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Berlin commercial design standards discussion tabled

(Nov. 24, 2016) All seven members of the Berlin Planning Commission were present on Nov. 9 in Town Hall to go over a new set of commercial design standards.
The discussion did not last long, as the commission decided to shelve talks until the county finalized its own standards update.
Planning Director Dave Engelhart said the county document was being updated because the current standards were seen as ineffective and not friendly to businesses.
According to Engelhart, a task force of county staff and citizen stakeholders was developing an updated draft that could be released later this month.
Before adjourning, the commission briefly worked from a draft of new standards prepared a year ago by commission member Pete Cosby. That included plenty of discussion on minutiae – use of the word “must” instead of “shall” – as well as procedures for issuing certificates of occupancy and how to safeguard against an overabundance of administrative waivers, which is apparently a frequent complaint of the county standards.
Cosby asked about closing potential loopholes that might occur between the Berlin Historic District Commission findings and those of the planning commission. Engelhart told the commission he would look into it.
Following up on a suggestion Engelhart made at the previous planning meeting. Chairman Chris Denny got no response when he asked if three members of the commission wanted to work on a subcommittee to develop the Berlin standards.
Cosby moved to adjourn until the commission could get a look at the county draft, and a unanimous vote ended the meeting.
The Berlin Planning Commission will reconvene on Wednesday, Dec. 14 at 6 p.m. in town hall.