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V O L . X X I I I N O. X V I I J U LY 2 4 , 2 0 1 7 22 R E A L E S TAT E / C O N S T R U C T I O N / D E S I G N F O C U S Developers strongly oppose the referendum. "If people really gave it some thought — not just the devel- opment community but the overall citizens of the city of Portland — they would think it is a bad idea to have a small cohort determine what is really a public process," says Vincent P. Veroneau, president and CEO of commercial property company J.B. Brown & Sons. "It's neither an effi - cient nor an equitable way to manage the growth of the city." Chip Newell, principal at NewHeight Group, agrees, warning that it would be dangerous to "put power over a whole region or city in the hands of a few local people … If you let people who are able to impact events of broader interest based upon their local interest, it could mess things up on a grand scale." ese days, most developers go into projects anticipating public oppo- sition from the get-go and aim to start a dialog earlier. Longer term, the Maine Real State and Development Association, MEREDA, is seek- ing to shift the discussion away from No and towards Yes in My Backyard (YIMBY ), which it highlighted in its spring conference. (See Laurie Schreiber story, Page 23) " ere are really good reasons why development is good, and they're not really heard well," says MEREDA President Paul E. Peck, an attorney with Portland law fi rm Drummond & Drummond and real estate developer with LWS Development LLC. "We're trying to change the narrative a bit and talk about why development is good." at may take a while. R C , M a i n e b i z s e n i o r w r i t e r, c a n b e r e a c h e d a t @ . a n d @ Portland, ME dunham-group.com 207.773.7100 Local Knowledge. Regional Focus. Global Reach. Greener Postures Yoga owners know strength and good form when they see it... Call or visit us online. So, they trusted The Dunham Group to power up all their real estate deals. The Dunham Group, like Heidi MacVane & Danielle Toolan, has a deep connection to their clients and community, dedicated to building trust, long-term relationships, and Maine's economy. » C O N T I N U E D F RO M P R E V I O U S PA G E We're trying to change We're trying to change We're trying to change We're trying to change We're trying to change We're trying to change We're trying to change We're trying to change We're trying to change We're trying to change We're trying to change We're trying to change We're trying to change We're trying to change the narrative a bit the narrative a bit the narrative a bit the narrative a bit the narrative a bit the narrative a bit the narrative a bit the narrative a bit the narrative a bit the narrative a bit the narrative a bit the narrative a bit and talk about why development is good. — Paul Peck President, MEREDA

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