MEREDA
  • About
    • About MEREDA
    • Our People
    • Our Members
    • Committees
    • Contact Us
  • Updates
    • Articles & Editorials
    • Advocacy
    • Maine Real Estate Insider
    • MEREDA News
    • Press Releases
    • Blog
  • Events
  • Podcast
  • Benefits
    • Member Benefits & Services
    • Sponsorship Opportunities
  • Resources
    • Member Directory
    • Documents
    • Helpful Links
    • MEREDA Index
  • Login
  • Cart
  • Join MEREDA
  • Member Resources
Select Page

MEREDA’s Morning Menu – How to Rezone a Town: Lessons Learned During ReCode

Feb 5, 2025 | Events

Aerial view of Portland, ME

Event Details

March 20, 2025 – 8:30 – 10:00 am
Buffet Breakfast: 8:30-9:00 am
Program: 9:00-10:00 am

Location: 
McGoldrick Career & Student Success Center
35 Bedford Street, Portland, ME

About the Event:
On March 20th, MEREDA will host a breakfast event featuring a discussion on Portland’s updated ReCode. ReCode has been a nearly decade-long process of overhauling Portland’s Chapter 14 Land Use Ordinance, with its full adoption occurring in late 2024. This “upzone” of Portland’s zoning will have a tremendous impact on development in the years to come.

Join us for a conversation with Christine Grimando and Brandon Mazer, two of the architects of ReCode, to understand how the process transpired, and what lessons they learned along the way.

Meet our Presenters:
Christine Grimando has been an urban planner in Maine for nearly two decades. Currently a Senior Planning Lead with VHB, she provides consulting services to communities throughout Maine on the topics of land use, housing, transportation, and sustainability. Prior to VHB, Christine served as the Director of Planning and Urban Development for the City of Portland where she oversaw ReCode Phase I and 2, Portland’s Comprehensive Plan, and myriad other development, policy, and long-range planning initiatives relating to housing, transportation planning, climate resilience, preservation, open space design, and zoning and land use. Christine serves on the Board of Directors of GrowSmart Maine. She lives in Portland with her wife and son.

Brandon Mazer is an attorney at Perkins Thompson focused on municipal and business law, and currently serves as Corporation Counsel for the City of South Portland. Prior to joining Perkins Thompson he served as General Counsel for Shipyard Brewing Company for over seven years. He has served on the Portland Planning Board since 2017, serving as Chair for over four years. During his tenure on the Planning Board, Brandon has helped approve over 1600 units of housing and, most notably, lead the Planning Board through both phases of Recode. Brandon is also on the Board of Trustees for the Maine State Music Theatre and the Board of Directors for Special Olympics Maine.

Moderating the program is co-chair of MEREDA’s Local Issues Committee, John Finegan. John joined The Boulos Company in 2020 and is an Associate Broker. He works throughout Greater Portland in all areas of commercial real estate including the buying, selling, and leasing of office, retail, industrial, and multifamily family properties. John also works on ground-up development, with a particular focus on multifamily development and economic policymaking as it relates to development.

Ticket Pricing:
Member $45 | Non-Member $55

Refund Policy: Your RSVP is requested by March 13. Payment is expected at the time of registration. No refunds will be granted to anyone who registers, but fails to attend, or who cancels after March 13. Prices increase by $10 after March 13.

Register Here — https://mereda.org/events/meredas-morning-menu-update-on-portlands-recode/

This event is Sponsored by Norway Savings Bank.

Events Happening Now

No Events

Coming up Next in

McGoldrick Career & Student Success Center35 Bedford Street, Portland, ME

tue18nov8:30 am10:00 amMEREDA’s Morning Menu – Deconstructing Portland’s Site Plan Process8:30 am - 10:00 am McGoldrick Career & Student Success Center, 35 Bedford Street, Portland, ME

Event Details

November 18, 2025 – 8:30 – 10:00 amBuffet Breakfast: 8:30-9:00 amProgram: 9:00-10:00 am Location: McGoldrick Career & Student Success

Event Details

November 18, 2025 – 8:30 – 10:00 am
Buffet Breakfast: 8:30-9:00 am
Program: 9:00-10:00 am

Location: 
McGoldrick Career & Student Success Center
35 Bedford Street, Portland, ME

About the Event:
Please join MEREDA for a conversation with Portland’s Planning Director Kevin Kraft, Fathom Companies’ VP of Development Marieke Thormann, and Acorn Engineering Principal Will Savage. Together, they’ll walk us through Portland’s planning process and share insights on how a development evolves from an initial idea to a finished project. Don’t miss this chance to learn from leaders shaping the city!  

Moderating the program is John Finegan, Associate Broker at The Boulos Company.

Refund Policy: Your RSVP is requested by November 11. Payment is expected at the time of registration. No refunds will be granted to anyone who registers, but fails to attend, or who cancels after November 11.

Prices increase by $10 after November 11.

Thank you to our Breakfast Series Sponsor:

Norway Savings Bank Transparent Logo 2

Time

November 18, 2025 8:30 am - 10:00 am

Location

McGoldrick Career & Student Success Center

35 Bedford Street, Portland, ME

Register Here

Price $55.00

How many tickets? -1 +

Total Price $55.00

View Cart Checkout

CalendarGoogleCal

Get Directions

Parking

Everyone that parks on the USM Campus in the Bedford Street Garage has to use the digital parking system. You can pre-register for your parking session or do it upon arrival. Commit your license number to memory!  You’ll need it to complete your parking session.  To avoid a parking citation, you must begin your digital parking session – and pay – within 10 minutes of parking. 

Parking Instructions (PDF)

Click Here to Download the Event Parking Instructions.

Maine Real Estate Development Association
6 City Center 3rd Floor
Portland, ME 04101
info@mereda.org

Copyright (c) 2025 Maine Real Estate & Development Association | All rights reserved | Privacy Policy
X
X