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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 26 we did. e project went through fi erce NIMBYism and then into YIMBY at the end. We had a number of people push back hard against the project. We rede- signed it twice and they pushed back again and again," he says. "Ultimately, we were willing to accommodate all of the city's and neighborhood's interests in an eff ort to be a good neighbor as it was a smart business deci- sion under the particular circumstances." Smart growth within existing sprawl For a municipality like Falmouth, smart-growth principles have been instrumental in identifying and leveraging two growth areas while enhancing surrounding residential areas, says eo Holtwijk, director of Long-Range Planning/Economic Development.New zoning rules allow for more infi ll development on lots that would previously have been unbuildable, thus utilizing existing utili- ties without impacting neighborhoods. "We've recognized that not everyone wants to live in a big house with a three-car garage," he says. " ere's a segment of the market that's interested in living on a smaller footprint. So we said, 'Let's at least make that possible and see if people take advantage of that.' And we're seeing some response in the marketplace doing infi ll development." More visible have been improvements to the Route 1 commercial area — with lots of stores and pave- ment — like burying overhead lines and upgrading sidewalks, lights and landscaping. e vision includes new zoning that allows commercial properties to be redeveloped as mixed commercial/residential closer to the street, with parking to the side or hidden behind. " e thinking is to create, over time, more of a mixed-use, pedestrian-oriented environment," Holtwijk says. He adds, " ese are eff orts that take a long time to develop consensus on. For example, the Route 1 project took probably 10 years, from concep- tion to implementation. As these projects cost over $1 million, it's not enough to have the town council say, ' at's great, let's do it.' We need Falmouth voters to also agree. And that's not always a given, because it means spending taxpayer money." Holtwijk characterizes smart growth as a puzzle with many pieces. "It's not just, 'Build a sidewalk here.' It's making sure that sidewalk is part of a connected system, so people in a nearby residential neighborhood can walk to Route 1," he says. "And as one suburban town, we recognize we're not here doing this work in isolation. We're all part of a regional context. We do a lot of work with our neighbors to think about these issues on a multi-municipality level, recognizing that each community needs to make their own decisions." L S, Mainebiz staff writer, compiles the weekly Real Estate Insider. She can be reached at @ . MeBiz_July17.indd 1 7/12/17 10:05 AM From concept... to creation. On schedule and on budget, you can trust our experienced and collaborative team to make your idea come to life. WWW.PEACHEYBUILDERS.COM | 207.622.7531 PO Box 2508 Augusta, ME 04338 44 Degrees North Architects Lincoln Academy - Advanced Engineering & Technology Center P H O T O / T I M G R E E N WAY F O C U S The view of Portland from Fort Sumner Park to the planned 155 Sheridan St. site. Patrick Venne of Redwood Development Consulting served as a consultant on the project.

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