By Theresa Knapp 

Hopedale Building Commissioner and Zoning Enforcement Officer Tim Aicardi says the zoning violations at Patriots Custom Auto and Costa Auto Group are being addressed. 

After a visit by the Massachusetts State Police on Jan. 3, Hopedale town officials were notified that two businesses were not in compliance with their Class II licenses. The Select Board is the town’s licensing authority. 

At the board’s meeting on Jan. 24, Select Board Chair Brian Keyes said, “I’m not looking to revoke somebody. I’m not looking to shut a business that’s operating in town down but we want them to obviously be playing by the rules, and we want them to be operating in a fashion that we all agreed upon when the initial license was granted; and if they’re not, we will take the appropriate steps to revoke or whatever.”

Aicardi said he has spoken with the owners and the violations are being addressed. 

“The long and short of it was they were operating a little out of the box and they got called on it by the Registry - Costa was letting Patriot use one of his plates,” Aicardi told the Select Board noting the owner has since gotten “a special permit for what he was doing so he was legitimate. He does have to adjust one thing on his license” for consistency. 

Aicardi said Costa also has a rental business which is allowed “but they have to be registered.” Patriot must also get a special permit. 

“He can’t operate right now and he’s not, he’s pretty much stuck where he is.

He was using the [license] plates from Costa and he can’t do that anymore so he’s pretty much out of business,” Aicardi told the board. “If [Patriot] doesn’t get that special permit, he’s going to have to move out of town or move to an area where he can do what he’s doing.