Parking availability remains major concern shared by many at planning meeting

By Tara Fischer, Staff Writer

(Jan. 18, 2024) Berlin residents had the opportunity to offer observations and ask questions at a strategic planning meeting hosted by the Salisbury University Business Economic and Community Outreach Network last Wednesday at the Berlin Library.

With the Town Council present, residents hit on subjects such as their discontentment with parking, electric bills, stormwater drainage, and the lack of child-focused summer and afterschool activities.

“The parking needs improvement,” said Jim Meckley, who moved to the area eight years ago. “I don’t like to point to just the merchants, but if I walk out there right now, I can count about five or six people who are parked at the same place they’ve been for the last 20 years, and it’s blocked right in front of their store. I think that’s a problem.”

Resident Gus Glikas added that some streets are too narrow to support parking on both sides and cited Walnut Hill as an example. He maintained that fire and rescue vehicles have difficulty accessing the road.

Berlin officials held a closed meeting on Jan. 8 to address the parking situation and are considering buying property for that purpose. Even though the details of such an acquisition are confidential for now, residents have expressed their approval.

“I think it’s a great solution, I think it’s a no-brainer,” business owner Emily Vocke told WBOC. “I don’t see how we can grow or even maintain the way we are now.”

The possibility of paid parking also came up in during the session, with the audience expressing its approval, even though implementing metered parking is only a suggestion at this point. Free lots would still be available near Stephen Decatur Park.

As for the cost of the town’s electric service, Cam Bunting of Bunting Realty argued that Berlin residents pay the highest rates in the county.

As the chair of the Local Development Committee, which oversees the distribution of the local shares of Ocean Downs’ gambling proceeds, she suggested that the town uses the casino money to lower the fees charged to residents. “It’s been my driving goal. We’re paying too much.”

Stormwater was also mentioned, and while it was acknowledged that it is more of a county issue, some residents believe the town must begin to look at the problem itself with more urgency. September saw a storm that drowned the town in 14 inches of rain, making travel on Burley and Flower Street almost impossible.

Audience member Patricia Dufendach emphasized that Berlin is a flood zone and that stormwater damages buildings, plantings, and emergency vehicle access. “It is a huge deficiency. We’ve had our 100-year flood, but I don’t think it will be 100 years before we see it again. If we want it dealt with, we must do it ourselves,” she said.

Another priority for the town’s residents is attracting and sustaining younger families. One way they hope to accomplish this is with child-friendly activities. While Berlin is a thriving community with boutiques, restaurants, and bars, it lacks skate parks, a pool, and a YMCA, supporters of that effort said.

According to Bunting, there are discussions of developing a community center on Flower Street, and Dufendach, a member of the parks commission, backed the idea of business-sponsored events such as basketball or pickleball tournaments.

Meckley urged the council to increase the police presence and to reduced the speed limit near Seaside Dance Academy to improve safety there.

“People speed down the narrow road,” he said. “A kid could step off that curb and get plowed. With more police patrolling this area and others, it’s a win-win situation.”

Despite Berlin’s challenges, meeting attendees reiterated their overall satisfaction with the town.

“We have great stores and restaurants,” Meckley said. “We have a town that gets along and has lots of activities. We have a hospital. We have plenty of doctors. There’s a great school district. We have a local government that cares about us. We’re lucky.

“We live in a bubble, and that’s why we’re here,” Meckley said.