The Planning Board met on February 25 to discuss whether to move several Zoning Bylaw and Map Amendments onto the Annual Town Meeting warrant. Items discussed included modifying the setback requirements for storage sheds, changing the name of the Agricultural district to Agricultural-Residential, and changing the special permit granting authority for drive-up windows. Two key issues discussed were adopting a new 96 acre Neighborhood Mixed Use District off of Lumber Street and West Main Street, adopting a new commercial solar facilities bylaw, and amending the Industrial B district to allow for school bus parking.
The Neighborhood Mixed Use District presentation was given by Hopkinton lawyer Doug Resnick, Robb Hewitt from Mill Creek Residential Trust LLC, and Marilyn Sticklor from Goulston and Storrs, and the property is owned by Paul Mastroianni. The project will include 280 residential units, retail businesses, a health and fitness club, and open space with trails. A portion of the land has been set aside for the potential use of school bus parking. Of the 280 residential units, 25% will be affordable, meaning that all of the units can be counted towards the town’s affordable housing goal. A fiscal study done by the representatives showed that the development is revenue positive to the town. A traffic study conducted by the representatives showed that with some improvements to the intersection at Lumber Street and West Main Street, the traffic pattern would be unchanged.
One resident felt that close attention needed to be paid to the traffic study on Lumber Street to the south of the development because there are many blind curves and many cars use the road in the afternoon. In response, Resnick asked the Board for the peer review of the study to start as soon as possible. A representative from the Hopkinton Sportsman's Association was concerned that residents using the trails may intrude onto the firing range, and that residents may have noise complaints. Resnick and Hewitt agreed to have an offline discussion to resolve the trails issue, and Hewitt stated that as part of the lease, any noise complaints would be brought to the attention of the developer of the property, Mill Creek Residential. The Board voted unanimously to put the article on the Town Warrant.
The Board then discussed new bylaws for any potential commercial solar facility. The bylaws included adding restrictions to potential lots, such as setbacks and buffers for residents. School bus parking was then discussed as an amendment to the Industrial B district. The district is located to the west of Lumber Street and includes Elmwood Park, the E. L. Harvey lot, and an area owned by the Capital Group. Allowing Hopkinton school busses to park in the district, or in another area of town, would earn the town $110,000 per year. Both votes were unanimous.
The Planning Board will now discuss and vote on whether they will support all of the Annual Town Meeting warrant articles during their upcoming meetings.
