On July 9, the Zoning Commission heard input from both the public and the principals in the school building projects on the proposed location of the school bus parking area. After discussion, the Commission voted unanimously to deny the proposal.
The original proposal put forth by the Board of Education, the Permanent Building Committee, and contractors JCJ Architecture and Langan Engineering was to construct a screened-off parking area on the current Consolidated School property. Consolidated School is scheduled to be demolished as part of the Consolidated Early Learning Academy (CELA) project, which will be an addition to the current Meeting House Hill School. The bus parking area would be moved from MHHS and placed on the Consolidated School property.
However, when the plan was brought before the Zoning Commission earlier this year, there was a large public outcry at the meeting. Residents, particularly those across from the proposed bus entrance/exit onto Ball Pond Road, complained bitterly about the increased traffic, noise, diesel fumes, pollution, potential bus maintenance and fueling performed on site or nearby, and lighting. Most were of the opinion that alternative sites should be looked at, such as at the town drop-off site or the high school. All wanted to keep the residential look and feel of the neighborhood.
A group of eight Ball Pond Road households went so far as to retain attorney Ray Lubus to argue their cause before the Commission.
The Commission tasked the BoE and PBC to look at alternative locations and return to present an updated plan. They did so. However at a Zoning Commission meeting on June 9, they continued to propose the Consolidated School location, saying placing it elsewhere was not logistically or financially feasible.
In a letter submitted by Attorney Lubus to the Commission and read at the August 9 meeting, he outlined the permit history of the parcel located at 302 Ball Pond Road. He reminded the Commission that certain conditions had to be met in order for the project to become eligible under the current zoning special permit regulations.
In his letter, Mr. Lubus also noted that a previous permit application for use of a portion of the fire department parking lot for Hart bus parking was not approved by the Commission.
Mr. Lubus also reiterated that there was a proposal to locate the bus parking lot at the high school, which the Board of Education and Permanent Building Committee did not adopt due to the extra cost involved. It was the contention of the BoE that the extra cost would detract from educational facilities incorporated into the Consolidated Early Learning Center. In denying the proposal, the Commission members cited various reasons, including the feeling that the project was not compatible with the overall neighborhood, nor with the zoning regulations and uses for the area.
By Greg Slomba