Friday, March 14, 2008
Is Maine Going Beige?
Kathleen Fleury
A similar saga is unfolding in Freeport where the Pet Pantry went purple not too long ago and the residents were in an uproar. According to today’s Portland Press Herald article on the issue, the Project Review Board of Freeport voted unanimously to add color to the criteria in their already existing design review ordinance. The goal: to preserve the New England village feel of this shopping mecca.
Though these town uproars appear trivial on the surface, both instances embody a conflict that is at the root of Maine. Known and loved for its symbiotic ruggedness and charm, how much control should we employ over aesthetics? And what is the "correct" aesthetic? Is purple “garish” but yellow charming? Rotting fish is too foul but burned coffee beans can stay? What is Maine charm? And how far are we willing to go to enforce it? I know that part of what I love about Maine is its eccentricities — the tacky lawn decoration stores and all — and I don't want to see us to go beige. I guess the question is how far is too far in our battle to retain our Maineness (and our businesses for that matter) as well as our outside appeal.
Posted on Friday, March 14, 2008 in Permalink
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Reader Comments:
Please don't go beige, allowing HOA's to control home owners lives is a horrible mistake. I live in Colorado were HOA's are supported by law & allowed to commit hate crimes against people because they get angry, are just petty nasty people or for whatever reasons. They arbitrarily enforce an obscure law at one home & next door don't enforce a dozen others. The police & laws support these hate crimes & the quality of life sucks to be blunt. By the way, our home is beautifully landscaped, freshly painted & maintained but we are harassed by two nasty people that run this subdivision, all in the guise of uniform beigeness. It couldn't be more out of line with community or decent quality of life. It encourages people who have nothing but time on their hands to commit pettiness and down right hate crimes against innocent neighbors. We are planning to retire to Maine NOT to an HOA controlled condo ville but to a funky home with space around it, sea breezes with fishy smells at times and a right to have our say at a town meeting, which isn't possible in Colorado. Please learn to live and let live or you're encouraging hate crimes and pettiness. The man who complained about roasting coffee moved to an area of businesses why didn't he move to an anal retentive condo ville?? Quality of life and freedom from unnecessary harassment is what we look forward to in Maine. Funky and practical things like fishing, lobstering paraphernalia are part of the charm independence and soul of Maine. Please don't gray out and concrete over that beauty.