Town Meeting voters established a single-structure historic district at 76 Main St. in reaction to a plan to tear down the Aaron and Lucy Claflin house to make way for a new three-story mixed-use downtown development. Built in the 18th century, “It is one of the four...
Jim Kleinkauf
Letter to the Editor: Citizens explain zoning petitions
To the Editor: We are writing in response to Mr. Kleinkauf’s article from the April 3rd edition, titled: “Planning Board will not sponsor plans to restrict growth.” Two citizens’ petitions to slow residential growth in Hopkinton were proposed as citizens’ petitions so...
Underground Parking proposed for 76 Main St.
A revised plan for a mixed-use three-story building on the property at 76 Main St. now includes a proposal for an underground 30-space parking garage. The property is owned by Paul Mastroianni of REC Hopkinton, LLC and currently is zoned as downtown business....
Debate continues regarding potential Claflin house development
The Planning Board opened two concurrent public hearings earlier this month on a plan to build a mixed use three-story building on property at 76 Main St. The property is owned by Paul Mastroianni of REC Hopkinton, LLC and currently is zoned as downtown business....
Planning Board will not sponsor plans to restrict growth
After a public hearing, the Planning board voted to deny its support at Town Meeting for two citizen-generated petitions aimed at restricting town growth. Both of these proposed amendments were discussed at the Planning Board public hearing on March 25. While there...
Solar farm off Wilson Street approved
The Planning Board voted to approve the installation of a solar array on 34 acres of land off Wilson Street, thereby preventing what could have been a costly lawsuit for the town. The 7-1 vote on March 25 reversed the Planning Board’s previous decision, on Oct. 1,...
Fire Chief: Even with new hires, ‘department at capacity’
Hopkinton Fire Chief Steve Slaman sat down with the Hopkinton Independent earlier this month to talk about staff changes and challenges ahead for the Fire Department. As for changes, Slaman was in the process of hiring the second of two new firefighters, which will...
Higher recycling costs to impact area towns
During the eight months since the Independent first reported on the local impact of China’s crackdown on recycled materials from the U.S., single stream materials recovery facilities such as E. L. Harvey & Sons in Hopkinton have been attempting to adapt to the new...
Jail diversion: New tool for Hopkinton police
What happens when police respond to a call involving individuals in a mental health or substance-related crisis? It is an all-too-frequent and potentially tragic scenario that over many years has left a disproportionate number of jail inmates with untreated behavioral...
Board decision paves way for parking lot
The site plan for a proposed school bus parking lot to be built behind Hopkinton High School was approved Sept. 17 by the town Planning Board. The proposed parking lot will eliminate athletic Field 9, making it possible for buses to drop off students at the rear...