City News Round Up: Friday, December 5, 2025

Meetings & Agendas
Please check our agenda center for the full schedule of upcoming Council, Committees, Boards, and Commission meetings, and to view agendas, backup materials, and videos from past meetings. Read a recap of the December 1 City Council meeting. The next City Council meeting is Monday, December 15 at 5:00 PM. 

Tonight is First Friday Art Walk! Download the map. 

Warming Shelter Open Overnight Friday, 12/5 and Monday, 12/8
The City will be opening the overnight Warming Shelter at 166 Riverside Industrial Parkway again tonight, Friday, December 5, and Monday, 12/8. The overnight hours are 7:30 PM through 6:30 AM. A free shuttle service will be available to bring guests to and from the Warming Shelter. Visit our Emergency Management webpage for the full details, including shuttle times and locations, and to read the 2025 Winter Warming Plan.

12/6: Upcoming Events Hosted by Friends of Woodfords Corner
The Odd Fellows Bazaar Holiday Craft Fair and Woodfords Weekend Business Bingo are both this Saturday, December 6th. Find the full event details. 

12/10: Permitting & Inspections Department Hosts Open House
Join us for an open house to learn about our Permitting & Inspections Department on Wednesday, 12/10, 2:00-4:00 PM, in the Kippy Richardson Conference Room 24, Basement Level, Portland City Hall. Staff will be on-site to provide information and answer questions about: Business Licensing, Housing Safety, Inspections, Marijuana Licensing, Plan Review, Rent Control, Rental Registration, and Zoning.

12/12: Coffee & Climate - Zoning for Climate Resilience
Learn about the zoning changes made in both Portland and South Portland to be more resilient to climate change at the next Coffee & Climate virtual chat on Friday, 12/ 12, 9–10 AM. Register today! 

Volunteer on City Boards & Committees - Apply by December 12
The best way to shape your city is to get involved! The City Clerk's office is seeking volunteers to serve on various boards and committees, which all play an important role in Portland’s government. The Rent Board has 4 seats open: District 2, District 5, District 4, and At-Large. Residents can find the full position descriptions and application instructions on the City’s website. Apply by Friday, December 12; applicants will be contacted for interviews. 

Take our 2025 Community Survey
Help shape your city -participate in our 2025 Community Survey! This important survey provides an opportunity for residents to share their feedback and insights regarding the services we provide. The survey is available in multiple languages online and by phone.⁠ The survey will help us understand community needs, as well as satisfaction with services and programs, and may help inform future City initiatives and policies. A random sampling of residents will receive paper copies of this survey in the mail from the consultant helping us with this process. The survey is available online for anyone who wishes to participate. 

Portland and South Portland Advance Harbor Infrastructure
We are working with the City of South Portland to move forward a critical marine dredging project aimed at restoring and maintaining working harbor operations in the Portland Harbor and Fore River area. Prock Marine has been contracted to perform this work, which will begin on Monday, December 15, and take place over two dredging seasons, which run from November 15 to March 15.

Council to Vote on Accepting Maine Bureau of Highway Safety Grant
The Portland City Council will vote soon to accept a $15,250.50 grant award from the Maine Bureau of Highway Safety. If approved, the Portland Police Department will use the funds to support traffic safety initiatives. These funds will further support a multitude of efforts the City has been working on cross-departmentally to achieve vision zero, a goal to eliminate traffic fatalities and serious injuries within two decades. The item received a first read at the Council’s December 1st meeting and action is scheduled for the December 15th meeting. 

City & GMRI Launch Major Climate Partnership to Build Coastal Resilience
We celebrated a groundbreaking partnership this week with the Gulf of Maine Research Institute that positions Portland as a national leader in coastal climate adaptation and working waterfront protection. Mayor Dion presented GMRI with a City Council resolution formalizing collaboration on climate resilience, blue economy development, and infrastructure electrification. The partnership brings together municipal leadership and scientific expertise to address the challenges facing coastal communities in the rapidly warming Gulf of Maine.

