Talk of growth, the importance of trees and the need for commercial design guidelines highlighted a recent comprehensive plan meeting in Berlin.
Main Street in Berlin
File photo
By Charlene Sharpe, Associate Editor
Talk of growth, the importance of trees and the need for commercial design guidelines highlighted a recent comprehensive plan meeting in Berlin.
The Berlin Planning Commission met last week to continue the ongoing review of the municipality’s comprehensive plan. Along with regular meetings the second Wednesday of the month, the commission has been meeting to review the comprehensive plan on the fourth Wednesday.
One of the first issues the group tackled last week was growth. Commission member Ron Cascio said he felt there was plenty of room for infill development in Berlin. That type of development, which would target vacant or underused properties, would involve land already within the town’s corporate limits.
“We want to grow from within,” Cascio said. “We know we have a number of areas to do that.”
He said property along the railroad tracks, for example, was underutilized. He said some of the land near the tracks was already developed with tall buildings. In situations like that, he believes the town should upzone. If the zoning was changed, a property could continue to operate the way it did now but would have more future development potential, Cascio said.
Planning Director Dave Engelhart said the town had upzoned the old Southern States building that is now set to become a brewery. He said a question for the commission though was how they’d incentivize land owners to further develop a property.
Cascio said their property would be worth more. He added that infill development would make the town more walkable and bikeable.
Another issue discussed was the need for design guidelines. Engelhart said the commission was already responsible for approval of all architectural elements. He said that when the commission met with Wawa officials, they made it clear they didn’t like the design but weren’t able to offer the developer input on what they’d like changed.
“Nobody wanted to step up to the plate,” he said.
Engelhart indicated he was surprised by that because the commission in the past had requested changes of other franchise establishments. He referenced the Auto Zone, Arby’s, Royal Farms and Dollar General.
Cascio said the commission hadn’t been able to provide input because the town didn’t have design guidelines. Commission member Chris Denny said if the developer had come in with a few different options, the commission would have been able to select one. Engelhart pointed out the Wawa had come for site plan approval, not concept approval.
“There wasn’t that intermediate step of a concept,” he said. “I want you to show it to them first so you don’t waste all your energy and architect dollars now.”
He added that the town’s special projects coordinator was expected to help him develop some commercial design guidelines. In the meantime, Wawa developers are expected to return to the commission March 27 with updated renderings.
The commission in March is also expected to consider plans for a Microtel that has been proposed for land near the intersection of Franklin Avenue and Route 113. Engelhart said that was slated for discussion March 13.