Reviewers raise safety and stormwater concerns over proposal to house 36 school buses on Industrial Drive

Town reviewers and board members raised a raft of operational and site-plan concerns after hearing a presentation about a school-bus operator’s proposal to base roughly 36 buses at a vacant 9,000-square-foot building on Industrial Drive.

Board members said the current plan — which included a lot-line adjustment and a gravel vehicle circulation and parking area — did not show adequate paved maneuvering or parking for buses and employees, presented snow-storage challenges and could increase tracked-out mud and leachate on Industrial Drive and 17M.

Why it matters: School-bus depots introduce concentrated heavy-vehicle operations, early-morning routing and onsite fueling/refueling activity. Without paved aprons, stable pavement and a defined refueling layout, town reviewers warned the proposed intensity risks operational problems, safety conflicts and stormwater contamination.

Key points from the discussion - Scale and parking: The applicant’s plan shows room for 36 buses on-site; the presenter noted a figure of about 40 had been discussed previously. Reviewers said employee parking and vehicle circulation were not adequately addressed: the plan relied on an informal “bus-for-car” swap for employee parking, which several reviewers called impractical. - Paving and ground stability: Much of the proposed yard is presently gravel or soft fill. Planning members said gravel in high-use bus areas will rut, develop potholes and require frequent maintenance; several reviewers said they saw no practical alternative short of asphalt surfacing for the main bus circulation and parking areas. - Snow removal and storage: The board asked where snow would be stored during winter operations; reviewers said the site lacks space to store plowed snow without reducing parking or pushing snow onto the public right-of-way. - Fueling capacity and logistics: The plans show a proposed 600-gallon diesel tank for on-site refueling; reviewers said that size is unlikely to support rapid refueling of 30-plus buses and questioned the refueling procedure in a tightly congested yard. - Stormwater and impervious area: The plan currently reports low impervious coverage (building only), but reviewers said compacted, heavily trafficked gravel becomes effectively impervious and recommended a stormwater plan that assumes greater impervious surface and includes wheel-wash or sweeping measures to prevent material tracking to the street. - Safety and access: The Industrial Drive approach from 17M has existing congestion and steep grades in places. Reviewers asked for a traffic routing analysis showing typical bus departure routes and turning maneuvers, and for confirmation that fire and emergency vehicles can access all fueling and refueling points.

Requested information and next steps The board asked the applicant to: provide a realistic employee-parking plan (including off-site shuttle options if needed), show a paved apron or other durable surface for high-turnover areas, clarify the refueling layout and tank sizing and provide a detailed snow removal and stormwater-management plan. The planning board will revisit the application once those items are submitted.

Context and background The building under consideration formerly housed appliance repair and sits in an industrial zone. The applicant said some buses serve neighboring school districts (the presentation referenced Chester and Florida) and that some buses would perform maintenance on-site. The board noted nearby industrial uses and said the location is appropriate for heavy vehicle operations in principle, but only if the site is engineered to handle the intended intensity.