The Development & Government Relations subcommittee recommended approval Tuesday of a one-year special permit for a home-based accounting business operated by Amanda Garcia at 25 Breton Lane in Holyoke.

The committee voted by voice to send the application to the full City Council with restrictions: no exterior signage and weekday hours limited to 9 a.m.–4 p.m., with limited Saturday hours during tax season (January 1–April 15). The committee recorded the recommendation by a voice vote of ayes.

The permit hearing drew comment from neighbors and two kinds of committee attention: letters of support from nearby residents, and councilors who said earlier complaints about unusual activity at the address warranted clarification. Amanda Garcia told the committee she lives at the property and described the business as an accounting firm with mostly remote employees. She said “I have 1 full time employee that comes to the office,” plus occasional part-time visitors and remote staff located in other states.

Councilors cited two recurring issues during the discussion: parking in a narrow driveway and occasional storage or movement of tools related to other properties owned by the Garcias. Councilor Bartley said the primary neighborhood concern at earlier hearings had been vehicle traffic and the presence of stored equipment, not the accounting work itself. Bartley said the subcommittee typically limits home-occupation permits and asked that the permit be treated as a one-year authorization subject to annual review.

Amanda Garcia provided three letters of neighbor support, which the committee read into the record; signatories said the business operates “in a low impact manner” and that they had not experienced noise or traffic problems. Garcia said she provided a form neighbors could sign because some residents lack printers or internet access.

Committee members discussed parking practice described by Garcia: the driveway fits about two cars and residents said they park on an adjacent side street when needed to avoid blocking driveways. The applicant said most in-person client interactions are scheduled by appointment and that most client work is remote or involves document drop-offs.

The motion approved by the subcommittee included the restrictions read into the record (no signage; hours 9 a.m.–4 p.m. Monday–Friday; Saturdays during tax season, January 1–April 15, 9 a.m.–2 p.m.). The committee will forward the recommendation for approval to the full City Council.

The committee noted it would monitor compliance and that the permit is subject to appeal and annual review, consistent with the subcommittee’s usual practice for home-occupation licenses.