Resilience Education Project
Have you seen our Resilient Education signs across Portland? These signs highlight city infrastructure that helps us adapt and prepare for climate change. Learn more about Portland's climate-resilient infrastructure and find all the signs across the city through the Portland Resilient Education Project story map. 

FlashVote Climate Change Survey 
If you’ve received a FlashVote survey about climate change, it’s legit, and we hope you’ll participate! This fall, a team of graduate students from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government has been working in partnership with the City's Sustainability Office to collect community input on climate change. They want to hear from residents about your thoughts on Portland’s climate risks, your concerns, and solutions. In addition to focus groups and interviews, they’re running a short FlashVote survey. Thank you for taking a few minutes to share your voice!

2026 Minimum Wage Rate in Portland
The City would like the public to know that effective January 1, 2026, the minimum wage in Portland is $16.75 per hour. Section 33.8(a) of the Portland City Code requires every Portland employer to post a notice informing employees of the current minimum wage rates in a conspicuous place. This poster is available to download at no charge on our website.

Dougherty Commons: Phase 2 Condos Now Complete
These new affordable workforce homeownership opportunities offer attractive pricing and manageable monthly expenses. Dougherty Commons is in a fantastic location adjacent to playing fields, a skate park, an outdoor swimming pool, a playground, and public transit. Phase 3 of Dougherty Commons is expected to be completed by the end of 2026. Learn more on our Housing & Community Development webpage.

Reimagining Franklin Street Update
The project team has been hard at work turning your input into action; visit our website to see what we've been doing! This work has involved synthesizing public input, refining the project’s vision, goals, and objectives, and analyzing the many different ideas for Franklin Street that were presented and heard in June 2025. We'll have opportunities for you to weigh in on draft street design and land use concepts early in the new year - stay tuned! 

City Reminds Residents of Winter Storm Operations Information
Please visit and bookmark our Winter Operations webpage to find our full winter storm operations information and reminders! The Department of Public Works is ready for the season, in which they care for more than 560 lane miles of road, and the City’s Parks, Recreation & Facilities Department cares for more than 100 miles of sidewalks during and following snowstorms. The fastest way to receive parking ban notifications is to sign up for our city alerts; you can choose to receive these via email and/or text message. 

Sidewalk Snow Removal Rules: Business and Residential Owners
Reminder! Once City plow operations end after a winter storm, the clock begins for business and residential owner sidewalk clean up. For properties that are not on a city sidewalk plow route, the City ordinance requires that abutting property owners clear snow and ice from sidewalks. Business owners have 12 hours following a winter storm to do so. Residential owners have 18 hours following the end of a storm or when the City finishes snow removal operations, whichever is later.\

Ticket Fee for Failing to Move Vehicles During Parking Ban is now $130
The ticket fee for failing to move vehicles this winter during a parking snow ban is now $130. Vehicles are still subject to towing. The fine has been increased to achieve greater compliance so we can better perform snow removal operations. When vehicles do not move during declared parking bans, it greatly affects plow crews' ability to successfully clear snow and ice, leading to safety concerns for first responders, as well as residents' ability to get in and out of their neighborhoods. Please note: we’ve added six new snow ban parking locations with 750 spaces, on top of the existing 22 locations already approved. Read the full parking ban update.
 

Sand Shed at Payson Park Now Open for Portland Residents
The City’s residential sand and salt pile is located at the Little League parking lot at Payson Park. This sand and salt pile is for residential use only; contractors are not allowed. Residents can take two 5-gallon pails at a time.

Volunteer Snow Shovelers Needed This Winter
Age Friendly Portland needs volunteers to help older neighbors safely clear snow from their walkways. Shovelers are needed in every neighborhood, and Volunteer Coordinators are needed in Rosemont and Deering Center. If you can help, or if you need assistance, please visit our Elder Services page to learn more!

Yard Waste Collection Update
Resident collection for leaf bags has now concluded, but final pick up by DPW crews is still in progress. All leaf bags set out before the 11/30 deadline will be collected as soon as possible. Inclement weather may slow the cleanup schedule, but crews will continue collecting bags until every neighborhood has been swept.⁠ Thank you for your patience.
 

