(March 24, 2016) The Worcester County Commissioners last Tuesday unanimously approved an annexation request for Berlin Falls on Old Ocean City Boulevard, another step in the long process to transform the property into a large recreation facility.
The approval paves way for the town to rezone the 68-acre parcel from I-2 heavy industrial, to R-1 residential for use as a public park. Berlin purchased that land, a former Tyson’s Chicken plant, for $2.5 million, earlier this year.
During the commissioner’s meeting in Snow Hill, Development, Review and Permitting Direct Ed Tudor said the move was unusual, because it involved town property, but that it followed proper guidelines under state law.
Tudor admitted Berlin had work to do in order to clean up the area, but said the commissioners would not be on the line to foot the bill.
Berlin Planning Director Dave Engelhart said the town was also pursuing a permit at the county level for fencing to secure several buildings there.
Engelhart said the structures, mostly located near the front of the property, had some minor roof leaks and would likely need new wiring and insulation, if the town were to use them, but that they were “mostly in pretty good shape.”
“They could definitely use a good power wash,” he said. “They’ve been sitting there [vacant] for eight or nine years.”
At the very least, Engelhart said the town planned to use some of the edifices for storage. Town workers have already made a number of safety improvements, securing the front gate and putting bars over doors and windows. Bollards have been painted, and several of the steel entry doors are next on the list for a makeover.
“What’s fascinating, is some of those buildings, like the old testing lab, if you were to walk in that building, you would have thought time stood still. When I first walked in there, four or five months ago, a desk was still sitting there with a book open and pencil and paper. It’s fully furnished,” Managing Director Jeff Fleetwood said. “It’s spooky.”
At the backend of the acreage are several large lagoons separated by thin strips of land, just large enough to accommodate a single car.
“What we discovered [on the rear of the property], the simple thing was it was a treatment plant,” Managing Director Jeff Fleetwood said. “We’re finding our share of septic tanks, so we’re sealing those.”
Elsewhere, he said doors had either fallen off or were missing on several of the buildings. Those have now been secured. Town workers also cleaned up a collapsed wall, and a third party removed discarded chlorine canisters that had been used to purify water at the old plant.
While dormant, the plant had been used for a number of events, including the annual Jeep Jam. Fleetwood said 400 vehicles would run over an obstacle course on the property each day during that event.
Jeep Jam has an agreement with the town to continue the event this year, Aug. 25-28, and Fleetwood said Berlin would also host a fireworks celebration, on July 3, at Berlin Falls.
The town had previously said it hoped the park would be open for “passive use,” including walking and hiking, later this spring.
The approval paves way for the town to rezone the 68-acre parcel from I-2 heavy industrial, to R-1 residential for use as a public park. Berlin purchased that land, a former Tyson’s Chicken plant, for $2.5 million, earlier this year.
During the commissioner’s meeting in Snow Hill, Development, Review and Permitting Direct Ed Tudor said the move was unusual, because it involved town property, but that it followed proper guidelines under state law.
Tudor admitted Berlin had work to do in order to clean up the area, but said the commissioners would not be on the line to foot the bill.
Berlin Planning Director Dave Engelhart said the town was also pursuing a permit at the county level for fencing to secure several buildings there.
Engelhart said the structures, mostly located near the front of the property, had some minor roof leaks and would likely need new wiring and insulation, if the town were to use them, but that they were “mostly in pretty good shape.”
“They could definitely use a good power wash,” he said. “They’ve been sitting there [vacant] for eight or nine years.”
At the very least, Engelhart said the town planned to use some of the edifices for storage. Town workers have already made a number of safety improvements, securing the front gate and putting bars over doors and windows. Bollards have been painted, and several of the steel entry doors are next on the list for a makeover.
“What’s fascinating, is some of those buildings, like the old testing lab, if you were to walk in that building, you would have thought time stood still. When I first walked in there, four or five months ago, a desk was still sitting there with a book open and pencil and paper. It’s fully furnished,” Managing Director Jeff Fleetwood said. “It’s spooky.”
At the backend of the acreage are several large lagoons separated by thin strips of land, just large enough to accommodate a single car.
“What we discovered [on the rear of the property], the simple thing was it was a treatment plant,” Managing Director Jeff Fleetwood said. “We’re finding our share of septic tanks, so we’re sealing those.”
Elsewhere, he said doors had either fallen off or were missing on several of the buildings. Those have now been secured. Town workers also cleaned up a collapsed wall, and a third party removed discarded chlorine canisters that had been used to purify water at the old plant.
While dormant, the plant had been used for a number of events, including the annual Jeep Jam. Fleetwood said 400 vehicles would run over an obstacle course on the property each day during that event.
Jeep Jam has an agreement with the town to continue the event this year, Aug. 25-28, and Fleetwood said Berlin would also host a fireworks celebration, on July 3, at Berlin Falls.
The town had previously said it hoped the park would be open for “passive use,” including walking and hiking, later this spring.