By Tara Fischer

Staff Writer

Berlin parade spectators will have to wait until two hours before an event begins to secure their spots with chairs and blankets, the town announced last week.

The policy will be strictly enforced by Berlin staff to ensure safety and accessibility don’t falter, even on the days of the town’s more lively celebrations.

Each year, residents and visitors flock to the downtown for events such as the Bathtub Races and the Christmas Parade, and many of these individuals bring beach or lawn chairs to secure their spots along the sidewalks.

Berlin Economic and Community Development Director Ivy Wells said that for the more popular festivals, like the annual Christmas Parade, it’s not unusual to see dozens of blankets and seats lined up before sunrise, placed by citizens who want to guarantee a front-row viewing position even though the event doesn’t kick off until about 7 p.m.

Now, per the new rules, spectators can’t reserve their spaces by plopping down chairs and blankets on the sidewalks until the roads are officially closed by the Town of Berlin. Wells said that for parades, this is usually about two hours before the start time. For the Christmas show, scheduled for Dec. 4 this year, this means that seating is not permitted along any pedestrian paths before 5 p.m.

The decision to enforce such a policy did not arise from a single incident, but was the result of a pattern town staff members had noticed over the years.

“People love the parade and want to get a good viewing spot early, but that’s led to chairs and blankets being placed out on the sidewalks as early as 6 a.m.,” Wells said. “Over time, it’s created some real safety and accessibility issues, especially for folks using wheelchairs, strollers, or walkers who suddenly can’t get by. The number of complaints kept our phones ringing all day last year.”

The economic and community development director added that the chair placement rule has always existed, but that it was never enforced.

The town’s official regulation reads, “It shall be unlawful except with the permission of the mayor and council for the owner or occupant of any premises within the corporate limits of the town to place, erect or store, or to cause or permit to be placed, erected or stored on the sidewalk abutting his premises any articles, chattels, tables and chairs or merchandise of any type…

“The mayor and council shall not permit any articles, chattels, tables, and chairs, or merchandise of any type to be placed on a sidewalk unless said obstructing items comply with and meet the minimum sidewalk accessibility standards contained in the Maryland State Highway Administration’s Accessibility Policy and Guidelines for Pedestrian Facilities Along State Highways.”

From here on out, that code will be properly enforced, officials say. The policy comes just in time, with the annual Christmas Parade on the horizon, one of Berlin’s most attended festivities

“When chairs are placed too early, they sometimes blow or get knocked into the street, people trip over them and vehicles have to stop in the middle of Main Street to move them,” Wells said. “It makes it impossible for people with mobility devices or parents with strollers to safely use the sidewalks, they end up walking in the street, which isn’t safe. It’s really about safety and accessibility for everyone. We know our community loves this parade, and we just want to make sure they’re enjoyable and safe for all.”

Not everyone is embracing the change. Under a Facebook post on the page We Heart Berlin, user Terry Bezold Ferguson wrote, “Ridiculous to penalize those who bother themselves to get there early.”

Some argue that the guideline could be a detriment to the parade’s older attendees.

“This is gonna be interesting,” MaryAnn Cropper-Hickman said, under the same We Heart Berlin posting. “We put our chairs out early just to get a spot for my handicapped mom, so we didn’t have to go uptown as early with her.”

Even with some negative feedback, many acknowledge that the town’s choice to delay chair placement will increase safety at Berlin events.

“I’ll miss this…always thought it was cool to be able to do it, but I get it. Safety first,” Amy Field, a resident, commented on Facebook.

Chairs placed along the sidewalk before the road is closed will be removed by town staff and secured in a designated location, the policy announcement said. Owners may pick up their seats the day after the event. These individuals should contact the Berlin Police Department’s non-emergency line or the town at 410-641-2770.