Current Legislative Testimony

Learn about GrowSmart Maine’s testimony for various Smart Growth topics below.

PLANNING FOR AG

GrowSmart Maine at the White House

Nancy Smith, CEO of GrowSmart Maine, spoke at the White House event "Communities in Action: Building a Better Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont" on 14 March, 2024. The event featured local elected officials and community leaders working on behalf of their communities...

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EQUITY

GrowSmart Maine at the White House

Nancy Smith, CEO of GrowSmart Maine, spoke at the White House event "Communities in Action: Building a Better Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont" on 14 March, 2024. The event featured local elected officials and community leaders working on behalf of their communities...

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CLIMATE & ENERGY

GrowSmart Maine at the White House

Nancy Smith, CEO of GrowSmart Maine, spoke at the White House event "Communities in Action: Building a Better Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont" on 14 March, 2024. The event featured local elected officials and community leaders working on behalf of their communities...

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BROADBAND

GrowSmart Maine at the White House

Nancy Smith, CEO of GrowSmart Maine, spoke at the White House event "Communities in Action: Building a Better Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont" on 14 March, 2024. The event featured local elected officials and community leaders working on behalf of their communities...

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AFFORDABLE HOUSING

GrowSmart Maine at the White House

Nancy Smith, CEO of GrowSmart Maine, spoke at the White House event "Communities in Action: Building a Better Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont" on 14 March, 2024. The event featured local elected officials and community leaders working on behalf of their communities...

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HISTORIC PRESERVATION

GrowSmart Maine at the White House

Nancy Smith, CEO of GrowSmart Maine, spoke at the White House event "Communities in Action: Building a Better Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont" on 14 March, 2024. The event featured local elected officials and community leaders working on behalf of their communities...

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REGIONAL & LAND USE PLANNING

GrowSmart Maine at the White House

Nancy Smith, CEO of GrowSmart Maine, spoke at the White House event "Communities in Action: Building a Better Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont" on 14 March, 2024. The event featured local elected officials and community leaders working on behalf of their communities...

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BUDGETS & BONDS

GrowSmart Maine at the White House

Nancy Smith, CEO of GrowSmart Maine, spoke at the White House event "Communities in Action: Building a Better Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont" on 14 March, 2024. The event featured local elected officials and community leaders working on behalf of their communities...

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TRANSPORTATION

In Support of LD 1864

An Act to Increase Maine’s Housing Supply by Prohibiting Certain Zoning Requirements in Areas Where Public Sewer and Water Infrastructure Are Available and in Designated Growth Areas

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In Support of LD 1787

Resolve Directing the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry to convene a stakeholder group tasked with a Comprehensive overhaul and modernization of the State Subdivision Statutes

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GENERAL TOPICS

GrowSmart Maine Testifies in Support of Increased Options and Access to Transportation

Members of this committee, more than most, understand that transportation infrastructure impacts all aspects of Mainers’ lives; where we live, where we work, how we get between the two as well as to where we recreate and shop. The options available to us also greatly impact our personal health, our household budgets as well as the costs for municipalities as well as state and federal governments.
We support the approach presented in this bill, with a more comprehensive Maine Public Transit Advisory Council and a renewed focus on public transportation. Maine’s population is changing. Our elders are looking for options in where and how they live, more of our young people no longer consider car ownership a necessity but rather a burden, those with disabilities are more engaged than ever in their communities and families work hard in balancing the needs of all their members. In all of these instances, a comprehensive transportation policy, with input from a diverse group of stakeholder groups will make for a stronger, more sustainable Maine.

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GrowSmart Maine Testifies in Favor of LD 825, “Resolve, To Study Climate Change and Implement the Recommendations of the Department of Environmental Protection Report on Climate Change”

PRESS RELEASE April 4, 2013 GrowSmart Maine 415 Congress St, Suite #204 Portland, ME 04101 207.699.4330 CONTACT: Nancy E. Smith Testimony of Nancy Smith, Executive Director of GrowSmart Maine in favor of LD 825,  “Resolve, To Study Climate Change and...

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GrowSmart Maine Testifies in Support of Municipal Planning Assistance Allocation in the Governor’s 2014-2015 Biennial Budget

As a part of our commitment to strengthening Maine’s economy, GrowSmart Maine is particularly enthusiastic about well grounded, thoughtful and creative proposals which seek to grow the economy in a sustainable manner while at the same time preserving our state’s unique character and quality of place. It is within this context that I wish to speak in support of one program at the Dept. of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry.

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GrowSmart Maine Testifies in Favor of LD 403, “Resolve, To Establish a Task Force on the Establishment of So called Complete Streets Design Guidelines”

Complete Streets are sound financial investments in our communities that provide long-term benefits from investments. An existing transportation budget can incorporate Complete Streets projects with little to no additional funding, through re-prioritizing projects & allocating funds to projects that improve overall mobility. Many of the ways to create more complete roadways are low cost, fast to implement, and make an immediate difference. According to the National Complete Streets Coalition, building sidewalks and striping bike lanes have been shown to create more jobs than traditional car-focused transportation projects.

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GrowSmart Maine Testifies Neither For Nor Against LD 695, “An Act To Amend the Site Location of Development Laws”

As Committee members may be aware, in 2011, GrowSmart Maine was asked by this committee to bring together a stakeholder group to address an issue related to Site Law Review, in LD 159. In our role as convener, GrowSmart Maine invited a diverse group of organizations to evaluate the threshold between state and municipal oversight of regionally significant development. The final report, included with this testimony, outlines two recommendations:

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