City News Round Up: Friday, August 21, 2026 

UPCOMING MEETINGS

• 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. 
• The next City Council meeting is a double meeting on Monday, August 24 at 4PM and 5:30PM. Read the agenda preview at the end of this message.

NEED TO KNOW

• Parking Ban Alert: There will be an overnight Parking Ban for 368-954 Congress Street on August 24, 25, 26 and 27 from 8:00 PM - 6:00 AM for work that MaineDOT is conducting. Parking will be restricted on one side of the street at a time, similar to bi-weekly maintenance. The ban will be lifted on each side once scanning is complete. Please watch for official no-parking signs, which will be posted around August 21. Vehicles will be ticketed and towed if necessary.
• Construction work in and around City Hall's Ganley Plaza will begin Monday, August 31; City Hall will remain accessible for the entirety of the work. Read the full details about this project.
• During the last week of August, Arboretum Road and Catafalque Drive in Payson Park will be restriped to provide bicycle lanes. This work is part of the Payson Park Traffic Calming Project. ⁠Temporary road closures and detours may be required.

LATEST NEWS AND CITY EVENTS

• As part of our ongoing Vision Zero commitment to eliminate traffic fatalities and serious injuries, we've implemented new traffic signal timings designed to enhance pedestrian safety along the Washington Avenue/Auburn Street corridor. 
• Join us for another Landcare Lunch Break Webinar on Thursday, August 27 from 12-1 PM! Maine Audubon will join us to discuss why native plants are great for soil health, urban trees, pollinators, little critters, and more! You'll also learn how to get involved in Grow Wild -an initiative that offers resources and support to plant native species in small patches of lawn across the city.
• Save the date! A public meeting is coming up for the Reimagining Franklin project to share the draft design concept. The meeting will be held on Thursday, September 10, at the Portland Public Library, Rines Auditorium (5 Monument Square) from 5:30 to 7:30PM. A preview of the draft plan will be posted to the website in advance of the meeting. Sign up here to stay up to date on the project!
• Slow Down, We Walk Here. A new community-driven pedestrian safety campaign is running this summer in Portland to address the growing number of pedestrian fatalities and serious crashes. Yard signs encouraging drivers to slow down are now available! Please email info@portlandmaine.gov with your address if you’d like one.
• Read the results of the enhanced traffic safety operation the Police Department conducted August 3, aimed at improving roadway safety for everyone who lives, works, and travels in Portland. Increased traffic enforcement will continue in the weeks and months ahead, and is one of the objectives listed in our Vision Zero Action Plan to reduce pedestrian incidents.  

CITY SERVICES

• Absentee ballots can now be requested for the November 3 election. Request online through the State’s website, or learn other ways on our website. Ballots will be sent out once they are ready in October. Maine residents can now register to vote, update registration details, or change party status online. 
• We're developing a GIS-based mapping tool that will help staff better understand how sea level rise will impact our shoreline.

SHAPE YOUR CITY

• Volunteers Needed! The City Clerk's office is seeking applications for various board and committee positions. Find the full position descriptions and how to apply on our website. The application deadline is Sunday, August 30; applicants will be contacted for interviews. 
• Take this quick community survey about the Portland Urban Forest Management Plan - open until September 20, 2026.
• Shape Federal Funding Locally: Please take our community survey by September 15 to help guide how local housing and community development programs will run moving forward. 

COMMUNITY NEWS

• Check out our Park Events Calendar for a list of events, including the many summer concert series happening in the parks.
• Volunteers are needed to help bring this year’s Porchfest to life on Sunday, September 13, 12–5 PM, in Deering Center.
• Blood donors are urgently needed throughout Maine and across the country. Schedule an appointment today! 
• The Alpha Legal Foundation AmeriCorps Legal Access Navigator Program hosts free civil legal education workshops every Friday, 1-2 PM at the Portland Public Library. 

PUBLIC WORKS UPDATES

• Woodford Street paving is scheduled to start on Monday, 8/24 near the Brighton intersection. Check the full 2026 Paving Projects list for the latest updates.
• In late July, road crews installed temporary road safety features on Commercial Street for the Safe Streets for All temporary demo project. You may notice picnic tables or planters in a few parking spaces. These spaces have been removed in order to create better visibility of pedestrians. Two handicap parking spaces have been relocated across the street. Read more about the project. 
• We're working hard to complete the Congress Square intersection improvements by August 31!
• We'd like to thank MaineDOT for the major infrastructure boost! MaineDOT has tripled the number of improvement projects it has in Portland this year over last year. 
• The Commercial Street/Portland Fish Pier Storm Drain Improvements project began Monday, July 6. Construction will be focused on the Fish Pier property from July through the end of September. Traffic impacts on Commercial Street are expected to be minimal for the first few months of the project until the work moves into the roadway in October. Learn more and sign up for updates.
• Licensed Commercial Waste Haulers: Reminder to residents and contractors that City Code requires the use of a City licensed waste hauler for all building renovations or construction projects. Hiring a licensed hauler ensures compliance with City Code regarding disposal methods. 
• Ongoing: Neighborhood Drainage and Sewer System Repairs 2025-2028. Gorham Sand & Gravel plans to start work on Concord Street West on Tuesday, July 21.

