Where in Maine?
Though it may look a bit like one, this isn't a Down East cottage colony but rather a Greater Portland suburb. Arguably the Greater Portland suburb, complete with franchise stores and main drags. But this side of town -- a vestige of the old Maine -- seems a world away from the encroaching sprawl. Here you'll find a boat launch (quiet this time of year), a little pocket beach made for dog-walking, and, just up the road, a real general store where locals actually know each other's names. Alas, the pressures of rapid growth are causing problems even here. In just a couple of months, the crowds will return to the nearby town landing. And these days, there are just too many people using the municipal pier. More than 1,280 moorings are available in the bay, but all of these commercial fishermen and pleasure boaters need parking spots, and there isn't enough room (for car or dinghy) to go around. Town officials are currently debating what to do to relieve the space crunch along the waterfront, and here's hoping they arrive at a happy solution. Send us a note if you can identify this all-too-popular seaside community.
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