"Vibrant Places, Happening Spaces"

Is your community looking to liven up its public spaces, build community assets and even improve people's health and happiness? Find out how Placemaking can do all that: pick up the phone next Thursday, Feb. 10 at 4 pm EST and join Ethan Kent, Vice President at the Project for Public Space and Paul Dreher, Planning and Zoning Administrator for the City of Newport, Vermont for a conference call on Placemaking. 

Join this conference call on Thursday, February 10 at 4 p.m. sponsored by the Orton Family Foundation and Community Matters.  Register to call in at Conference Call Registration.  

FMM's and Damariscotta's Work Highlighted Nationally - Twice!

Friends of Midcoast Maine Executive Director Jane Lafleur served on a panel "Community Voices and Visions for the Future: Stories to Value to Action" at the 10th Annual New Partners for Smart Growth conference in Charlotte, North Carolina this past week.

With Orton Family Foundation senior associate Alece Otero serving as moderator, Lafleur joined Dahvi Wilson from Victor Idaho and Steve Glueck from Golden Colorado.  Lafleur spoke about the Heart & Soul planning process in Damariscotta, the steps taken to engage citizens and the continuing work to include people throughout the code writing process in an open series of workshops and cafe sessions. Sessions include hands-on interactive map work and code work to build a Damariscotta based code.

Damariscotta's work has also been highlighted in a six page story in the National Association of Realtors smart growth magazine "On Common Ground". This national publication highlights the linkages between downtowns, farms, food, transportation, planning, the arts, place-making and celebrating local voices as well as zoning for prosperity.

FMM recognizes and works to make these linkages in the midcoast as well and realizes vibrant communities are made through collaborative work of all the groups in our region. Visit  "On Common Ground" to read these articles.

Form Based Codes in Damariscotta

Friends of Midcoast Maine continues its work with the Town of Damariscotta and its Heart & Soul planning efforts that originated with the partnership between the Orton Family Foundation, FMM and the Town of Damariscotta. The town is now looking at implementation and how its vision can be refined and coded for through form based codes. The next workshops, cafe sessions and meetings will be held on February 21 and 22 in Damariscotta.  For more information contact us at dpac@damariscottame.com.

The Future of the Strip  

For more than 50 years retailers have favored the commercial strip: a linear pattern of retail businesses strung along major roadways characterized by massive parking lots, big signs, box-like buildings and a total dependence on automobiles for access and circulation. Read more...

Midcoast Workshops

Friends of Midcoast Maine is working with a number of towns in midcoast Maine on their Gateway 1 Planning efforts and other planning and public engagement projects.  If you would like to receive specific E-Newsletters about these workshops, please contact us at  info@friendsmidcoast.org. We are currently working in Newcastle, Damariscotta and Lincolnville. Here is the latest  Newcastle E-News.

"Voices of Midcoast Maine" on You -Tube

Friends of Midcoast Maine Anniversary video is now available on You-Tube.  If you did not receive a copy in the mail, you may now view it here The Voices of Midcoast Maine.