Planning commission approves 66.75‑acre Berlin Station RPUD after residents raise drainage, traffic and buffer concerns

The Delaware City Planning Commission voted unanimously to recommend approval of RPUD25‑11, a request by Berlin Station Road, LTD to rezone about 66.75 acres east of Berlin Station Road to Residential Planned Unit Development (RPUD). The commission made the recommendation at its Sept. 3 meeting and set the next step as a first reading at city council; council will set a public hearing for Sept. 22.

The request covers land that was annexed into the city in 2024 and lies within the Southeast Focus Area, sub‑area 1. Under the proposed RPUD the site would permit single‑family and two‑family residential uses and public or private recreational facilities. Staff said the maximum density allowed by the focus‑area guidance is 4 dwelling units per acre, and that actual buildout is likely to be lower. Planning staff recommended approval with conditions that include preserving existing good‑condition boundary trees, providing a mound and planting along the eastern railroad boundary, installing a 10‑foot multiuse path on Berlin Station Road, requiring five‑foot sidewalks on internal streets, and completing an approved traffic impact study (TIS) before any development plan is considered.

Why it matters: the parcel borders existing township residences and an active railroad; residents and commissioners focused on stormwater drainage, buffering, traffic safety and how annexation and sewer extension would affect neighbors and county infrastructure.

Residents who live adjacent to the proposed site urged the commission to press…