City of Portland Alerts

City News Round Up: Friday, February 27, 2026

City News Round Up: Friday, February 27, 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 February 23 City Council meeting. The next meeting is Monday, March 2, at 5:00 PM. Read the agenda preview at the end of this message.

Warming Shelter Open Overnight Sunday and Monday, 3/1,2
The overnight warming shelter will be open this Sunday and Monday, March 1st and 2nd, 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. ⁠Check the City’s homepage or social media for the latest updates.

Portland’s Co-op Tree Planting Program Returns
The City of Portland's Co-op Tree Planting Program is a partnership in which a resident selects and purchases a tree from a local nursery and Forestry staff completes the pick-up and planting process. Co-op trees can be planted in esplanades, tree wells, or lawns -learn more!

Last Call! Help Us Name Portland’s New Park
A new park is scheduled to start construction this March on a site currently occupied by the Ocean Gateway queuing lanes. The new 3.5-acre park site will consist of a public greenspace along the Eastern Waterfront transformed into an area with walking and biking trails, trees, native plantings, playful features, parking, and more! Submit your name ideas through Friday, February 27.⁠ Learn more on the project page. 

Serve on New Civilian Police Review Board
The City Clerk's office is seeking applicants to serve on the newly created Civilian Police Review Board - apply by Saturday, 2/28.

CDBG Priority Setting Task Force, Apply by March 2
Help shape Portland’s future! We’re looking for applicants for the CDBG Priority Setting Task Force to help review current priorities, research needs within the community, and recommend priorities to be used in the allocation of resources for the Community Development Block Grant Program. The City receives approximately $2 million annually from the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development, which is used to support public infrastructure projects, small business and job creation programs, housing, and a wide range of social services to support the City’s low and moderate-income residents. Learn more and apply.

Property Taxes Due
Property tax bills can be viewed and paid on our Citizen Self Service website; the second half of payment is due Friday, March 20, 2026. 

Cumberland County Adopts Smart911 Emergency Notification System
As of February 20, the new Rave Alert system, powered by Smart911, replaces the CodeRed system that had previously been used by Cumberland County. Anyone wishing to continue to receive alerts must subscribe to the new system. Visit their dedicated webpage to sign up, or call 207-893-2810. The new system will alert you with a call, text or email and provide important instructions when a disaster impacts the area.

Watt's Up? Understanding and Lowering Your Energy Bills
Join the City's Sustainability Office for a FREE two-part webinar series, March 11 and 12, designed to give Maine residents practical, actionable advice on how to understand energy usage and save money. Learn more and register here for the series.

Greater Portland Region FlashVote Community
Do you have one minute a month to help make the Greater Portland region better? Join your friends and neighbors and make your voice heard on important local issues. You’ll get a short 1-minute survey every few months and you’ll get to see full survey results within 48 hours! Sign up here, to catch the first survey, coming soon! FlashVote makes sure your feedback is always anonymous, and your input will help leaders in the Greater Portland region make better decisions for everyone in our community.

P-STEP Applications Now Available
Portland Senior Tax Equity Program (P-STEP) applications have been mailed to those who qualified last year and are now available on our website via an online fillable form, a PDF fillable and printable form, and in-person at the Treasury Department.

Creative Portland Open Call to Artists
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, May 2026 - April 2027, at their Free Street gallery space. Apply by March 13th.

Public Works Updates

Parks, Recreation and Facilities Updates

We’re Hiring!
We are hiring across several departments, 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.


March 2nd City Council Meeting - Agenda Preview

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

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

Proclamations

#22 Recognizing Brandon Mazer for Their Service on the Planning Board

#23 Recognizing South Portland Resident Juliet Shane for Her Work to Significantly Improve Tracking of Arrivals and Departures at the Portland International Jetport

Consent Items (Public comment taken)

#140 Granting Municipal Officers’ Approval of B&G James LLC, dba The Teal Duck.  Application for Class X Lounge at 8 Exchange Street

Communications (No Council action, No Public comment)
#12 Committee Work Plans

Unfinished Business (Public comment taken except #88)

#88 Approving the Police Department's Acquisition of an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle in Accordance with 25 M.R.S.A. §4501

#136 Accepting and Appropriating $10,000 in Resilient Communities Grant Funding from the Casco Bay Estuary Partnership

#137 Accepting and Appropriating a $1,000 Donation from Justin Alfond for the City's Natural Helpers Program

#138 Approving Agreement Between the Maine Department of Transportation and Portland RE: Improvements to Franklin Street and Marginal Way

#139 Approving the Payment-in-Lieu-of-Tax (PILOT) Policy

Orders (Public comment taken on #141 only, others First Read only)

#141 Accepting/Adopting 2026 Jill C. Duson Housing Trust Fund Annual Plan

#142 Approving Agreement between MaineDOT and the City RE: Baxter Boulevard Pavement Rehabilitation Project

#143 Approving Agreement between MaineDOT, Portland Area Comprehensive Transportation System, Greater Portland Council of Governments, and the City RE: Improvements to High Street

#144 Approving Agreement between MaineDOT and City RE: Improvements to Signal Equipment at the Interstate 295 Ramps & Veranda Street

Amendments (First Read only)

#145 Amendment to Portland City Code Chapter 14 RE: Land Use Code Updates
#146 Amendment to Portland Zoning Map RE: Updates

Past Alerts