Damariscotta, ME

Principle Contact: Jenny Mayher --

Primary Website: Our Town's website

VICTORY!

Our Town, a citizens group in Damariscotta, Maine, fought for a size cap to prevent a massive Wal-Mart from entering their scenic seacoast town.

Our Town campaigned for a 35,000 square foot size cap on new stores in Damariscotta to preserve "the character, scale, and locally-based economy of Damariscotta." An economic impact study commissioned by the town showed that the proposed 186,000 s.f. Wal-Mart superstore on the edge of town would generate an insignificant amount of local property taxes. The study also concluded that the people who would work at a Wal-Mart in Damariscotta could not afford to live there.

62% of the voters in Damariscotta, Maine handed a major defeat to Wal-Mart and other big box stores yesterday by approving the size cap on retail buildings. The vote was 747 to 456, in one of the largest voter turnouts in town history. According to the town clerk, as many as 70% of the town's voters went to the polls. Our Town Damariscotta, an all-volunteer group, waged an aggressive campaign, and the results show the hard work that went into educating their neighbors.

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