Candidate profile: Dennis McCarthy for Rochester Planning Board

May 19, 2021

ROCHESTER — Planning Board candidate Dennis McCarthy has been in commercial development for 25 years, a “unique perspective” he thinks qualifies him for the board.

“I have an idea of what other towns are doing and what works and what doesn’t work,” he said.

McCarthy said he wants to keep the rural character of Rochester intact, while encouraging development in the town’s industrial park.

He’s specifically worried about soar developments in Rochester. He said he’s a proponent of solar power, “but we need to be more cognisant” about when and where those projects are developed.

“We’re taking down a lot of trees and we’re putting these solar fields right in the middle of residential neighborhoods,” McCarthy said, adding that he doesn’t believe large-scale solar projects are appealing to neighbors.

“I just think we need to do a little better listening to abutters,” he said.

But when it comes to the industrial zone, McCarthy is all for development.

“We really need to build out the industrial zone the best we can,” he said.

McCarthy said he feels the biggest issue facing the board is “probably residents not knowing what the Planning Board does.”

And with multiple seats open in the May 26 election, McCarthy said “I think more people need to get involved” in town government.

“We have more people involved in complaining than we do running and making a difference,” he said. “That shouldn’t be the case.”

A former member of the military, McCarthy is no stranger to service, but this would be his first elected position.

“I don’t think I have a better set of ideas,” he said. “I just have a different set of ideas.”