Zoning is a hot issue in Hopkinton right now, whether it’s the MBTA Communities Act, the [proposed] rezoning of Hayward Street and South Street for Marguerite Concrete, or developers asking for a zoning variance exception at School Street and Main Street to put in another gas station.
One thing is for certain, there’s a clear difference between the town planning for state-mandated zoning changes like the MBTA Communities Act vs. private corporations asking for special treatment for spot zoning as in the case of Marguerite and the gas station developers.
Residents must hold elected officials and town officials accountable. For example, why did the Zoning Advisory Committee recommend to the Planning Board to hear the Hayward and South rezoning after it was voted down at Town Meeting? Why is Hopkinton Principal Planner John Gelcich providing strategic advice for Marguerite Concrete and other special interests on how to navigate the process — is there a conflict of interest? Should the Board of Appeals grant a variance request to a developer who doesn’t actually own the property yet? It’s simply unacceptable.
— Rustem Rafikov, Hopkinton
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1. A member of the ZAC misrepresented public concerns, suggesting that not all land could be preserved for conservation. However, the neighborhood’s opposition was not against constructing two houses as permitted by the current zoning but rather against commercialization.
2. A few weeks ago, a ZAC member asked the planning board to reject a citizen’s petition to convert a residential lot to a business, citing concerns about increased traffic and other potential impacts on his neighborhood. However, despite repeated requests and facts provided by affected residents, he conveniently ignored the same concerns for Lake Maspenoeck residents.
3. The ZAC should focus solely on rezoning the lot, not on the proposed building plan. However, the town planner assisted Margurite Concrete, who openly stated they worked with the planner to move the proposal forward, diluting the entire discussion.