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Select Board roundup: Marguerite Concrete seeks rezoning for building on South Street; Orale Mexican restaurant to open Tuesday

by | Apr 11, 2023 | Featured: News, News

During the Select Board’s discussion Tuesday about the May 1 Annual Town Meeting warrant, representatives from Marguerite Concrete presented their plan for development of a South Street property that would require rezoning.

Marguerite Concrete, founded in 1989 by Hopkinton resident Jim Marguerite, seeks to change the zoning at the corner of South Street and Hayward Street in order to construct its new corporate headquarters. The property — which includes seven lots — currently is a residential lakefront district, and the company wants to make it a rural business district. Five of the lots would be used for the development, while two of the lots would be preserved as open space.

If Town Meeting Article 29 is approved, the site would contain an office building and parking for employees who work there, the proposal states. There would be no manufacturing of concrete on-site, and no concrete trucks nor construction equipment.

Select Board members expressed concern that they had just been presented with the development agreement, which had yet to be reviewed by town counsel, and there was not enough time before Town Meeting to fully examine the plan and discuss with residents in the area.

“I think there is potential, but it’s just too late for Town Meeting, in my opinion,” Select Board chair Amy Ritterbusch said. “But there’s potential for an agreement, if agreements can be reached with the neighbors.”

Resident Michael Riley said the property was designated residential for a reason, and it should be kept that way.

“Think about your neighborhood,” he said. “Think about where you live. And right next door, they’re going to put a 24,000-square-foot building and 120 parking spaces where your children walk by. And that’s your neighborhood now.”

Riley noted that there are other commercial properties on South Street that the company could have pursued.

“There’s not a compelling reason to change [the zoning] when there were options,” he said.

Select Board members suggested a Special Town Meeting might be in the works for the fall, and that would be a better time for the proposal to be considered, after neighbors’ concerns are addressed.

Orale

Orale is set to start serving Mexican food in Hopkinton on Tuesday.

New restaurant gets license

The board approved a common victualer license for Orale, a Mexican restaurant that is set to open Tuesday at 22-24 Main Street. The restaurant will offer dine-in, takeout and delivery options.

Owners Mauricio and Elizabeth Bremermann explained that they chose the location because they live in Hopkinton and there is no Mexican restaurant in town.

The restaurant plans to eventually serve alcohol and have live music and karaoke, but those require separate licenses that would have to be approved at a future meeting. …

Misc.: Alcohol license for Hoyt race approved

The board approved a temporary alcohol license for a beer garden at the Dick Hoyt Memorial Yes You Can Run Together Road Race on May 27, but it was not unanimous. Muriel Kramer said she was not comfortable with alcohol being served at EMC Park on a Saturday morning, although she wished the event success. …

Colleen DePina was confirmed to be the new administrative assistant for Senior Services. …

The board accepted the gift of a stone bench at Hopkinton Public Library in memory of Arthur Gendron Jr.

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