City of Portland Alerts

City News Round Up: Friday, January 23, 2026

City News Round Up: Friday, January 23, 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 21 City Council meeting. The Council will hold a virtual workshop on Monday, January 26 to hear a preview of the FY27 budget. The next meeting is Monday, February 2, at 5:00 PM. 

Emergency Warming Shelter Open Overnight This Weekend
The emergency overnight warming shelter will be open this Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, January 23rd, 24th, and 25th, from 7:30 PM - 6:30 AM at 166 Riverside Industrial Parkway. A free shuttle service will be available to bring guests to and from the Warming Shelter. ⁠Visit our website to learn more and find a list of spaces to stay warm during the day.

Winter Storm Reminders
With snow in the forecast this weekend, please visit and bookmark our Winter Operations webpage to find our full winter storm operations information. Need to know when parking bans are declared? Sign up to receive email, text, and phone notices via our Stay Connected feature. Reminder: Once City plow operations end after a winter storm, the clock begins for business and residential owner sidewalk clean up. Age Friendly Portland needs volunteers to help older neighbors safely clear snow from their walkways. If you can help, or if you need assistance, please visit our Elder Services page to learn more!Mayor Mark Dion Statements Regarding ICE in Portland
City of Portland Mayor, Mark Dion, shared statements both last week and this week regarding the ICE presence in Portland. Read more on our website and on the City’s social media.

Department of Planning and Urban Development 2025 Accomplishments
In 2025, the Planning Board approved 1,347 new housing units, including 107 workforce and 285 affordable units, over $4 million in contributions earmarked for the Housing Trust Fund, and furthered the City’s sustainable goals by approving 244 street trees, 64 EV charging stations, and 645 bicycle parking spaces. Find the full 2025 recap in our agenda portal. The Historic Preservation Program approved 12 board reviews, 83 administrative reviews, and 452 permit reviews in 2025; read the full recap.

Creative Portland Open Call and February First Friday Art Salon
Greater Portland artists are invited to submit work for exhibition consideration in Creative Portland's upcoming 9th juried show, Resistance, which will hang for one year, between May 2026 through April 2027, at their Free Street gallery space. Join them for an artist salon during the next First Friday Art Walk, February 6, 6-7 PM, to view their current gallery exhibition, Acceptance, before it comes down.

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.

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.

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. 

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.

Free Webinars for Small Businesses
SCORE Maine is offering free workshops and webinars on various topics related to running a small business.

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.
 

Past Alerts