hopkinton-independent-logo2x
Hopkinton, MA
loader-image
Hopkinton, US
1:23 pm, Monday, November 4, 2024
temperature icon 47°F
Humidity 62 %
Wind Gust: 8 mph

SIGN UP TODAY!
BREAKING NEWS & DAILY NEWSLETTER





Letter to the Editor: Planning Board chair backs MBTA zoning article

by | May 5, 2024 | Letter to Editor

I am currently abroad on business, but as the chair of the Planning Board, I wish to express my support for Article 39, MBTA Communities Zoning.

The zoning is designed with three main goals:

1. Legal compliance, thereby avoiding lawsuits against Hopkinton and maintaining access to state funding.

2. Long-term proactive planning that allows us to strategically guide where housing is built, rather than react to developers’ proposals.

3. Minimize negative impact to school enrollment numbers and town services.

Our focus centers on two primary areas.

Cedar Street zone: Includes The Preserve condominiums and several properties across Cedar Street (Carbone’s). Proximity to the Southborough train station aligns well with the law. However, development is extremely unlikely, as there is no sewer service.  Additionally, The Preserve could not be redeveloped without 75% of its owners agreeing to sell.

Downtown zone: Encompasses properties from the 85/135 intersection up to the Freemason building. Although far from the train station, MBTA zoning here would support local businesses and help breathe life into our downtown. Current zoning already allows dense housing, but only as mixed use, where commercial/retail must also be included. For example, the Hopkinton Drug parcel currently allows for denser housing (about 25 units per acre) than what the MBTA zone (about 15 units per acre) would provide.

Others areas were considered, such as South Street and current high density zones (apartment complexes), but all added additional risks that went against our three goals.

Your vote on Article 39 should NOT be based on your view of dense housing. It SHOULD be based on the implications for Hopkinton. A “Yes” vote will allow Hopkinton to expand zoning on several parcels with minimal development. Conversely, a “No” vote risks costly legal challenges and losing access to state grants. Failure could also result in less local control over future zoning changes.

As of May 1, 44 municipalities have already approved MBTA housing. Don’t let the several towns denying this zoning or the false information being spread about our zoning influence your vote. Please support Hopkinton in passing this practical, balanced and thoughtful approach.

Vote YES on Article 39.

— Gary Trendel, chair, Hopkinton Planning Board

Editor’s note: The opinions and comments expressed in letters to the editor are those of the writers and not necessarily those of the Independent. Submissions should be no more than 400 words and must include the writer’s name and contact information for verification. Letters should be relevant and not primarily for the purpose of promoting an organization or event or thanking sponsors or volunteers. Letters may be edited by the Independent staff for space, errors or clarification, and the Independent offers no guarantee that every letter will be published. For a schedule of deadlines for letters and other submissions for the print edition, click here.

0 Comments

Related Articles

Letter to the Editor: Civil for Governor’s Council

I am writing to ask for your support for Tamisha Civil for Governor’s Council in this year’s election. As many of you know, Tamisha and I were competitors in the primary, and it was my privilege to get to know Tamisha in that process. She is smart, dedicated and...

Letter to the Editor: Bring back old Main Street

OK, guys, let’s end this engineering and construction practice downtown and give us our old Main Street back! Also, are the light structures going to need repainting every two years? (Lowest bid, I guess.) — Bill and Alice Hamilton, Hopkinton Editor’s note: The...

Letter to the Editor: Town must balance character, finances

Every time a potential zoning change comes before the town, I see a letter or two accusing town officials of “catering to developers” and “destroying the character of our town.” Our town does have an idyllic rural character that we would like to preserve. Our...

Letter to the Editor: No gas station in area zoned agricultural

We are writing in opposition to the 290 West Main Street project, which proposes a gas station at the intersection of West Main Street and School Street. The character of our neighborhood is at stake as well as the character of the town! Consistent with the...

Letter to the Editor: Town committees shouldn’t cater to developers

Since 1965, the zoning at Main Street and School Street as well as Hayward and South Street has remained unchanged, preserving the character of these areas. Yet, recent actions by the Board of Appeals and the Zoning Advisory Committee suggest that they cater to...

Key Storage 4.14.22