By Tara Fischer

Staff Writer

Developers for the proposed Microtel Inn and Suites by Wyndham received the approval they needed last week to continue moving forward.

In what was at least the fourth appearance before the body in the last year, the Microtel representatives presented a revised concept plan to the Berlin Planning Commission once again, incorporating building enhancement suggestions made by the town’s advisory group at last month’s project meeting. The updated elevations were approved, with a few modifications.

Microtel team members met with the Berlin Planning Commission on Wednesday, Nov. 13, when they presented new elements added to the hotel’s exterior, including an awning above the first-floor windows on the building’s brick portion, a canopy that comes out of the stair exit over to the pool entry, and a small awning over the rear lobby door.

 The revised elements consist of planters between windows, brick on the porte-cochère’s support columns that extend to the top, ornate cornices on the porte-cochère matching those on the property’s brick area, and a modified porte-cochère connector that resembles the less ornate cornice at the top of the structure.

The design was updated with a darkened, brownish Hardie lap siding rather than the yellowish color in the previous plan. Brick was also added underneath the glass storefront to wrap around the entire window line.

The planning commission approved the modified design unanimously, with a few tweaks. Rather than incorporating brick underneath the window line, the group suggested that the developers switch the proposed material to panel for a more traditional and cost-effective structure, eliminate the awning on the Hardie lap siding near the pool, and instead wrap the front’s remaining canopy around so it is continuous on the building’s brickwork, and do away with the porte-cochère’s ornate cornices. Despite disagreements in the past, the Microtel team was receptive to the advisory committee’s recommendations.

When the applicants went before the Planning Commission earlier this year, the two groups struggled to agree on the hotel’s elevations. The town’s representatives argued that the building must resemble downtown Berlin. A few on the commission described the original concept as a “computer box,” lacking any of the historic municipality’s charm. At the same time, the Microtel team fought back, saying that they could not create a structure without clear guidelines, as the city lacked design standards to which they could refer to for specific guidance.

“Looking at the current plan, it doesn’t work for me,” Commissioner Pete Cosby told the developers at a July meeting. “The colors, the architecture, it just doesn’t work.”

Now, the parties have reached a consensus on Microtel’s aesthetics. Upon initial feedback in the spring and summer that the structure was not adequate for Berlin, the developers added Victorian lamp posts, brick, mature trees, and cornices to match the old-time vibe of the town. At the Nov. 13 meeting, the groups continued working together to create the best possible structure. Applicant Athon Zambetis from A&M Properties acknowledged that the compromise has improved the project overall and that they are satisfied with the revised elevations.

“The cooperation and collaboration helped me at the end with the, ‘I like this,’ ‘I don’t like this,’ ‘we can agree for the most part on this,’” he said. “One person may have a differing opinion, but if you all come to a collective agreement on something, that gives us so much to go back with.”

The Microtel is a proposed four-story, 78-unit hotel on the east side of Route 113, near Franklin Avenue, across from Berlin Intermediate School. Since it was initially presented to the planning commission in March, the structure has caused a stir among Berlin business owners and residents.

Applicant Tom Zambetis told commissioners at the spring meeting that, given the occupancy rates at the West Ocean City location and the trafficked area of Route 113, he saw a need for another building that could accommodate visitors, this time in Berlin.

Some residents argued that the proposed placement was an issue. Councilwoman Shaneka Nichols, who attended the March planning commission meeting, said that the building was near her house and that she doesn’t think “that location is a safe spot.” Council Vice President Dean Burrell also spoke critical of the hotel’s site selection.

Still, the developers have continued to return to the commission with upgrades as recommended. With the aforementioned modifications, the elevations were approved by the municipality’s advisory group on Nov. 13. An official concept approval and the green lighting of site plans will come later as more details are provided and a planning director is hired and established into the current vacant role. Final site plans cannot be confirmed, given a temporary moratorium that has stalled specific actions of the planning commission until the position left by Dave Engelhart, the former planning director who passed away in April, is filled.