ROCHESTER — The upcoming Rochester Town Meeting will feature an expansion to the Rochester Crossroads housing development project, Rochester Memorial School improvements and a $27,022,457 town operating budget.

Rochester voters will face those and other issues at the annual Town Meeting on Monday, May 19.

The Meeting will begin at 6:30 p.m. at Rochester Memorial Elementary School.

Rochester Crossroads. In 2019, Dartmouth-based developer Steen Realty and Development Corp. proposed a new mixed-use development called Rochester Crossroads that would feature multi-family apartments, townhouses, and commercial spaces.

Five years later, the economic environment has changed, and the developer is now asking that an additional parcel of land be added to the Cranberry Highway Smart Growth Overlay District, which will be voted on at Town Meeting.

This additional land, which is just over one acre, would be added to the Cranberry Highway Smart Growth Overlay District, which promotes the construction of affordable housing while also giving local officials added say in how the Rochester Crossroads project is completed.

It would also increase the amount of commercial space in the development, which features 212 mutli-family units and 44 townhouse units.

If residents and then the state approve the request, the project could move forward and break ground, Town Administrator Cameron Durant said.

Once Rochester Crossroads is complete, the town would surpass the state’s 10% requirement for affordable housing, with all 212 multi-family units considered affordable.

Durant said the town would receive approximately $250,000 in annual tax revenue if the project is finished, as well as some additional one-time funds of $100,000 from the state that would help mitigate costs from the project.

If not approved, Steen Realty could still move forward with the project but with less say from the town and the possibility that the project wouldn’t bring the town beyond the state’s mandated 10% threshold for affordable housing.

Capital plan funding. Residents will be asked to approve $364,000 from the Capital Improvement Fund for five projects.

These include three projects at Rochester Memorial School — resurfacing the parking lot and playground, enhancing the playground, and audio visual enhancements — purchasing a new pickup truck for the fire department and purchasing a new mower for roadside mowing for the highway department.

Special education. Residents will be asked to approve the transfer of $200,000 from free cash to Rochester Memorial School to assist with special education needs.

Highway barn roof replacement. Voters will be asked to transfer $200,000 from free cash to replace the highway barn roof at 200 Ryder Road, which hasn’t been replaced since 2001 when the barn was built.

Technology updates. The town is looking to transfer $25,000 from free cash to digitize and shred documents. With $80,906 already awarded from the Community Compact Grant, this proposal would complete the funding needed for the project.

Digitizing documents would improve record accessibility, increase efficiency in public service and enhance long-term preservation, according to Durant.

The town is also looking for $150,000 to upgrade its information technology system, such as computer equipment.