Business Permit Modified to Allow Attleboro School Bus Parking

Attleboro school district bus contractor H&L Bloom can continue to park its vehicles at the Pleasant Auto Center lot, the Zoning Board of Appeals determined Thursday night. When not in use, the buses have been stored there since early September, in violation of Pleasant Auto's city permit.

The ZBA voted 4-0 to modify the permit to allow school bus parking.

This reporter was the only person in the audience when the decision was made, which was a sharp contrast to the makeup of the room during last month's public hearing on the issue. More than half the City Council spoke at the hearing in favor of modifying the permit and praised Pleasant Auto owner Cindy Karol.

The ZBA also heard last month from other supporters as well as Karol and her lawyer. Additional speakers included permit modification opponent Brenda Haskell and her attorney. Haskell previously held the bus contract with the school district and owns property near Pleasant Auto. She and her lawyer said her being the former bus contractor had nothing to do with her opposition.

Conditions were set on the permit modification. Buses cannot be fueled on-site during late-night and early-morning hours, and when fueling takes place, it must be done on a six-inch berm. Karol must submit a fuel spill response plan to the Fire Department.

Attleboro Patch will have more information on this story soon.