Neighbors voice opposition to truck service business

SAUGUS – Precinct 10 residents who have had enough of an industrialized neighborhood are pushing back on a business proposed for the Salem Turnpike that will service tank trailers.The Tremcar Service Center USA owner appeared before the Board of Selectmen last week to request a special permit for “light manufacturing of and repair and servicing of tank trailers.”Owner Daniel Tremblay explained that his business, which has locations in Canada and Ohio, would not be manufacturing on site but would be mounting tanks made elsewhere onto trucks. He estimated three to five trucks would be coming and going every day.?There?s a lot of things going on in Precinct 10,” said Selectman Debra Panetta. “This is going to be very close to the neighborhood.”Precinct 10 Town Meeting member Peter Manoogian said his involvement on the waterfront district zoning overlay plan led him to believe that the vision of his constituents was a less industrialized area. “The vision does not include more trucks,” said Manoogian.Pamela Harris, a lifelong Precinct 10 resident, was one such constituent. “We started to envision businesses down there that would be conducive to a residential area,” said Harris. She also shared concerns on what a business like Tremcar would do for the marshlands in the area. Panetta shared a similar concern, pointing to Tremcar?s environmental code violations at its Ohio location.Former selectmen chairman and Precinct 10 resident Michael Serino said he was concerned about noise and odor after the RESCO plant proved to be a nuisance. “I couldn?t even stay out in my yard down there last year. It was horrible,” said Serino.?Our neighborhood has been through a lot down there,” said Serino.Resident Rick Fail, Serino and Manoogian all felt that Tremcar?s request to decrease the dumpster permit from 50 to 20 dumpsters was odd and led them to believe that the site would be used for more than the owner was proposing.Selectman Maureen Dever pointed out to the residents that the board could not enforce zoning violations. “What we have in front of us tonight is a privately owned piece of property with existing S2 permits, asking for a modification,” she reminded them.The board agreed to continue the hearing until their next meeting on April 22.