PARKS, RECREATION AND FACILITIES UPDATES

• The next Park Ranger Hike Club walk is Saturday, August 29, 10AM-12PM.
• The sidewalk upgrade in Deering Oaks Park is almost complete! Paving Tennis Court Road, alongside the new sidewalk, will begin in August.
• Read the latest updates in the July 2026 newsletter or subscribe. 
• Portland Recreation is seeking childcare site staff to join our After the Bell program. Help us offer exciting and enriching activities for students (Kindergarten-5th grade), right in their own school.
• The Portland Parks Conservancy, in partnership with the City, is developing an Urban Forest Master Plan to create a healthier tree canopy. Check out the project website to learn how to get involved! A public workshop will be held on September 17, 5-7PM, at Merrill Auditorium. 
• Site improvements to the parking lot area at Riverton Trolley Park began August 3. The Reiche Playground Renovation Project is also now underway.
• A Portland MyRec account is the key to all recreation programs in Portland! Create your account household today so you can be ready to register for programs/activities, reserve facilities, access aquatics, and more!
• Summer discount tickets are available for Funtown Splashtown and Aquaboggan Water Park! 
• Please check Rec Calendars: Tracks and courts are shared spaces and a home base for many of our youth programs. To ensure you don't arrive during a closed session, please check the MyRec Calendar before your visit. 
• The Rising Eddy Community pool is now open! Find answers to all of your questions on our Know Before you Go webpage. Find ALL Splash Pad locations and details. 
• Safety Alert: Union Branch Multi-Use Pathway Under Construction. Please be aware that the Union Branch Path Trail is still an active construction site.
• Join The Friends of Evergreen for historic one-hour walking tours this summer! View the schedule. Meet at the cemetery office, 672 Stevens Ave. Tours are $5 for ages 18 and over. 

CITY STAFF & JOB OPPORTUNITIES

• Congratulations to our July Employee of the Month, Kaela Gonzalez! She is recognized for her exceptional work ethic and unwavering positivity as a Program Coordinator on our Housing and Economic Development team.
• Congratulations to our City Historic Preservation team recognized by the National Alliance of Preservation Commissions with the 2026 Best Practices in Technology Award! Watch the award video shown during the ceremony! Our team accepted the award at the July 2026 Commission Excellence Awards Celebration, at the organization's biennial conference in Minneapolis, Minnesota. 
• We’re hiring a Community Engagement Coordinator to join our Communications & Digital Services Office, and a Housing Program Specialist in our Housing and Economic Development Department.
• 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.

AGENDA PREVIEW Portland City Council Meeting

Join us for the next City Council meeting to discuss key community projects and updates.

When: Monday, August 24, 2026
Where: Council Chambers, City Hall (2nd Floor).
Time: This is a Special Double Meeting at 4 PM and 5:30 PM. Staff is requesting one public comment period starting at 5:30 PM.

4 PM Meeting Highlights

• Recognition of the National Alliance of Preservation Commissions Award for City's Historic Preservation Mapper Tool.
• Social Housing Task Force: Final report and strategic framework presentation following a year-long study.
• Parks & Recreation: Overview of capacity and enrollment processes for the "Before & After the Bell" program.  
• City Code Amendment: Updating local regulations to align with the 2026 edition of the National Electrical Code (NEC) adopted by Maine.

5:30 PM Meeting Highlights

• Housing & Development: Easement Release (Brighton & Holm Ave): Terminating a utility easement to satisfy Planning Board conditions for a 50-unit residential development near the Barron Center.
• Housing Opportunity Grant: Accepting a $10,000 state grant to amend the Land Use Code in accordance with housing legislation.
• Airport & Infrastructure Grants: Accepting $225,000 for airfield vehicle transponders at Portland Jetport and approving a $100,000 agreement with MaineDOT for traffic signal and two-way street design changes on State, High, and Forest Streets.
• Opioid Settlement Funds: Creating a dedicated Code framework to manage settlement funds, adding emergency winter warming shelter to the list of approved priorities.
• Police & Justice Grants: Accepting a $73,721 federal Justice Assistance Grant and $20,000 in state funding for Victim Witness Advocate services.

Get Involved

• Watch Live: Stream the meeting in our Agenda Portal.
• Public Comment: Submit written comments by 12:00 PM the day before the meeting to publiccomment@portlandmaine.gov. Please include your name, address, and the relevant order number.