Land is our most precious resource here in Plymouth.
Our beaches and forests bring people here to live and visit, while our developable land makes Plymouth attractive to new housing and business.
To both protect and properly utilize this resource, Plymouth needs to do a complete assessment of ‘developable’ land (that which is not already restricted by statute, regulation, or covenant) to determine its best use, from the Town’s perspective.
Working cooperatively, we need to identify:
- Areas to protect as pristine, open space, and recreational, with priority placed on critical areas for needs such as water security
- Areas suitable for different types of business development, with emphasis placed on trades, professions, technology, and other business sectors providing quality jobs
- Areas for residential use, continuing the village concept called for in the 2004 Master Plan, but with an additional emphasis on smaller lots for housing that young families and seniors can afford.
Where zoning and best use conflict, we need to rezone. That includes creating new zoning categories where appropriate to encourage the types of businesses
Plymouth needs.
The Town needs to do everything it can to ensure this best use program is followed, including securing title to abandoned parcels and looking at purchase (or eminent domain) of those parcels which the Town deems critical to its functions.
Land use needs to be part of the overall plan for Plymouth’s future, and the time to address it is now.