Master Plan

The Town’s Community Master Plan is a document which identifies the goals for the Town as set by the residents.  Not only is having a Community Master Plan a good idea, it is actually a State requirement.  But despite the importance of this document, the fact that the Planning Board is obligated to prepare and maintain it under State law, and the time and expense that goes into it, many people have no idea what it is.  So here are answers to some of the most common questions asked about our Community Master Plan:  

What is the purpose of the Community Master Plan?  

The Town prepares a Community Master Plan “to provide a basis for decision making regarding the long-term physical development of the municipality.”  It is a policy document for Plymouth’s future growth and development.  

How is the Community Master Plan different than our Zoning map? 

The Zoning Map identifies only the areas where development can occur and what can be built.  The Master Plan addresses all aspects of community life.  

Who prepares the Community Master Plan?  

Really, it is the residents.  The Planning Board oversees the process, a Master Plan Committee coordinates it, and outside experts gather the information, but the content comes from the views of the community.  

What goes into the Community Master Plan? 

There are some areas the Master Plan are required to address under State law.  Those are:    

Land Use  

Housing 

Economic Development 

Natural and Cultural Resources 

Open Space and Recreation  

Municipal Services and Facilities

Transportation  

But the Master Plan isn’t limited to these areas, and the Planning Board can include other items of concern to the future of the Town.   

Who decides the goals that are included in the Community Master Plan?  

The residents decide, based on their vision of the Town and its priorities.  This is done through  what the State describes as “an interactive public process, to determine community values, goals and to identify patterns of development that will be consistent with these goals.”  That typically involves numerous public forums, focus groups, and surveys.  This is why the process of preparing a Master Plan typically takes a number of years.  For example, the Town began the process of updating our current Master Plan in 1997, and the plan wasn’t issued until 2004.  

How often do we update our Community Master Plan?  

There is no definitive time under State law, which says only that updates or extensions may occur “from time to time.”  Our current Community Master Plan was issued in 2004.  

Do we have just one Master Plan? 

We have only one Community Master Plan, but given Plymouth’s size and our village centered approach, we do have separate advisory Master Plans for certain areas such as the downtown/waterfront, the villages, and the airport.  

Are there new areas the Town is looking at?  

Most definitely.  The Community Master Plan is intended to be a guideline for Plymouth’s future.  That means we are looking Plymouth in light of how it, and the world around it, has changed.  As just a few examples, Plymouth has seen (and is expected to continue to see) continuing population growth, along with changes in demographics.  The way the economy and work force operate have dramatically shifted.  Environmental sustainability and climate resilience have become necessities.  These and other issues will cause Plymouth to approach our next Master Plan very differently than in the past.  

Another issue that will have be addressed in our next Master Plan is how we intend to pay for the Town’s needs and goals.  This was not part of our last Master Plan update, even though the State requires that the Master Plan include an:  

"Implementation program element which defines and schedules the specific municipal actions necessary to achieve the objectives of each element of the master or study plan.  Scheduled expansion or replacement of public facilities or circulation [transportation] system components and the anticipated costs and revenues associated with accomplishment of such activities shall be detailed in this element. This element shall specify the process by which the municipality's regulatory structures shall be amended so as to be consistent with the master plan."

Including the “specific municipal actions necessary” to pay for scheduled maintenance and replacement can serve as guidance for our representatives to plan and budget accordingly, something Plymouth has historically not done well.  

How can we make the Town follow the Community Master Plan?  

Because this is a policy document, not a set of regulations, it can’t be strictly “followed”.  But we can, and should, require our representatives to abide by principles and focus on the goals it contains.  That is why I have proposed a Town bylaw which requires anyone presenting any matter for a vote before the Town to identify where in our Master Plan that issue is addressed, and how our Master Plan supports it. 

To see the existing Plymouth Master Plans, click on the link to the Town's website above.

https://www.plymouth-ma.gov/planning-board/pages/master-plans.