By Rebecca Casey. We occasionally ask ourselves if GrowSmart is the right name. Initially borrowed from the Smart Growth movement, some question whether it’s stale, while others are not yet familiar with it. I follow many thought leaders including Strong Towns, New Urbanism, Institute for Local Self Reliance and others. On top of that, my summer…
By Rachel Bouvier of rbouvier consulting. Sustainability has become a buzzword in certain circles but what exactly does the word mean? In the economic development sector, a sustainable economy is one that meets the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of the future generations to meet theirs. Even that definition is full…
Earlier this week, GrowSmart Maine was in Brewer for the Public Hearing of the Land Use Planning Commission, which acts as the Planning Board for 10 million acres in the Unorganized Territories. The public hearing on rules related to adjacency, which dictates that new development must be “adjacent” to similar sites, was nearly four hours…
June 20, 2018 To Members of the Maine Land Use Planning Commission, In testimony from the April hearing, attached here, I outlined GrowSmart’s concerns related to proposed revisions to the LUPC adjacency rule. While GrowSmart appreciates the need to improve the current adjacency “one-mile rule” we offer recommendations to minimize development outside of areas not…
Our March forum ‘Growing Farm Friendly Communities‘ has been postponed due to snow. Join us at the new date: Monday March 26, 8:30-11a, Bowdoinham. Click here to visit the event page for all the details and registration! This Forum is a chance to learn from and discuss with leading Mainers the subject of farm friendly…
The Second Regular Session of the 128th Maine State Legislature is well underway and GrowSmart Maine has taken an active role in securing passage of those select bills which would directly work to protect and build the future of Maine’s way of life, economy and infrastructure in a sustainable manner that benefits all Maine citizens. …
Testimony of Nancy Smith, Executive Director of GrowSmart Maine in support of LD 1798 February 13, 2018 Senator Woodsome, Representative Berry and members of the Joint Standing Committee on Energy, Utilities and Technology, my name is Nancy Smith and I am the Executive Director of GrowSmart Maine. We are a statewide non-partisan, non-profit, membership-based organization working…
Written by Rachel Bouvier. As an environmental economist, member of GrowSmart Maine, and an avid hiker and “consumer” of conservation land, I testified in front of the Ag, Forestry and Conservation Committee back in December. Here are some highlights of my testimony. Many municipalities around Maine are concerned with the tax-exempt status of some conservation lands. …
Testimony of Nancy Smith, Executive Director of GrowSmart Maine With regards to Draft 2018 Action Plan Maine State Housing Authority and the Department of Economic and Community Development December 11, 2017 Representatives of the Maine State Housing Authority and the Department of Economic and Community Development. My name is Nancy Smith and I am…
By Ethan Boxer-Macomber As advocates of Smart Growth, we are all encouraged and delighted by the current national trend toward redirection of resources to traditional city and town centers abandoned and neglected over 60 years of urban flight and suburban proliferation. This reinvestment trend is readily apparent in Maine cities such as Bangor, Lewiston, Portland…