Voters say no to tax increase for Hopkinton land purchase

HOPKINTON

Efforts to prevent a major housing and commercial project were defeated today, as voters rejected a property tax hike that could have allowed the town to buy about 710 acres of land.

The $30.4 million purchase, which needed both town meeting and town election approvals, failed at town neeting last week. But some in town hoped voters would still support the land in today's town election, thus resurrecting the proposal.

Instead, residents rejected the land buy, with 3,034 votes cast against the purchase and 1,646 in favor.

The development, proposed by Weston-based developer Boulder Capital, will be located off Route 135 around Weston Nurseries. The project is slated to include a shopping center and nearly 1,000 homes.

-- Kyle Alspach