City of Portland Alerts

City News Round Up: Friday, January 16, 2026

City News Round Up: Friday, January 16, 2026

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 January 5 City Council meeting. The next City Council meeting is Wednesday, January 21, at 5:00 PM. Read the agenda preview at the end of this message.

Upcoming Holiday Closure
All City buildings will be closed on Monday, January 19, in observance of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day. There is no change to trash and recycling collection.

Frozen Funk is Tomorrow at Deering Oaks Park
Join us tomorrow, Saturday, 1/17, 6-8PM, for Frozen Funk! The ice at Deering Oaks Park will again be transformed into a free neon-soaked dance floor for the ultimate winter throwback party. Skates will be available, and you can warm up with hot chocolate in the historic Deering Oaks Castle.

One Climate Future Celebrates Five Years of Climate Action
The Cities of Portland and South Portland are celebrating an important anniversary this year! Five years ago, the two cities joined forces to create and adopt One Climate Future, a bold plan charting a course to reduce community-wide greenhouse gas emissions 80% by 2050 and use 100% clean energy for municipal operations by 2040, while building resilience to the impacts of climate change. More than 70% of the climate strategies included in the plan are now underway. Read the full update and progress.

Portland Celebrates Positive Impact of Portland Opportunity Crew
We’re happy to share that the Portland Opportunity Crew Program demonstrated a positive impact in beautifying public spaces and increasing participant employability. Read the full 2025 Program Report on our website. This program helps Homeless Services Center guests develop job readiness skills that equip them for successful employment beyond their participation.

November and December 2025 Employees of the Month
Congratulations to Edward Coyne in our  Information Technology Department (IT), and Zachary Powell, in our Planning & Urban Development Department! ⁠Both Ed and Zach are truly assets to IT, Planning, and to the City -thank you both for all that you do! ⁠City staff commend Ed's leadership, dedication, thoroughness, and positivity. This award recognizes Ed’s innovative work with the Health & Human Services Department. Zach is a Senior Planner and was recognized for his exceptional initiative, dedication, technical abilities, and thoughtfulness. Zach has been leading the City’s data analysis, GIS, and long-range planning initiatives; his tireless work has resulted in the successful creation and launch of the City’s Housing Data Dashboard. Visit our website to read their recognitions in full. ⁠

Maine Coast Fishermen Fundraiser
In the wake of the recent fire, Maine Coast Fishermen has set up a fundraiser to help support the fishing businesses impacted by the 3-alarm fire on Custom House Wharf. All donations minus processing fees from online platforms will go to support those affected by the fire. Please visit their fundraising page if you would like to donate.


City Receives $2.1 Million Grant to Support Brighton Ave Safety Projects
We’re pleased to announce we’ve received a $2,120,000 Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) federal grant to support a multitude of roadway, pedestrian, and bicycle safety projects as part of the Brighton Avenue Safety and Demonstration Project. 

Portland Professional Connections Program Relaunches
Our Office of Economic Opportunity, in partnership with the Portland Regional Chamber of Commerce, is proud to announce the relaunch of the Portland Professional Connections (PPC) program. PPC is a collaborative initiative that helps Portland’s highly skilled individuals from a range of cultural and professional experiences build meaningful relationships with local leaders and grow their careers in the Greater Portland area. 

Winter Weekdays Launches to Support Maine Restaurants in Off-Season
Visit Portland has launched Winter Weekdays, a statewide dining and hospitality promotion designed to boost midweek business during Maine’s winter season. The campaign will run January 5 through April 30, 2026. Find weekday deals from participating establishments or learn how to participate if you are a business.

New Podcast: Unpacking How Communities Prepare for Winter Storms
Don't miss this recent podcast with City staff! Hear from Mike Murray, our Director of Public Works, and Caity Hager, our Emergency Management Coordinator, to learn how plowing decisions are made, why parking bans matter, how roads are treated, what causes delays, and how communities plan for emergencies before a storm even hits.  

