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6 C E L E B R AT I N G 3 5 Y E A R S O F R E S P O N S I B L E D E V E LO P M E N T Maine's Capital Judicial Center in Augusta T he Maine Real Estate & Development Association is the state's only association that represents Maine's entire ecosystem of real estate development, including devel- opers, architects, attorneys, commercial lenders, investors, engineers, and municipal officials. This diversity of membership, along with the inherently-dynamic nature of the real estate industry, leads MEREDA into a wide range of legislative issues. In any given session of the Maine Legislature, MEREDA addresses issues re- lated to environmental standards, energy codes, state law requirements for municipal permits and approvals, judicial reviews of land use decisions, and real estate financing mechanisms and incentives. The breadth and depth of interests and issues creates a legisla- tive scene ripe with opportunity — and peril! A Voice for Membership In service to its membership, MEREDA consistently drives a proactive legislative agenda. MEREDA's Public Policy Committee invests time scanning the membership and studying the real estate policy environment to identify obstacles and opportunities that could be addressed by a change in Maine law. The Committee then turns an idea into legislation and assembles a coalition of aligned organizations to support its enact- ment. When the legislative session begins, MEREDA ramps up its advocacy efforts on all cylinders, building support for its legislation as it wends its way through the lawmaking process. O entimes, MEREDA members with the greatest level of expertise on the subject matter will testify at the bill's public hearing, and meet with legislators to gain support for the bill. In this thoughtful and collaborative man- ner, MEREDA has accomplished numerous law changes that have benefitted the real estate sector over the last decade. Some victories take time. A er years of hard work alongside other advocacy groups, MEREDA garnered enough votes to repeal the Informed Growth Act (requiring big box stores to go through an extensive economic analysis to secure local approval) in 2011. A er that success, MEREDA's next two legislative initiatives focused on instilling more practicality in permitting processes. In 2013, MEREDA dra ed and secured passage of legislation to exempt minor additions to large projects from the time-consuming and expensive full site law review process. Always keeping a finger to the industry pulse, MEREDA took notice when an addition to an existing affordable senior housing project decided not to pursue expansion due to the costly upgrades to the development's entire storm water system as required by the cur- rent storm water treatment laws. In response MEREDA dra ed and enacted legislation to grandfather the portion of stormwater treatment systems that remain intact upon a project expansion. MEREDA also worked closely with the judicial branch to find common ground to alleviate the Superior Court docket and expedite certain land use decisions by en- abling appeals of significant municipal land use decisions to be filed in either the general docket of the Superior Court, or the busi- ness docket. Later, when a court ruling on municipal land use was long-delayed because existing statute and case law lacked adequate definition for the finality of a municipal land use decision ripe for judicial review, MEREDA initiated legislation providing that definition. These new laws are anticipated Unlocking Maine's Real Estate Potential through Legislative Advocacy By Andrea Cianche e Maker, Esq. / Pierce Atwood, LLP / MEREDA Public Policy Counsel C O U R T E S Y O F C H A A R C H I T E C T U R E When the legislative session begins, MEREDA ramps up its advocacy efforts.