Berlin ZBA Upholds Ruling That West Street Electrical Business Is Prohibited Contractor Yard

Zoning Board · Meeting of July 8, 2026

Berlin Zoning Board unanimously upholds ban on proposed electrical contractor yard at 225 West Street. The board voted 6-0 at its July 8 meeting to affirm Building Commissioner's determination that William Tracy's plan to operate his 16-employee electrical contracting business at 225 West Street constitutes a contractor yard, a use prohibited in Berlin's Commercial Village district. Attorney Michael Larkin argued the property had functioned as a commercial warehouse and multi-tenant site for over 30 years, citing a 1998 special permit, a 2000 approval, and tenant leases dating to 2001, and offered multiple alternative legal theories to justify approval.

Vice Chair Jim Royer read aloud the town's definition of a contractor yard and asked whether it described the proposed use; the board concluded it did. Neighbors Nancy Mulroy and Lisa Spinney said they had no objection to Tracy's business specifically but opposed an unrestricted contractor yard designation near residences abutting North Brook. Chair Lynn Ryan directed Tracy and his attorney to the Planning Board, which is currently rewriting the town's zoning bylaws and has acknowledged the commercial village contractor yard provision has been "a sore for a long time."

In the full story:

• Background and stakes
• The question before the board
• Substantive content
• The deliberation
• Procedural steps and outcome
• Implications
• The complete report — 2,693 words

Source: the Zoning Board meeting of July 8, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.