By Morgan Pilz, Staff Writer

(Jan. 30, 2020) After two more weeks of deliberation, a convenient loading zone for parcel and mail delivery trucks in downtown Berlin, as well as two designated 15-minute parking spots, were approved by the Berlin mayor and town council on Monday night.

By Morgan Pilz
The Berlin mayor and town council approved a postal service loading and unloading zone on the south end of Pitt Street as well as two designated 15-minute parking spots on Commerce Street during the town meeting on Monday.

Economic and Community Development Director Ivy Wells suggested the to the council on Monday, Jan. 13,  that creating a postal and parcel service-only loading and unloading zone on Pitt Street would eliminate the traffic hazards the big box trucks often create.

The problem has been that delivery vehicles from FedEx, UPS, the postal service and other services will often stop in the middle of the street to drop off a package, thus blocking other traffic.

“I have been working on this for the last several years, trying to figure out a place where our UPS and FedEx trucks could park and handcart some of their goods wherever they need to go,” Wells said during the Jan. 13 meeting. “I’ve seen UPS trucks and FedEx trucks literally stop in the middle of Main Street, and then there’s a line of cars that can’t get by.”

Wells said this zone would not be for food service trucks that deliver early in the mornings or for drivers unloading supplies for the nearby antique stores. She also assured the council it would not directly affect the horse-and-carriage rides that load up on that street.

Wells had been working with Berlin Police Chief Arnold Downing and a local UPS driver known only as Ethan to discuss potential locations for the zone, having previously considered Commerce Street next to Victorian Charm, though Pitt Street was ultimately chosen.

“After [Councilman Zack Tyndall] made a recommendation that we should look at another location, Jeff Fleetwood and I went and discussed that new area and spoke with our UPS driver who is in favor of that area,” Wells said. “I think that chief [Downing] was also brought into this as well. We have decided that would be an optimum place for our unloading zone.”

During the previous meeting, Councilman Dean Burrell had expressed some concern for people who might only need less than 15 minutes to run errands and taking away parking spots from those who need it.

“What consideration is being given to the public that just needs to come to use the ATM or run into the bank or run into Victorian Charm for five or 10 minutes?” he asked during the Jan. 13 meeting. “I do believe that there should be some consideration given to those folks that need those services just for a few minutes and provide some type of parking that is restricted by number of minutes for those folks.”

During this Monday’s meeting, Wells designated two parking spots behind Victorian Charm on Commerce Street to have 15-minute parking from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily.

During the meeting, there were some concerns from the audience regarding how the 15-minute parking will be enforced. Downing advised them to become part of the enforcement by calling to make complaints.

“We’re not going to go and time people … you have to call,” he said. “If you don’t call, it won’t happen. For example, if you have to go to the bank, the tellers are there and people are there to enforce it.”