During its annual board reorganization, the Planning Board elected Matthew Wronka to succeed Rob Benson as chair in a unanimous vote.

Lucia Lopez was unanimously voted in as the new vice chair. Wronka previously held that position.

Before that vote, a straw poll vote indicated that Lopez would win 7-2.  Elyse Mihajloski nominated her. Benson nominated Parker Happ. Happ said he was “honored” by the unanticipated support, but he did not seek the role.

“I appreciate that we actually have a contested vice chair election this year and people are very interested,” said Wronka. “I’m sure that we have a lot to manage this year. So let’s keep all that energy and excitement going throughout the year.”

75 South Street plan approved

The board voted to approve the minor project site plan for 75 South Street in an 8-0 vote. New member Brian Johnson was ineligible to vote. There were 17 conditions that were approved in a separate 8-0 vote.

Consultant Joe Marquedant told the board that the Conservation Commission on May 19 approved the proposal. Owner Lance LaFave sought to repurpose 75 South Street from a commercial/industrial building to an office building/warehouse.

Marquedant explained that the plans were modified to expand a proposed rain garden and vegetated filter strip at the commission’s request. They were placed at the site’s southeasterly corner.

Lopez noted that she agreed with fellow members about not needing a sidewalk on the Hayward Street side of the building. But she strongly advocated for one on South Street. Currently, a sidewalk exists on the other side of the street.

She noted that, in a previous meeting, Kerry Reed, the Department of Public Works director, suggested providing an easement. This would allow for future sidewalk and crosswalk development by the town in front of the property.

This idea aligns with the board’s pedestrian connectivity concept from a few years ago.

LaFave asked three times for clarity about the need for a sidewalk in front of his property. He described the “perfectly viable” sidewalk across the street at Project Just Because and a bus stop.

He added that his company is “spending over seven figures” on site remediation.

Wronka pointed out that feedback was received by residents who “haven’t felt safe” walking on that side of the road.

Lopez said she was concerned about employees of South Street businesses having to “dart across the street” to go to the restaurants there.

Johnson noted that the town’s long-term goal “is to have an unbroken sidewalk on that side.”

Aneri Patel, the town’s principal planner, said the town would need to approve an easement.

Benson noted that the board leaned toward granting the sidewalk waiver at a previous meeting. He said it wouldn’t “be in good faith” to prevent a waiver from being granted now.

The board voted 6-1-1 for the sidewalk waiver. Lopez was the sole opponent, while Happ abstained.

LNG facility hearings continued

The board voted unanimously to continue the hearing for stormwater management and earth removal permits for 55 Wilson Street until June 15.

This 51.5-acre parcel is the site of three cryogenic storage tanks that are part of Eversource’s liquefied natural gas (LNG) facility.

Tim Grace of Tighe & Bond represented the applicant. The plans, he said, are for a “climate resilience project.”

“As climate change gets worse, public utility providers are forced to safeguard a lot of their infrastructure from the increasingly frequent rain events,” he explained.

The scope of work would be within the previously disturbed area where the tanks are located. Regrading and armoring work was proposed around the tanks. A geogrid will be used to reinforce unstable soil embankments. It will be covered with a “heavier, chunkier stone” rather than gravel.

Grace added that there is “no centralized stormwater management system” there to deal with runoff. To remedy this issue, perforated pipes and drains and other stormwater management features will be placed in the previously disturbed area.

“Rather than just putting down gravel, we’re going to mechanically stabilize the earth around the tanks,” he said.

The stormwater will be collected and distributed so that “it’s not essentially a free-for-all when it rains,” according to Grace.

The Hopkinton Fire Department expressed a concern to Grace as to whether the HFD’s heaviest equipment would be able to access the top of the tanks. The geogrid and stone cover will be able to support a fire truck and ladder, Grace said.

Patel noted that Pare Corporation will be conducting a peer review of the project. It will provide a report within a few weeks.

Grace noted that Eversource is “taking a comprehensive approach” on climate resiliency at several of its facilities. Hopkinton is a priority because it has three tanks, which is more than the other sites, as well as because of its age.

The LNG facility has been a concern for several years, particularly for the residents of Legacy Farms, who live nearby. A gas leak caused by a cracked pipe triggered a response by the police and fire departments in December 2025.

In June  2023, Eversource held a public forum to allay resident concerns about the LNG plant’s safety and air quality in its vicinity.

Wronka suggested a site walk. Grace noted that Eversource would need to coordinate it. Eversource would have to provide participants with a chaperone and flame retardant clothing. A tentative date was set for June 20 at 9 a.m.

Auciello Drive discussion moved to June 15

The planned discussion on Auciello Drive and the effort to change this private way to a public road was tabled.

Happ, a champion of this effort as a private citizen at the May 2 Annual Town Meeting and before the Planning Board, was not at the meeting when the topic was raised. Because he could not comment, Wronka advised that discussion be tabled. This was approved 7-0.

The first motion of the three-motion ATM article on Auciello Drive’s acceptance failed in a 53-42 vote. Happ called for a quorum. Not enough members were present for a vote on the other two motions, so the ATM was dissolved, causing some tension.

Due to the failure to take up these two motions, Happ said at the May 26 Select Board meeting that he was gathering signatures on a citizens’ petition requesting that a Special Town Meeting be held.

Street acceptance discussion tabled

On a related note, Wronka suggested that the discussion on acceptance of private ways as town roads be tabled. He noted that the Select Board plans to provide a detailed review of this issue on Tuesday.

Patel asked that Planning Board members attend, as they have been discussing this issue over the past few months.