Public Works Updates

Call For Art: New Commission at Portland Harbor Common Park
The Public Art Committee is excited to announce an open call for artists to submit qualifications for a new public artwork commission at the forthcoming Portland Harbor Common Park. The park is expected to begin construction in March 2026 and open in September 2026, and will soon be going through a naming process to rename the park. 

Public Comment Open - Updated Historic Resources Design Manual Draft
After four workshops with the City’s Historic Preservation Board, the City has released the final draft of the updated Historic Resources Design Manual, a guide for historic preservation projects and reviews. Before the manual is finalized, take a look and let us know what you think. Your input will help make this guide all the more useful! The review draft will be available for public comment through January 31st, after which staff will make final edits based on feedback before bringing the document back to the Historic Preservation Board for adoption. 
The existing manual was first adopted in 1990, but hasn’t been updated in over thirty years. The new version provides an overview of how historic preservation reviews work, simple explanations of the review standards, and examples of a variety of projects that have successfully undergone historic preservation review. Altogether, the revised manual should serve as a user-friendly resource for anyone embarking on or interested in construction projects involving historically-designated buildings. 

New Portland Music Festival Announced - May 15 & 16
All Roads Portland, in partnership with State Theatre, is a two-day festival & showcase of national and Maine music talent across multiple independent venues in and around Portland’s Arts District. The mission is to provide local artists the opportunity to connect with first-class touring talent on their home turf, while celebrating the independent stages of Portland, Maine. 

New! City's Economic Development Team Offers Q&A Office Hours
Connect with our Economic Development staff every Wednesday, from 10:00- 11:00 AM! Come with questions or concerns relating to new downtown activation initiatives, including: storefront vacancy ordinance, call for art (now extended to 2/1/26!), temporary use permit, and interest-free storefront loans. Join via video call link, or dial: ‪(US) +1 470-635-0052‬ PIN: ‪954 693 546‬#. Read their quarterly newsletter for latest updates.

Vacant Storefront Art Initiative - Call For Art Extended
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. The City is also currently accepting submissions for art (proposals due by 2/1/26) to be reproduced in vacant storefront windows. A juried art selection will be available for property owners to select from in the coming months. Owners of vacant properties in the PAD are also encouraged to take advantage of a new Temporary Use Permit.

Grants and Free Webinars for Small Businesses
Grants of $20,000 from the Amex Shop Small Grants Program are available to small businesses. Priority will be given to businesses that positively impact the community or address a community need; applications due January 16. SCORE Maine also offers free workshops and webinars on various topics related to running a small business.

Annual Rental Registrations Now Past Due
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. 

Parks, Recreation and Facilities Updates

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.) 

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.

January 21 City Council Meeting - Agenda Preview

The City Council will conduct this meeting in the Council Chambers, 2nd floor of City Hall. The public may attend in person or watch online.

5:00 PM - Public comment period on non-agenda items

Proclamations
#17 Recognizing February 2026 as Black History Month 

Appointments and 3 Consent Items (Public comment taken)
#116 Appointing Constables for the Police Department for 2026

Unfinished Business (First Read only)
#114 Amendment Portland City Code Chapter 2 Re: Civilian Police Review Board
#115 Amendment Portland City Code Chapter 34 RE: Landcare Management Advisory Committee

Orders (Public comment taken, except #121 First Read only)
#120 Amending Order 75-25/26 Approving Amended and Restated Agreement with Portland Music Festival, LLC RE: Back Cove Music and Arts Festival at Payson Park
#121 Approving an Agreement Between the MaineDOT and City RE: Improvements to Route 9, Route 9 West, and Route 22 
#122 Accepting/Adopting Emergency Operations Plan (Staff recommend postponing so that it can be read concurrently with companion order #123 below.)

Amendments (First Read only)
#123 Amendments to Portland City Code Chapter 2 RE: Emergency Management 

Past Alerts