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Hopkinton Planning Board Vacancy Announcement

By contributor,

On November 6, 2014 the Board of Selectmen publicly acknowledged the resignation of a member of the Hopkinton Planning Board and are currently seeking candidates for this position.

Pursuant to Town Charter provision 3-1(e), a joint meeting, consisting of the remaining members of the Hopkinton Planning Board and the members of the Board of Selectmen, will convene at a regularly scheduled Board of Selectmen meeting to appoint an individual to temporarily fill this one seat until the next Annual Town Election in May of 2015.

The Hopkinton Planning Board is an elected nine member body established under Massachusetts General Law, Chapter 41, Section 81A. Among its many diverse roles, the Planning Board is charged with the following duties, which are contained in the Mass. General Laws and the Hopkinton Zoning and General Bylaws:

1. Adopting a Master Plan for the Town. The current Master Plan was adopted in 2007.

2. Conducting studies, and, when necessary, preparing plans of the resources, possibilities and
needs of the Town for submittal to the Board of Selectmen for their consideration.

3. Serving as the local authority for the Subdivision Control Law; adopting Rules and Regulations
governing the subdivision of land in the Town of Hopkinton; reviewing all preliminary and
definitive plan submittals, and endorsing approval-not-required plans.

4. Drafting and submitting zoning amendments for consideration by the Town. When a zoning
amendment has been put forward by any entity, the Planning Board holds the public hearing
and also reports its recommendation to Town Meeting.

5. Serving, in some instances, as the Special Permit Granting Authority (SPGA). The Planning Board
is charged with issuing several Special Permits in the Hopkinton Zoning Bylaw including: Open Space and Landscape Preservation Development; Garden Apartments in Residential Districts; Senior Housing Developments; Flexible Community Development and at Legacy Farms.

6. Reviewing and proposing the acceptance of streets as Town public ways, with recommendation to the Town Meeting.

7. Serving as Site Plan Review authority for non-residential Site Plans. For more information, see Article XX of the Zoning Bylaw.

8.Issuing permits to remove trees and stone walls within street rights of way designated as
scenic roads by Town Meeting. The Planning Board also recommends roads for scenic road
designation. For more information about scenic roads, see Chapter 160 of the Bylaws of the
Town of Hopkinton.

9. Issuing permits for earth removal within the Town of Hopkinton . For more information, see
Chapter 96 of the Bylaws of the Town of Hopkinton.

10. Annually appoints the members of the Design Review Board.
Planning Board representatives also serve on the following other Boards and Committees: Open Space
Preservation Commission, Community Preservation Committee, Design Review Board, and Zoning Advisory Committee.

Interested parties should apply by the close of business, 2:30 PM, on Friday, November 21, 2014.
Please note, the Planning Board meets on Monday evenings and any candidate must be available to meet on Monday evenings.

To apply, visit the Town’s website and apply through the online volunteer form here:
http://www.hopkintonma.gov/home/about/hug
Residents may also apply by submitting a letter of interest to:
Jamie Hellen, Operation’s Assistant to the Town Manager’s Office, 18 Main Street, Hopkinton, MA 01748.
Interested parties may contact Elaine Lazarus, Director of Land Use, Planning and Permitting, at 508- 497-9745, with any questions regarding expectations or details about the position or the Planning Board.