, Dec. 13, 2023, at 5:30 p.m. in the council chambers of Berlin Town Hall, 10 William Street.

It is anticipated that several meetings will be required, and the planning commission typically meets on the second Wednesday of each month.

The town’s comprehensive plan can be accessed on the Town website (berlinmd.gov) on the planning department page and the first selection of available resources.

The town is expected to announce public meetings in January for the strategic plan. Those meetings will provide another opportunity for residents to provide their opinions on the same questions that were mailed out with utility bills.