BERLIN– The town’s Planning Commission last Wednesday approved measures that could bring plans for a new hotel and a convenience store closer to fruition.
The commission voted to send a pair of projects – one a 40-room Cobblestone Hotel and the other a Royal Farms store – to the Berlin Mayor and Town Council for approval.
The prospective hotel, which would go on two parcels of land on the northwest corner of North Main Street and Route 50, needs a zoning change.
“It’s zoned industrial and they wanted to get it downzoned to a B-2 shopping district, which allows for hotels and motels,” said Planning Director Dave Engelhart. “I understand their intention is to put a hotel or a motel there. I don’t know that it’s Cobblestone, but the Cobblestone man was there for the meeting, so that would tell you something.”
Phil Houck and his wife own the property, which does not have a formal address. Houck is represented by Mark Cropper.
The commission’s second order of business included moving an Arby’s to make room for the new Royal Farms.
“There are two parcels there and what (owner Stephen Black) would like to do is have us do an annexation and put that in the town so he can hook up to our wastewater,” Engelhart said. “His plan would be then to demolish the Arby’s, put a Royal Farms there, and then put another Arby’s on the westerly side of the parcel closer to Salisbury.”
The current Arby’s is located at Friendship Road and Route 50 across from Stephen Decatur High School.
In order to swap locations, the town would have to include the project in the growth area of its comprehensive plan.
“(Black) came to the planning commission and requested that they agree to amend the plan to add that territory,” Engelhart said.
Annexation of the property would remove it from the jurisdiction of Worcester County government for land use purposes and place it officially within the corporate limits of Berlin, allowing use of town utilities and adding both stores to the tax base.
The mayor and council could vote on both measures during their regular meeting on Monday.
“I’m working on that now,” said Engelhart. “The mayor and council will get a letter signed by the chair of the planning commission that says they passed a motion to recommend these to the mayor and council and then the mayor and council take it under consideration and vote.”
Engelhart said the commission would tackle implementing townwide commercial design standards during the next meeting on Nov. 12.
The commission voted to send a pair of projects – one a 40-room Cobblestone Hotel and the other a Royal Farms store – to the Berlin Mayor and Town Council for approval.
The prospective hotel, which would go on two parcels of land on the northwest corner of North Main Street and Route 50, needs a zoning change.
“It’s zoned industrial and they wanted to get it downzoned to a B-2 shopping district, which allows for hotels and motels,” said Planning Director Dave Engelhart. “I understand their intention is to put a hotel or a motel there. I don’t know that it’s Cobblestone, but the Cobblestone man was there for the meeting, so that would tell you something.”
Phil Houck and his wife own the property, which does not have a formal address. Houck is represented by Mark Cropper.
The commission’s second order of business included moving an Arby’s to make room for the new Royal Farms.
“There are two parcels there and what (owner Stephen Black) would like to do is have us do an annexation and put that in the town so he can hook up to our wastewater,” Engelhart said. “His plan would be then to demolish the Arby’s, put a Royal Farms there, and then put another Arby’s on the westerly side of the parcel closer to Salisbury.”
The current Arby’s is located at Friendship Road and Route 50 across from Stephen Decatur High School.
In order to swap locations, the town would have to include the project in the growth area of its comprehensive plan.
“(Black) came to the planning commission and requested that they agree to amend the plan to add that territory,” Engelhart said.
Annexation of the property would remove it from the jurisdiction of Worcester County government for land use purposes and place it officially within the corporate limits of Berlin, allowing use of town utilities and adding both stores to the tax base.
The mayor and council could vote on both measures during their regular meeting on Monday.
“I’m working on that now,” said Engelhart. “The mayor and council will get a letter signed by the chair of the planning commission that says they passed a motion to recommend these to the mayor and council and then the mayor and council take it under consideration and vote.”
Engelhart said the commission would tackle implementing townwide commercial design standards during the next meeting on Nov. 12.