Toys for Tots Gift Drive, Donate by December 15
The Portland Police Department’s annual Toys for Tots gift drive is officially underway and will run through December 15. Stop by to meet our Community Policing Officers and Coordinators, who will make sure your donated gifts reach children in need this holiday season. Please remember, gifts should not be wrapped. Visit their Facebook page for the full drop-off locations and details.

City Hall Continues To Accept Non-Perishable Food Donations
City staff have organized a collection for non-perishable food items in the City Hall Rotunda (1st floor) for donation to Project Feed on Brighton Avenue. If you are coming to City Hall this month, or if you are nearby and would like to donate, please leave items in the box in front of our digital kiosk. ⁠We thank you in advance for your help and support of those in our community who benefit greatly from this assistance. 

New Statewide Food Access Map Launched
The Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry (DACF) recently announced the launch of the Maine Food Access Map, a statewide interactive resource that helps individuals and families locate nearby food pantries, meal sites, school-based programs, WIC clinics, and other free or donation-based food assistance services. Learn more and access the map.

Annual Rental Registrations Due December 31st
Attention landlords and property managers! The City’s annual rental registration process is currently open, and renewals are due by December 31, 2025. Read the full details and learn more. Long-term rental Renewal Notices for 2026 were mailed out in the first week of November. We strongly encourage landlords and property owners to renew their registrations online via our Citizen Self Service Portal. 

• Licenses not renewed within 14 days of their expiration date will be assessed a $50 per-unit late fee. 
• Licenses not renewed within 45 days of their expiration date will be assessed a $200 per-unit late fee. Incomplete renewals are subject to late fees. 

Vacant Downtown Commercial Storefronts Will Soon Have to Register
The City Council recently passed an order that will soon require vacant commercial storefronts in the Pedestrian Activities District (PAD) that have been empty for six months or more to register their vacant property within 30 days of their property becoming vacant. Owners of vacant properties in the PAD are encouraged to take advantage of a new Temporary Use Permit. The City is also currently accepting submissions for art to be reproduced in windows. A juried art selection will be available for property owners to select from in the coming months. Read the full update. 

Register Your Dog by January 31, 2026
State law requires you to license your dog each year; residents can register dogs online or at the City Clerk's office. Register annually by January 31 to avoid the $25 late fee. Fees: $6 per year; $11 unneutered/unspayed. (A $1 transaction fee + a $1.75 shipping/handling fee is added to online registration transactions.) 

Parks, Recreation and Facilities Updates

• Read all the latest updates in the November 2025 newsletter or subscribe! Check out the 2025-2026 Parks & Recreation Program Guide.
• Effective immediately, the entrance gates at Evergreen Cemetery will now close daily at 4:30 PM. This earlier closing time will remain in effect until Spring.
• Our Recreation team is hiring: Help us provide programs and safe, fun childcare experiences for our community. Learn more and apply! Current openings: Recreation Supervisor; Recreation Programmer II - After School; Childcare Site Staff; Recreation Programmer II; Childcare Site Staff - After School; Childcare Site Staff - Before School. NEW: On Call Aquatics Instructors; Aquatics Assistant; Aquatic Programmer I.

Public Works Updates

• Visit portlandmaine.gov/PublicWorks for links to all the most recent DPW project updates. Check here for November paving projects.
• 12/8-10: Baxter Boulevard Storm Drain Construction, Hannaford Plaza Rd
• Congress Square Reconstruction Now Underway - read full details.
• Forest Avenue bridge repair starting soon - through the end of 2025.
• Pesticide Disposal Resources Bring unwanted pesticides to a collection site in Portland; pre-register by 9/26 for free collection.

We’re Hiring!
We are hiring across several departments in the city, with a variety of open positions: healthcare roles (RNs/CNAs), trades workers, before and after-school recreation counselors, lifeguards, 911 dispatchers, community health workers, and
more. Come make a difference with us; our wellness benefits are award winning.