Residents Urge Plymouth Select Board to Purchase Atlantic Country Club
Speakers highlight potential tax savings, aquifer protection, and community benefits of town ownership over development
PLYMOUTH - April 29 - Residents of South Plymouth make a strong case for the town to purchase Atlantic Country Club for $20 million, arguing it would prevent substantial tax increases that would result from potential development of up to 400 homes on the property.
During the April 29 Select Board meeting, several residents spoke passionately about the benefits of town ownership of the golf course, which is currently under consideration by the board in executive session.
Chris Jones, a resident of Eagle Drive directly across from Atlantic Country Club, emphasizes the financial logic behind the purchase.
"The $20 million offer seemed like a staggering amount of money when I first learned of this, then I did some thinking and a little bit of my own research," Jones says. "There's several reasons that make financial sense for the town to purchase the property, most importantly is the opportunity to prevent almost certain substantial tax increases for the entire town."
Jones points out that development of the property could lead to the need for a new school or expansions to existing schools in South Plymouth, costs that would far exceed the purchase price.
"The cost to build a school, staff the school, pay salaries, health care, pension benefits, when you calculate all that, $20 million dollars seems extremely low in comparison," he says.
Jones suggests the town could create a golf enterprise account, allowing the course to operate within its own budget independent of yearly tax increases to residents.
"With an enterprise account, the people who do not play golf are not burdened by another tax increase for a piece of property they will not use," Jones explains.
Don Daley, the golf professional at Atlantic Country Club and a Plymouth resident, reinforces the financial viability of municipal golf course ownership.
"If anyone here questions the profitability of a municipally owned golf course, there are surrounding towns – town of Barnstable, Hingham, Acushnet, Brewster, Harwich – you can look it up, it's public records how much money they generate," Daley says. "It would be a burden to no taxpayer in the town of Plymouth. It would be self-sufficient as an enterprise fund."
Beyond financial considerations, Michelle Christensen, a resident of Valley Road and candidate for town meeting member in Precinct 9, highlights the critical environmental importance of the property.
"Our future lies in the aquifer already in place under the Atlantic Golf Course in the surrounding areas. We have to protect this aquifer. We cannot allow development haphazardly to just come in there. It must be protected at all costs," Christensen says.
She explains that the three-acre lot zoning in South Plymouth exists specifically to protect the aquifer, which serves as a vital water resource for the entire town's future.
"Acquisition of the property by the town will give the town ultimate control over it, including if and when any development might happen, may not happen, keep it as golf course, ensuring protection of the water source," she adds.
Jay Lopes, a resident since 1997 who lived on the golf course for 16 years, emphasizes the importance of open space and the infrastructure limitations in the area.
"Open space is where you're going to save on the taxes. Making this as a housing complex is not an option for the town of Plymouth," Lopes says. "The roads down there cannot handle 400 to 1,000 homes that this is potentially looking at."
Kathryn Holmes, chairwoman for Precinct 9, also addressed the board earlier in the meeting about the Atlantic Country Club issue, noting that South Plymouth schools are already at capacity according to the superintendent.
"If this development goes forward, we're potentially looking at over 400 homes which require significant road upgrades and impact our fire and our police departments," Holmes says.
Holmes reports that Lynne Barrett, Director of Finance, estimates that in a worst-case scenario of borrowing the full $20 million, the average taxpayer would see approximately a $57 increase in their tax bill annually.
"This is far less than the additional cost of services a development of this size would require," Holmes notes.
The Select Board is currently considering the town's right of first refusal for the property in executive session. Holmes invites board members to attend a Precinct 9 caucus on May 12 at the Cedarville Fire Station at 6 p.m. to provide updates and hear resident concerns.
Other Meeting Highlights:
- The board approved restructuring the Senior Task Force Committee to include 11 Select Board-appointed members plus one Center for Active Living management staff member.
- Senator Dylan Fernandes provided a legislative update, discussing efforts to secure state park property for the town and addressing school transportation funding issues.
- The board approved host community agreements for Four Daughters Compassionate Care and Hidden Wonders LLC, both cannabis establishments.
- A new Indian restaurant, Turmeric House, received approval for an all-alcohol license at 39 Court Street.
- The Town Manager's report included updates on the rescheduled herring festival, a new parking system at Long Beach, and progress on the Manomet fire station construction.