Ahead of an important Board of Appeals meeting Wednesday night, residents are puzzled at the disappearance of lawn signs opposing a proposed gas station in town.
Just after 5 p.m. on Tuesday, a West Elm Street resident reported they had a lawn sign removed from their property. According to the Hopkinton Police Department’s incident log, “about 10 other neighbors in the surrounding area have had their signs stolen” as well.
The signs are part of a campaign by residents in the areas of West Elm Street, Dicarlo Road and adjacent neighborhoods to oppose the proposed gas station project at the intersection of School Street and West Main Street.
Resident Cathy Buday was among the first to notice the signs were gone. Half an hour after returning from a walk that day, she received a text from a neighbor stating several signs had been removed.
“I walked up and down the street to be able to observe [my] neighbors, and theirs were missing, too,” said Buday.
Alison Fitzpatrick, who lives on Dicarlo Road and has helped organize opposition to the gas station, reported several of her neighbors’ signs were taken.
The placement of the yard signs could have influenced their removal. Buday acknowledged it was possible some signs might have been placed on town property.
“It could be an issue of clearance between the property line and the street,” she said.
Fitzpatrick maintains the signs were not on town-owned land. “They all came off of personal property,” she insisted.
Representatives from the Department of Public Works — the department that handles sign removal from town property — were not available Wednesday afternoon to respond to a question about whether its employees removed the signs.
Fitzpatrick also claimed residents were able to capture security camera footage of the person who removed the signs.
That footage reportedly has been given to the the police for review. The Independent confirmed an officer has been assigned to investigate.
The potential theft of the signs comes on the heels of a rescheduled Board of Appeals meeting for the gas station project. The Board of Appeals rescheduled the hearing for Wednesday evening.
Rte 85 Realty Corp. — which is owned by businessman Kevin Meehan — is looking to be granted a use variance on the West Main Street lot, which is zoned for agriculture. A number of abutters oppose the project, citing potential traffic issues and environmental concerns.
Residents in the area have put up new signs. Regardless, Fitzpatrick feels the campaign behind the signage has been successful.
“At this stage, we feel our signs have done their purpose — to generate interest and awareness in this project, and have people help us show a united force of opposition,” Fitzpatrick said.
They stole my lawn sign and I am livid.
The roads are lined with signs because Jimmy graduated high school, Joey made it though pre-school, this candidate, that power washer, this broker, love is love and support officer Tim…
Those signs get to stay no matter how close they are to the road. Ask yourself why trucks with official plates were allowed to go extrajudicial on THESE signs? Who profits?
Not the established residential homeowners who oppose out-of-town money burying gasoline tanks in their back yards next to wetlands and water wells.
Get mad Hopkinton.