(April 17, 2026) Efforts to revitalize an abandoned industrial property in Berlin are continuing — for now — after municipal leaders complied with the developer’s request for more time to establish property line details and finalize building permits, environmental procedures and transportation processes.
Developer Palmer Gillis, who formed Coastal Venture Properties LLC with his wife, Sandy, to redevelop the former Tyson Foods property at Heron Park, warned last week that they would abandon the deal with the town if the town refuses to grant him an unconditional extension on its initial study period by April 20.
And on Monday night, Gillis almost made good on that promise.
About a year ago, Coastal Venture Properties entered into an arrangement with the municipality to buy the town-owned site known as parcel 57 for $1.2 million. The idea was Coastal Venture would transform the long-blighted property into a usable commercial space for residents and visitors.
Gillis says the endeavor has been stalled due to conflicts between him and the municipality. Gillis, who came before the Berlin Planning Commission last week despite not being listed on the agenda, complained that property lines for parcel 57 have yet to be determined and that his attempts to meet with town leaders and staff to resolve these differences have been denied.
Still, while Gillis threatened to terminate the purchase contract, the redevelopment initiative has, at least for now, been salvaged after the Berlin Town Council voted unanimously on Monday to grant the developer a year-long extension.
The extra time will allow Gillis to complete the project’s study period, which will include navigating the Worcester County Soil Conservation processes, working with the Maryland Department of Transportation, and obtaining building permits.
Under the extension, Gillis will have the right to walk away from the purchase and receive his $100,000 deposit back until April 2027.
The town and CVP may also utilize the 12 months to agree upon clear boundary lines, an issue that both parties say has been delaying the project’s timeline.
On Monday, Berlin Mayor Zack Tyndall explained the town’s side of the administrative holdup. According to Tyndall, who presented an extensive document to the public, Gillis requested twice to push back parcel 57’s north boundary, which the municipality agreed to accommodate. The developer asked for the most recent property line adjustment in February, which was approved by the Town Council in March.
CVP argues that since the northern line was green-lit, a plat has yet to be recorded. A recognized plat would allow the project to secure a construction loan and move the development further along.
Mark Cropper, Gillis’ legal representative, spoke on the developer’s behalf on Monday. He noted that the construction loan would likely come to $25 million to $30 million.
“He can’t even make an application for a construction loan because there still isn’t a final agreement on what he’s acquiring, what all the property adjustments are going to be,” Cropper said. “We have yet to see a preliminary subdivision plat, even a draft of one, even though you indicated [engineering firm Davis, Bowen & Friedel] is in the process of preparing it.”
Gillis has also requested that the land he acquires include .35 acres of the parcel’s easterly boundary, which currently abuts another portion of the property known as parcel 410.
At this week’s meeting, Councilman Jack Orris made a motion to grant the stretch of land to CVP. The action failed due to a lack of a second.
Tyndall said that the town is willing to negotiate the .35 acres with Gillis, but that the town’s engineering consultants are determining how much of the land could be incorporated into the sellable plat.
“We have the engineers working on making sure whatever we put in documentation and approval, actually can be recorded and is clear and understandable,” the mayor said. “…We now have 12 months, so we will do our best to get it done as quickly as possible.”
For his part, Cropper said that the stalled plat determination could be easily resolved with an in-person meeting between municipal leaders and staff and CVP. However, requests for a sit-down talk have not yet been granted, despite months of attempts, Cropper said.
“[Gillis] has been trying to get a meeting with you, mayor, and your planning staff since Nov. 18,” Cropper said, addressing Tyndall. “As of today, it still hasn’t happened. Not because of [Gillis], not because of his availability or mine, but because of you and your planning staff.”
Cropper added that Gillis’ primary reason for the 12-month study extension is that he hopes to settle the boundary-line debate, among other issues and process requirements, through a proper conversation among all parties.
“You want a reason why he wants a 12-month extension?” Cropper said. “That’s it…[Gillis] didn’t think it would take over six months to get a meeting with you and the planning staff…I could have shown up this evening, probably with 30 pages of emails between [Gillis], you, and the planning staff, where he’s been requesting those meetings and they’ve never been agreed to…And quite honestly, he doesn’t have much confidence that in the next six months, he’ll be further down the line.”
Cropper said that Gillis, who is out of the country for the next few weeks, provided him with a termination letter to submit to the council if the 12-month extension was not granted this week.
Ultimately, the Town Council unanimously voted to move the project forward.
“The bottom line is if he submits that letter, there is no Plan B to what happens to this property,” Councilman Jay Knerr said. Knerr made the motion to offer the unrestricted extension.
Councilman Steve Green, who seconded the motion, added, “I know what we’re looking at right now is pretty firm. It’s more important to me that we keep this process moving forward than that letter being delivered tonight.”
Monday night’s meeting included passionate public comments. Berlin residents urged the municipality to remain committed to the sale of parcel 57 and accommodate Gillis in his efforts to revitalize the blighted property.
“This is ludicrous, this is a $1.2 million deal…I don’t care what you do, you get it done,” said Gina Velong.
Citizen Jeff Auxer was also in attendance Monday night, where he maintained that the sale of parcel 57 is in the best interests of the town and its residents.
“Whatever it takes to have this done, it needs to be done, and it needs to be done timely because he’s not going to sit around and wait…I don’t think there is anybody who doesn’t want this to happen,” he noted. “The responsibility [of the council] is to get this done.”
Some expressed concerns that the purchase agreement was entered into without a clear understanding of the boundaries of parcel 57.
“What is plat 57?” Ray Jenkins asked. “You still will not give a definition. You keep on saying ‘an idea’.”
Tyndall responded, arguing that “we know what 57 approximately is.”
“The reason I say that…it’s not just the Town of Berlin that doesn’t know what 57 is. What we are looking to do is mutually agree on what is going to be sold,” he continued.
The mayor also addressed what he believes is the narrative that the Town of Berlin is responsible for the project’s issues.
“There is what’s being painted in the public’s mind as the town not wanting to work with the developer, which is not true. We share a mutual goal of seeing this redeveloped…I believe it is being used as a negotiation tactic by CVP.”
However, Jenkins shot back that that type of rhetoric is “adversarial” and counterproductive to facilitating a smooth deal.
Additionally, Cropper maintained that Gillis is looking to come before the planning commission for preliminary site plan approval. Cropper reiterated that CVP has been unable to present to the body because the mayor will not sign the application.
Tyndall responded that he does not have the authorization “to write my name on a piece of paper that includes something that the Town Council has not agreed to sell.”
Despite the back-and-forth, Cropper expressed Gillis’ desire to come before the planning commission in the near future, “for the planning commission to give general comments that will then be reflected later once all the details are ironed out.”
Following Monday night’s meeting, Gillis shared a message on Facebook thanking the Town Council for opting to move the project forward.
“Like all of you, we share a common goal—to see this long-vacant property transformed into something truly special that reflects the spirit and charm of Berlin,” the message reads.
“We appreciate the leadership of Mayor Zack Tyndall and the Council in working through a complex process and ultimately coming together in support of moving this project forward…over the next 6-12 months, we look forward to working collaboratively with town leadership and the community to bring this vision to life—creating jobs, new opportunities, and a vibrant destination that everyone can be proud of.”