Page 2 - planning-committee-packet

Agenda Item 3

Town of Berlin
Planning Commission
Wednesday, July 16, 2025
Meeting Minutes

Chairman Matt Stoehr called the Planning Commission meeting to order on July 16, 2025, at 5:30 PM. The
members present included Vice Chairman Austin Purnell, Pete Cosby, Erich Pfeffer, Steven Scheiber,
Janelle Gerthoffer, and Dirk Widdowson (arrived late). The member absent was Newt Chandler. The town
staff present included Acting Planning and Zoning Director Ryan Hardesty, Code Enforcement Officer
Chanita Lewis-Watson, and Special Projects Administrator Kate Daub.

Chairman Stoehr requested a motion to approve the agenda for the July 16, 2025, meeting. Mr. Purnell
made the motion, which Mr. Cosby seconded, and the Commission approved the agenda unanimously.

Next, Chairman Stoehr requested a motion to approve the minutes from the meeting held on June 11,
2025. Ms. Gerthoffer noted a minor correction regarding the spelling of her name, which was
acknowledged and corrected. Mr. Cosby moved to approve the minutes with corrections, and Ms.
Gerthoffer seconded the motion. All members approved the minutes unanimously.

Chairman Stoehr then proceeded to the election of officers. A motion was made by Mr. Purnell, seconded
by Mr. Cosby, and unanimously approved to re-elect Mr. Stoehr as Chairman. For the position of Vice
Chairman, Mr. Cosby nominated Mr. Purnell. Mr. Pfeffer seconded the motion, and it passed
unanimously.
Chairman Stoehr introduced Case PC-7-16-25-04, a concept site plan review for a property on Old Ocean
City Boulevard, which Burley Building Company had submitted. Before the presentation began, Mr.
Cosby disclosed that he had a prior relationship with the family of the applicant, Mr. Nate Reister, and
clarified that there was no conflict of interest.

Mr. Reister, serving as the acting president of Burley Building Company, stood to introduce the proposed
project. He began by explaining that his company, recognized for both historic restorations and new
construction across Worcester County and Delaware, was now seeking to establish a permanent
headquarters in Berlin. He said the new space would serve as a hub for operations, including shipping,
receiving, training, and staff housing, which he said would allow his company to stay rooted in the town.

He explained that the project stemmed from an original concept by Mr. Wyatt Harrison of Plak That,
which Burley Building Company had since adapted to meet their evolving needs. He described the
proposal as a multi-phase site development, with Phase 1 focused on constructing a rear building, rather
than the street-front portion, to function as the company’s new operational base.

A central feature of the plan, he noted, was the inclusion of employee housing on the second floor. He
indicated that the plan included four residential units with multiple bedrooms, specifically designed for
staff and apprentices. Mr. Reister emphasized the importance of offering safe, supportive housing for
young tradespeople, particularly those transitioning from school into full-time careers. He highlighted the
company’s active apprenticeship partnership with Worcester County Technical High School and
explained that the goal was to retain local talent by offering both housing and opportunities for
professional growth.

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