The elevations for the new Microtel Inn and Suites in Berlin presented in November were supported by the Berlin Planning Commission.

By Tara Fischer

Staff Writer

Opponents of the  Microtel Inn and Suites by Wyndham, planned for the east side of Route 113 near Franklin Avenue in Berlin, are collecting signatures on a petition to bolster their claim that the project would create a safety hazard.

The hotel, a planned four-story, 78-unit Microtel Inn and Suites, is to be built  in front of the early learning center Bundles of Joy University and the Healing Arts Center of the Eastern Shore, a spot that opponents say could lead to child safety risks, increased crime, exacerbated parking and traffic problems and more noise.

“Our primary concern is the safety, well-being and optimal learning environment for the young children who attend Bundles of Joy University and the individuals who attend the Healing Arts Center of the Eastern Shore,” reads a change.org petition Bundles of Joy Preschool Center Director Megan Smith started last week.

The online petition as of Wednesday afternoon had 330 signatures.

The petition argues motels bring “transient populations” to an area through their construction. The increase of these “unfamiliar individuals” could create security risks for the children and staff at Bundles of Joy University.

The petition cites the structure’s size, along with a rise in vehicle activity from Microtel staff, guests and deliveries, may also lead to car congestion, making it difficult for the families of the learning center’s students during pick-up and drop-off times. It also states that the hotel’s 24-hour operations would “disrupt the peaceful learning environment crucial for early childhood education.”

Critics of the Microtel claim motels are often linked to illegal activities like human trafficking and drug use.

“The proximity of such activity to a preschool is an unacceptable risk to our students,” the petition says.

Additionally, the online appeal expresses worry over increased waste and pollution associated with these kinds of buildings, which may negatively impact the surrounding neighborhood, including facilities like Berlin Intermediate School, located directly across the planned site, and Bundles of Joy.

Business performance was also listed as a potential casualty of the new hotel.

“Parents may feel uncomfortable sending their children to a preschool located directly behind a motel due to the … safety concerns, which could result in a decline in enrollment and affect Bundle of Joy University’s ability to operate successfully as it has for over the past 26 years,” the petition says.

The request formally asks officials to reconsider the placement of the proposed Microtel. The form writes that should construction move forward, it could set the precedent for future nonchild-friendly commercial development in the area. The opponents maintain that this act could ultimately risk changing the character of the neighborhood.

“We urge local officials to reconsider the zoning and placement of this motel and prioritize the well-being of our children and community,” the petition concludes. “Instead, we advocate for thoughtful development that aligns with the needs of families and preserves the integrity of our neighborhood.”

Smith said that she started the petition as a way to foster support for her mission, particularly for those unable to speak for themselves.

“I started the petition to give the voiceless a voice and advocate for the ones who need it the most, which is the students at my center,” she said. “I had been going back and forth with ideas of how to make our voices heard, and when they put up an updated sign last week advertising for the hotel, it was time. In less than two hours, I had over 100 signatures.”

Smith continued, arguing that the unknown guests checking into the hotel are a main concern. The potential for dangerous individuals so close to two facilities that serve juveniles, she said, is worrisome.

“My job is to ensure the safety and well-being of every child in my center,” Smith noted. “How am I supposed to do that with the potential of unknown threats this hotel will pose? What if a sex offender checks into the hotel? They have to be certain feet from a school at all times, and there is a school in front and a preschool behind.”

Since its proposal last March, the Microtel development has been the subject of ample controversy. While town leaders admit that Berlin needs a new hotel for travelers, residents and officials expressed concerns with the proposed location and the structure’s aesthetics.

At a meeting last March, where the proposal was initially presented, attendees struggled to accept the project presented to the planning commission.

Councilwoman Shaneka Nichols, who said she lived close to the suggested structure, resisted the Route 113 location.

“I just don’t think that location is a safe spot,” she said at the time.

Others worried that sex traffickers and predators could make up a portion of the hotel’s guests.

Chrissy Ehrhart, a Berlin resident who also operates Zenna Wellness near the proposed location, argued that potential 28-day stays permitted at the hotel could create a path for these types of unsafe situations.

Project representatives maintained that training and room checks would be completed often to ensure illicit or dangerous activities were not occurring.

The hotel’s exterior look was also heavily questioned during meetings last year. Berlin planning officials repeatedly criticized the drawings, arguing that the proposals were too standard and did not match the historical aesthetic of the community’s downtown.

Developers came before the planning committee in July, where the outlines were shot down, despite the addition of bricks at the facility’s entrance, an enclosure for the pool, cornices, Victorian-style lights, and mature trees to align with Berlin’s charm. These changes were labeled as insufficient.

However, in October, the Berlin Planning Commission and the Microtel Inn and Suites by Wyndham developers reached an agreement.

The revised outline included an authentic brick exterior, mature trees around the pool, cornices, plate glass storefronts, and other elements similar to the Victorian downtown area. More adjustments were made following the fall meeting, and with modifications, the elevations were approved by the municipality’s advisory group at a later gathering on Nov. 13.

Still, despite moves from developers and the Town of Berlin pushing the Microtel project along, some residents seek to halt the development. The petition had acquired 329 signatures as of Tuesday, March 11.

Smith maintained that she is not against this kind of facility. However, where her concern lies is with the location.

“Overall, I’m not opposed to a hotel,” she said. “I’m opposed to putting any of my students and their families’ safety at risk, which is what will happen if this hotel gets built in that location.”