I have closely followed the ongoing debate surrounding the rezoning proposal to convert the corner of South Street and Hayward Street from residential to commercial. This issue has surfaced repeatedly, and each time, the residents have overwhelmingly voted it down during town meetings. Yet, we find ourselves here again, fighting the same battle.

I have been following this topic since last year. After reading recent coverage, including the article and the comments, as well as letters to the editor (here and here), it seems clear that there are concerted efforts, particularly by Marguerite Concrete and the town planner, to push this proposal through the Zoning Advisory Committee (ZAC). Marguerite is seeking assistance from the town planner to influence the ZAC despite the consistent opposition from the community.

What’s most troubling is ZAC’s praise of Marguerite’s proposal and recommendation to the Planning Board for approval. While Ron Foisy of ZAC accurately pointed out that the committee is merely advisory and has no power to approve zoning changes directly, this raises the question: Why isn’t ZAC considering the people’s will? Every time this proposal has reached a town meeting, the residents have soundly rejected it. Yet, ZAC seems intent on advancing it.

This leads me to ask: Does the town planner truly work for the betterment of our town, a town that we, the residents, are deeply committed to? And what exactly does ZAC hope to achieve by pushing against the community’s clear wishes? It’s crucial that these bodies, which exist to serve the town and its people, act in accordance with the will of the residents, not the interests of a few developers.

It’s time the ZAC and town planner listened to the voices of Maspenock (and Hopkinton) residents and understood the weight of the decisions made at town meetings. Anything less would be a disservice to our community, which is defined by its residents’ collective decisions.

— Deepak (Shiv) Vokaliga, Hopkinton

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