Community Master Plans

Rochester Master Plan

Welcome to the Rochester Master Plan! This web page is your home base for all things related to the Master Plan. Please explore all the background information, data, maps, drawings, and other content - and be sure to check back regularly for new information and online and in-person events.

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Learn more about the presentation below.

Rochester Master Plan Public Workshop #2 Presentation

Welcome to the Rochester Master Plan!

Rochester is creating a Master Plan that will help guide the town moving forward. To complete this work, town officials need to hear from you - Rochester residents, business owners, and workforce members. Your input is the essential ingredient – combined with current, accurate data – that builds your community Master Plan!

What is a Master Plan?

A Comprehensive Plan - also known as a "Master Plan" in Massachusetts General Law - can be many things. It is a narrative that tells the story of Rochester’s history and the experience of living in town today. It is a technical document that considers population, market, and land use changes in order to understand where we are now - and to chart a course for tomorrow. It is a policy document that lays out a consensus vision for Rochester and articulates the strategies and actions that will help the town meet its goals. In short, it is a long-range plan that helps guide the town, that builds trust by making transparent decisions, and that bases those decisions on accurate information and public input.  For more detail, please see "Elements of a Master Plan" (below) or these examples from nearby towns.

What is the final document like?

The final document will show the nine required elements for the master plan. Each of these will be supported by data, images, maps, and most importantly, your input. This document will be an easy to use guide for the town to steer towards the completion of discovered action items, manage growth, and preserve the character of Rochester.

Project Roles

The Town is working with Southeastern Regional Planning and Economic Development District (SRPEDD) to develop its next community Master Plan. SRPEDD is a public, non-profit agency that serves 27 communities in southeastern MA. The project will take place from January 2023 to roughly September 2024. Our role is to facilitate a proactive and transparent civic engagement process that gathers and integrates your views on community needs and aspirations.

Steering Committee

The Town of Rochester has formed a steering committee to oversee the Master Plan process. Committee members represent an array of expertise including invaluable community knowledge that will guide the direction of the plan. This committee meets regularly to review new findings and hear from the public.

Committee Members

Land Use: Arnie Johnson & Nancy Durfee
Economic Development: Brad Morse
Historic and Land Trust: Matthew Monteiro
Services and Facilities: Andrew Daniel
Transportation: Jeff Eldridge
Natural and Cultural Resources: Jordan Latham

A wood shingled building with a white sign out front. Text on sign says "Town Hall, Annex, Board of Health, Building Dept, Conservation, Planning"

Join the discussion: Workshops and Online Activities

October 2nd, from 6-8pm at the COA 67 Dexter Ln, Rochester, MA 02770

October 3rd from 6-8pm on zoom

The Rochester Master Plan kicked-off with the "Discovery" Workshop. This workshop was crafted to discover Rochester as locals, residents, and business owners describe it, from their own unique perspective. It’s the first step to identifying the big-picture goals as a community, finding areas of consensus, and recognizing the specific strategies needed to make goals real when the planning is complete in the fall of 2024.

SRPEDD Staff joins the Town of Rochester at the recent Public Workshop for the town's Master Plan update.

Interactive Map Gallery

Photos and Videos

We want to see your pictures of your favorite places in town! Send photos of your favorite parks, farms, and views to enviro@srpedd.org to have them featured on the site and in master plan promotional materials.

Frequently Asked Questions

The State of Massachusetts requires that all cities and towns create and update a Master Plan every 10 years. (Rochester’s last Master Plan, from 2009, is therefore in need of a full update.) More importantly, the Master Planning process is a meaningful opportunity for you to come together as a community, to reassess your goals and priorities, and to set a course to achieve those goals over the next several years. Master Plans frequently result in bylaw changes, participating in new state or federal programs, coordinated grant applications and infrastructure investments, updated and more efficient administration, and increased volunteerism, service, and stewardship in a community.