SPRINGFIELD – With the neighborhood signing off on a proposal to install a new 5,000-gallon diesel tank at the Peter Pan Bus Lines garage, the company will soon be able to resume fueling its vehicles on site and at a lower cost.
The City Council voted 13-0 last week to allow the long-standing business to put in an above ground diesel tank at its 11 Liberty St. garage.
The petition for a fuel storage permit was relatively routine, especially since there were two underground tanks that held more than three times the amount of fuel at the site until 2018. More recently there was a temporary 500-gallon tank at the site. But the lack of neighborhood input sparked a long City Council debate last month and ended up delaying the vote until residents could be consulted.
Recently, officials for Peter Pan Bus Lines and Fire Chief Bernard J. Calvi met with members of the Metro Center Association to address any concerns and explain both the plan and federal safety measures they are required to take.
“We left the meeting satisfied that this will not adversely affect the neighborhood and would help ensure Peter Pan’s viability,” Betsy Johnson, president of the association, wrote in a letter to the City Council last week.
Frank Fitzgerald II, vice president of Opal Real Estate Group who was representing Peter Pan Bus Lines, explained the company was hoping to install the tank as soon as possible since the company recently removed the temporary tank.
The company’s only option now is to fuel buses at a gas station, which is inefficient and more expensive because it is paying retail rather than wholesale prices, he said.
While city regulations do not require businesses applying for fuel storage permits to meet with the neighborhood associations, the City Council grappled with balancing the need to get input from residents with the idea of fast-tracking approvals for a long-standing company that backs local causes.
City Councilor Maria Perez, who represents the Metro Center area, pushed for an informational meeting before the fuel tanks were approved saying the residents should at least have a chance to discuss safety concerns and any negative impacts the tanks could bring.
When the community is included in decisions, it brings a more a positive outcome, Perez said just before last week’s vote.
Other councilors agreed after reviewing the letter and speaking with Fitzgerald.
“I’m thrilled that you were able to meet very quickly with the Metro Center (Association) and resolve this,” City Councilor Victor Davila said. “It is important for the neighborhood to be heard and I’m glad this is a good outcome. I wish you the best success.”
