(Aug. 25, 2016) Last year, the possibility of annexing the Bay Club into Berlin became a somewhat sore subject for the Berlin mayor and council.
Apparently, a proposal was on the table to turn all or a portion of the golf course into a development of 300 luxury homes. Mayor Gee Williams said Hugh Cropper, an attorney representing the Carl M. Freeman Companies, which own the property, made that presentation to town officials.
Two councilmembers, Thom Gulyas and Lisa Hall, were outspoken opponents of the idea, with Hall in particular worrying that the town was expanding too much.
“We’ve doubled our size in 10 years and we have a lot of growing pains and we’ve made a lot of errors,” she said at the time.
During a mayor and council meeting on Monday, an entirely different proposal was brought up.
“We have been told … that the Bay Club was considering a campground and that they’re very close to going to the Worcester County Board of Appeals,” Williams said.
Williams then said he received a call from Cropper that suggested talks were “way premature.”
“He basically said … we haven’t even decided what to do with the property yet. That’s one of the options they’re considering,” Williams said.
The mayor sent a letter to Cropper on Monday confirming that, during their discussion, Cropper had “pledged to make a presentation at an open session of the mayor and council at such time as the owners of the property have made a decision on what kind of development they wish to seek for approval by the town or the county.”
The letter continued that Cropper had stated, “the Berlin mayor and council will receive a presentation about any proposed re-development plan for The Bay Club, prior to any procedural filings.”
A letter signed by Cropper, also dated Monday, Aug. 22, stated that Williams’ letter “accurately memorialized our conversation. I have committed to a presentation at an open session at the Berlin Mayor and Council prior to any filings.”
The town council unanimously approved the letter, which will also be sent to the Worcester County Commissioners.
Apparently, a proposal was on the table to turn all or a portion of the golf course into a development of 300 luxury homes. Mayor Gee Williams said Hugh Cropper, an attorney representing the Carl M. Freeman Companies, which own the property, made that presentation to town officials.
Two councilmembers, Thom Gulyas and Lisa Hall, were outspoken opponents of the idea, with Hall in particular worrying that the town was expanding too much.
“We’ve doubled our size in 10 years and we have a lot of growing pains and we’ve made a lot of errors,” she said at the time.
During a mayor and council meeting on Monday, an entirely different proposal was brought up.
“We have been told … that the Bay Club was considering a campground and that they’re very close to going to the Worcester County Board of Appeals,” Williams said.
Williams then said he received a call from Cropper that suggested talks were “way premature.”
“He basically said … we haven’t even decided what to do with the property yet. That’s one of the options they’re considering,” Williams said.
The mayor sent a letter to Cropper on Monday confirming that, during their discussion, Cropper had “pledged to make a presentation at an open session of the mayor and council at such time as the owners of the property have made a decision on what kind of development they wish to seek for approval by the town or the county.”
The letter continued that Cropper had stated, “the Berlin mayor and council will receive a presentation about any proposed re-development plan for The Bay Club, prior to any procedural filings.”
A letter signed by Cropper, also dated Monday, Aug. 22, stated that Williams’ letter “accurately memorialized our conversation. I have committed to a presentation at an open session at the Berlin Mayor and Council prior to any filings.”
The town council unanimously approved the letter, which will also be sent to the Worcester County Commissioners.