Master Plan Task Group Gap Analysis

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Presentation to the Charter Commission

Steve Bolotin, Member of the Planning Board and Chair of its Master Plan Task Group.

I’d like to start by speaking about Master Plans generally, and then moving to Plymouth’s Master Plan. 

What is a Master Plan?

For those unfamiliar with the Master Plan, State law defines it as:

“A statement, through text, maps, illustrations or other forms of communication, that is designed to provide a basis for decision making regarding the long-term physical development of the municipality.”

All municipalities are required to have a Master Plan - General Laws Chapter 41, section 81D. 

The process of managing and adopting a Master Plan is the responsibility of the Planning Board

To some, this sounds like our zoning bylaw, but it is so much more. 

In fact, the Master Plan is arguably the most crucial document in Town. 

I know, that is a bold statement, particularly to the Commission charged with addressing our Town Charter, so let me explain my reasoning.

As has been said numerous times, including by this Commission, Plymouth has a history of poor turnout for local elections. 

As a result, it has been argued that those elections don’t necessarily reflect the opinion of even a significant percentage of the residents. 

But that is not the case with the Master Plan. 

The Master Plan is based on information obtained directly from the residents in multiple events, using different forms, over an extended period of time. 

That way, unlike an election, it is not just a snapshot in time or a reflection of a limited proportion of the population. 

It is a document that identifies the long-term concerns of the residents from all segments of Town, both geographically and demographically. 

What is required in a Master Plan?

Let me go briefly into what is in a Master Plan

There are 9 items that must be included per state law:

1. A Goals and Policies Statement 

Just as it sounds, this is a statement which identifies the goals and policies of the Town for its future growth and development.

2. A Land Use Plan 

This has to identify present land use and designate the future location and inter-relationship of public and private land uses.

3. A Housing Analysis 

This includes existing and forecasted housing needs and objectives.

4. An Economic Development Assessment

This is intended to establish policies and strategies for the economic base and promotion of employment opportunities.

5. A Natural and Cultural Resources Overview 

This is both an inventory of the significant natural, cultural and historic resource areas of the municipality, and policies and strategies for the protection and management of such areas.

6.  An Open Space and Recreation Summary 

Again, an inventory of recreational resources and open space areas as well as policies and strategies for their management and protection. 

7. A Services and Facilities Plan

This identifies and analyzes existing and forecasted needs for facilities and services used by the public. 

8. A Circulation Guidance 

By circulation, they mean an inventory of existing and proposed transportation systems.

9.  An Implementation Program 

This sets forth the specific actions necessary to achieve the objectives of each element of the master plan, including identifying costs and sources of funding.

Per the terms of the statute, statements as to values, goals, and policies must come from the public through an interactive process.

Additionally, the Master Plan has to be internally consistent – meaning that goals must be compatible with each other

This is often the biggest challenge, as it means setting forth a plan which balances competing needs and goals

As you can see, there are some items which require specifics – inventories of existing conditions and forecasts of future needs.

Others are more general – ongoing issues for which there is no definitive end but which may contain some specific targets or goals. 

That is intentional, as the Master Plan is not intended to be a static document. Planning for decades in the future requires a significant degree of flexibility in order to address changes and circumstances as they arise.

While these are the minimum requirements for a Master Plan, they are not the limits. The Town can also include whatever other categories it wants to reflect issues of particular importance to the residents. 

The Plymouth Master Plan

Now I’d like to talk a little bit about Plymouth’s Master Plan

Our current Town Master Plan, which is referred to in our Charter as the Comprehensive Master Plan, 

was developed through surveys and forums conducted between 2002 and 2004, and then adopted in 2006.

It is available to the public through the Town website, under the Planning Board page

It contains 8 of the 9 mandatory categories for a Master Plan.

There is no implementation plan, which I believe was added as a requirement after its adoption - This alone is a good reason for it to be updated.

It also does not contain any additional Town specific topics, which has struck the Task Group given how unique Plymouth is 

Our Master Plan identifies the goals the residents want to see achieved in each category, in varying levels of detail depending on the issue. 

For some categories the recommendations are more general, such as the Historic and Cultural Resources 

For other issues, such as housing and economic growth, the residents provided greater specifics as to what they wanted to see happen.

Again, this is consistent with the intent of the State statute

So even though it does not lay out the specific steps Town government is to take in each and every instance, the Master Plan is the closest thing the Town has to a directive by the residents to their representatives as to what they want to see in Plymouth’s future. 

That is why it is unfortunate that it is often not considered by our Town boards and committees, even when addressing items contained in the Master Plan. 

As a result, the Town has sometimes taken actions which even contradict what the residents said they wanted.

I know that is an issue this Commission is looking to address 

Updating our Master Plan

Because the Master Plan is intended to address the changing needs of the Town, State law provides for it to be updated. However, State law does not provide for a specific time for that to occur. That is left to individual municipalities to decide.

Some towns maintain standing committees which do regular updates. 

Others provide for specific time periods between updates. 

Plymouth falls into the category of towns which have no specific timeline or procedure for updating the Master Plan.

Town Charter Section 3-14-4:

“The CMP shall be updated periodically to address current issues concerning the physical, environmental, community and economic development of the town…”

As a result, the Master Plan has only been revisited roughly every 20 years

The Town Charter also places the responsibility to maintain the Master Plan with the Planning Department. Town Charter Section 3-13-2

But the Town does not provide a funding mechanism for this work. 

As our Planning Director can address, there is both a need, and a cost, to ensuring continued public input into the Master Plan, which is its most important feature.

The Master Plan is like a building: Changes over time cause it to need work. The longer you wait, the more expensive that work becomes. In contrast, maintaining it allows it to last longer at a lower expense.

Plymouth has not updated its Master Plan since 2006.

We have engaged in a series of other village and district master plans, but these do not meet the requirements of State law.

Moreover, some of our village and district plans contain goals which conflict with our Town Master Plan 

So the timing and process for updating our Master Plan is also something this Commission may want to consider

Master Plan Task Group

Since our last Master Plan, we have seen unprecedented changes in our World – from climate change 

to a global pandemic – and the effects they have had here at home.

Additionally, Plymouth is now a very different place than it was 20 years ago:

Our population is now almost 65,000, up some 20%, and it continues to grow.

With all of those new people has come a demand for new services and infrastructure, so that our annual Town budget now exceeds $270 million.

At the same time, a greater strain has been put on our open spaces and resources.

The number of new residences has gone from an average of 276 per year 20 years ago to 490 a year – and that doesn’t include new 40B developments.

All of this has placed a greater financial burden on our residents, as our commercial base has been shrinking as a percentage of our tax revenue.

Given these changes, and the conflicting needs that have been created, now is an ideal time for Plymouth to take another look at itself.

That is where the Master Plan Task Group comes in.

The Planning Board formed the Master Plan Task Group to perform a gap analysis of our last Master Plan, to see where we are now compared to where we were 20 year ago.

We are in the process of interviewing experts from both the public and private sector regarding the categories contained in our existing Master Plan.

Our focus has been to find out what we have done well, where we have fallen short, and why.

We are also looking at areas not covered in our last Master Plan which may be worth addressing with the residents to see if they should be part of our next one.

Upon completion, we will present our findings to the Town to be used to help set up the process for preparing our next Master Plan.

The goal is to provide information and ideas to create a Master Plan which is useful to:

Those who are considering locating business and industry here;

Those to whom we are applying for grants and aid; and most importantly

Our representatives in achieving the goals of the residents.