City Council approves resolution creating Comprehensive Plan Advisory Committee

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Last week Plymouth City Attorney, Jeff Houin asked the Common Council to consider a resolution creating a Comprehensive Plan Advisory Committee.

Houin said this is the formal creation of the committee, but the committee has already been meeting and working to keep Plymouth moving forward to 2040. 

The resolution discusses the Comprehensive Plan that was approved by the City Council in December 2023. 

The resolution states, “A Comprehensive Plan is only as good as its implementation, and the Plymouth Forward 2040 Steering Committee expressed a strong desire to continue its work to achieve the goals identified in the Plan. The final Plan recommends formation of an Advisory Committee to ensure effective oversight and continuity. The Advisory Committee would be made up of members representing “a diverse spectrum of expertise, including individuals from the original Steering Committee, active citizens, educators, medical professionals, local business owners, government representatives, and more.”

The purpose of the Committee is to ensure effective oversight and continuity by overseeing execution of the Plymouth Forward 2040 Comprehensive Plan. The Committee has no formal authority to take independent action but will ensure the Plan has a prominent place on relevant meeting agendas and inspire community ownership.

Membership of the Committee includes the City Attorney who will be the chairperson, the City Plan Consultant or Plan Director, a member of the Plymouth Plan Commission, appointed by the Plan Commission, and a member of the Plymouth Common Council, appointed by the Council. In addition to that the membership of the Committee is open to all people willing to participate in the work of the Committee. There is no minimum nor maximum number of members beyond the standing members identified above.

Subcommittees shall be formed or eliminated by the Advisory Committee as needed. Some subcommittees will likely continue their work generally throughout the existence of the Comprehensive Plan, while other subcommittees may be formed to implement a specific strategy of the Plan and may be dissolved once that strategy has been achieved.

Initial subcommittees have been identified and recommended by the Steering Committee and include Marketing which will help to celebrate the achievements of the Committee and the City, fostering community ownership and pride. The Membership subcommittee will identify and recruit Committee members to ensure a well-rounded perspective.  Zoning will implement various strategies of the Plan that require amendments to the Plymouth Zoning ordinance while the Revitalization Rebate subcommittee is helping to implement the Restructuring of the Façade Grant Program making it stronger and offer a streamlined process to increase participation.

Another exciting subcommittee is Building Trades.  The plan is to start a renovation-trade class or club as a program offered in Plymouth Schools.  The subcommittee on Collaboration will collaborate with other boards, committees, and elected officials within the city to achieve the shared vision presented by the Comprehensive Plan while the final committee is Reports.  This subcommittee will keep the Comprehensive Plan in focus and will be a standing agenda item on the Common Council and Plan Commission meeting agendas.

The Plymouth City Council unanimously approved the resolution.