We are residents of Hayward Street. You may be aware that 24 Hopkinton residents signed a citizen petition to convert lakefront residential zone to rural business for 70 South street, which is the corner lot of South and Hayward. This will impact the privacy, safety and property values of our neighborhood along with creating a damaging impact on the lake.
Representatives from Marguerite Concrete presented their proposed zoning map and plan for a 3-floor building on a parcel in the Lake Maspenock neighborhood of Hopkinton, Massachusetts. However, residents raised several concerns at the meeting on March 25, including traffic volumes, resident safety, dark sky compliance, neighborhood/home privacy, and stormwater management. Despite the presentation, many residents were left with unanswered questions and concerns.
During the meeting, Marguerite’s representatives were asked why they chose to build a new multi-story office building when Hopkinton had many available properties. While they viewed a few places, they did not meet their needs. The proposed 24,000-square-foot, the 35-foot-tall building will house 50 employees, who will come and go as needed. The building will have several training rooms, and pickup trucks will be used (no heavy vehicle movement) as materials are stored on-site.
Residents questioned the proposed plan, including the 120 parking lots proposed. Marguerite’s representatives explained that to ensure sufficient space for all employees and visitors during peak hours. However, it was clearly called out during the March 6th planning board meeting that there is no guarantee that the plans for the building will stay the same once the site is rezoned.
Furthermore, Marguerite corporate representatives stated that they would not accept the will of Hopkinton residents if their petition were defeated at Town Meeting and would pursue an industrial rezone regardless. During the meeting, one Marguerite Concrete representative used foul language that created tension in the room and claimed that the company was doing residents a favor, generating around $100,000 in tax revenue. However, some residents questioned the accuracy of these numbers and whether it was worth the risks posed by the dangerous plan that would impact nearly 500 residents and the lake.
It is time for the residents of Hopkinton to stand up together to this intimidation, reckless planning, and insulting behavior. The rezoning of this lot could damage the lake and set a precedent for a further industrial creep on all Hopkinton empty lots. Please come to Town Meeting on May 1 to vote against this zoning change. Bring your friends and family. This town and its neighbors deserve better.
Thank you,
Vikasith Pratty and Rustem Rafikov
I agree that this is not in the town’s best interest. The previous letter (https://old.hopnews.com/letter-to-the-editor-last-minute-zoning-petition-surprises-residents/) laid out pretty well the inherently scummy/tricky/does not play well with others nature of the developer.
Threatening the town that this is only their first attempt is the epitome of bad neighbors the citizens of Hopkinton need to discourage.
The town should put a moratorium on all new developments/projects until it can assess what it is doing with current infrastructure issues. The town has grown too fast. Time to pump the breaks.
While I personally don’t want this to be done I do partially agree with the rezoning. The South street facing lots should have been rezoned the day those houses were torn down (as part of the construction of a building that was never occupied but that is a separate issue). From West Main to the Milford line those are the only residential lots remaining on South street and realistically no one would build a house on them again. Do I want another commercial building at the end of the street? No I don’t but leaving the lots zoned as residential serves no purpose other than enticing a company to purchase land cheaper than if they purchased commercial property and attempt to rezone (as is likely happening here).
We have created a petition for people to sign to have supporting residents informed. Please take time to sign.
Thank you!
https://chng.it/97M7gnTP
Sadly, the Hopkinton Planning Board has long been controlled by those who only want to further their own selfish interests and protect their own properties. If it doesn’t affect them, they don’t care how it’s re-zoned or what it may do to other residents’ quality of life. Good luck with the Town meeting, but in the end the people’s voice just won’t matter.
Anonymous, the Planning Board only has the power to advise Town Meeting by “recommending” or “not recommending” the zoning article. The ultimate decision is up to those that actually show up to Town Meeting and stay long enough to vote on the article.