Plymouth’s economic future may be defined less by ambition than by constraints, according to some local officials.
During a joint meeting of the Select Board, Planning Board and Plymouth Foundation, officials described a town with limited developable land, rising housing costs and infrastructure gaps that make attracting new employers increasingly difficult.
Stephen Cole, executive director of the Plymouth Foundation, said land availability is the most immediate barrier.
“You’re looking at 380 acres out of 134 square miles of potentially developable space,” he said. “And none of them are shovel-ready yet.”
Cole said companies considering Plymouth routinely ask whether land, infrastructure and workforce capacity exist to support large-scale development.
“Every conversation I have starts with, ‘Do you have land ready? Is it shovel ready?’ … The answer is no,” he said.
He said employers also question whether Plymouth can provide water infrastructure, housing for workers and a labor pool large enough to staff new facilities. Access to water is an increasing issue cited in development across the South Shore from Plymouth to Scituate.
“We have no liquidity in our housing market. None,” Cole said.
Planning Board Chair Steven Bolotin said affordability has emerged as the dominant concern among residents participating in the town’s comprehensive planning process.
“One message has stood out above all,” Bolotin said. “The residents are concerned about affordability. They’re concerned that young people can’t afford to come to Plymouth and families and seniors can’t afford to stay here.”
Bolotin said economic development is often framed as a solution to fiscal pressures, but the town’s tax structure reveals deeper challenges. He noted that 14 percent of tax revenue comes from commercial and industrial properties, with the remaining 86 percent from residential properties.
Director of Planning and Development Lauren Lind said that economic growth and housing policy cannot be separated if Plymouth hopes to stabilize its finances.
“As we think about getting Plymouth ready for economic development, economy and housing are inextricably linked for our long-term financial stability,” she said.
She warned that market-driven growth without sufficient housing supply worsens affordability.
“If you continue to drive up the demand and you don’t have enough supply, you have just sort of kicked the knees out from under trying to solve your affordability component,” she said.
Select Board members said the town’s current economic model leaves many residents commuting long distances for work. Select Board member Canty said the imbalance between residents and local jobs weakens the community.
“I think it’s very alarming that there are only just over 8,000 jobs that people that live in Plymouth are working at,” he said.
He said the town’s reliance on tourism and service-sector employment limits wages and long-term stability.
“It’s not good for a community when you can either live here or you can work here, but you can’t do both,” Canty said.
Canty argued that zoning reform could play a central role in reshaping Plymouth’s economy.
“I would like to see us encourage things like light industrial zoning, mixed use zoning, making better use of the land we have,” he said.
Other officials said zoning changes are difficult to implement and require lengthy approval processes, which often discourage property owners from pursuing commercial or industrial development.
“It’s not just waving a magic wand and saying, ‘Let’s change the zoning,’” one speaker said.
Residents echoed the call for action. Resident Stevie Keith said Plymouth needs a coordinated strategy rather than incremental changes.
“The best time to do it was 25 years ago. The second-best time is right now,” he said.
He urged the town to establish a dedicated economic development office and pursue emerging industries alongside tourism.
“When we implement artificial intelligence, we’re going to increase responsiveness to businesses that want to do business here,” Keith said.
Select Board member Deborah Iaquinto questioned how the town could translate analysis into concrete steps.
“How do we make this actionable?” she said. “What are the actions that come out of this discussion tonight?”
While no decisions were finalized, several officials said the discussion should continue as the town considers next steps on zoning, housing and economic development. As Select Board Chair David Golden, Jr. noted near the end of the discussion, difficult conversations about density, housing and land use are unavoidable if Plymouth hopes to stabilize its finances and remain affordable for future generations.
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