City News Round Up: Friday, September 25, 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. 
• Read a recap of the September 21 City Council meeting. The next City Council meeting is Monday, October 5 at 5:00 PM.

NEED TO KNOW

• Attention residents who live or park on the peninsula! Overnight street maintenance parking restrictions go back into effect Thursday, October 1 (daytime also, in some areas).  Regulations are in effect annually from October 1 - May 31. This applies to all citizens who live or park on the peninsula (and the Nathan Clifford area). Cars not in compliance with City street maintenance signs are subject to ticketing and towing.
• We’re continuing to expand year-round public restroom access and are pleased to announce the installation of two new vaulted City Toilets, which increases the total number of public toilets to 18.
• Community members, business owners, housing providers, and developers are invited to an interactive Permitting and Inspections Open House on Wednesday, September 30, 4 to 6 PM in the Kippy Richardson Conference Room 24 (basement level of Portland City Hall). Get one-on-one expert guidance, demystify city regulations, and streamline your next project!

LATEST NEWS AND CITY EVENTS

• Along with Portland Downtown, we are excited to announce a community-wide effort to find the ideal tree to light up Monument Square this winter season! Submit your tree by November 1, 2026. The chosen tree will be carefully removed and transported from its current location at no cost to the owner. 
• Our broker is now ready to market a unique opportunity to purchase, lease, or otherwise develop on a 3.5± acre tract of land located in Portland’s Bayside Neighborhood. Find the Request For Proposals on their website and learn more about the selection process, timeline for transactions, and what the City wants to see on these sites. 
• In close partnership with MaineDOT, we recently completed a series of critical traffic calming and pedestrian safety enhancements along Deering Avenue as part of our ongoing Vision Zero commitment to eliminate traffic-related fatalities and serious injuries.
• We recently issued a Request for Proposals for a Comprehensive Street Lighting Safety, Asset, and Modernization Assessment. This project represents a significant step in our commitment to public safety, infrastructure reliability, and its commitment to Vision Zero, which aims to eliminate fatal and serious-injury crashes on roadways. 
• We love our sports teams! We announced a new study last week that highlights that Portland’s four professional sports teams currently generate an estimated $110 million in total annual statewide economic output! That fan passion translates into local economic development, supporting 917 jobs statewide and driving significant hospitality and retail spending.
• Spurwink and the City recently announced a new partnership between Spurwink's Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic and the City's Housing Opportunities for People in Encampments Program, creating a direct pathway to same-day behavioral health services and ongoing support for individuals experiencing homelessness as they transition into permanent housing.
• We’re hosting the first-ever Waterfront Summit, September 29, 3 - 6 PM at Gulf of Maine Research Institute! Portland property owners, business owners, and all waterfront stakeholders are invited for a discussion on the future of our waterfront. 
• Join us Wednesday, September 30, at the Portland Museum of Art for A More Walkable Portland, a special presentation by Jeff Speck, renowned urban planner and author of Walkable City, the best-selling urban planning book of the 21st century. The event will feature a panel discussion on Portland in Motion, the City’s first comprehensive transportation plan in more than 30 years. The event is free and open to the public; RSVPs are encouraged. 
• Join our Sustainability team at Congress Square Park on Friday, October 9, at 6:30 pm for a FREE screening of The Buzz on Native Plants. 
• Portland Police Department will hold an Open House/Touch-A-Truck event on Saturday, October 10, at 250 Canco Road from 9 AM to 12:00 PM. Join for a chance to connect with the people who serve our city every day.
• Our Public Health team invites you to a FREE, resource-packed Reiche Parent Cafe & Baby Fair Thursday, October 22, 10 AM-11:30 AM, at the Reiche Community Center.

CITY SERVICES

• If you intend to apply for CDBG funding, or want to learn more about the program, your attendance is required at a mandatory pre-application meeting for prospective applicants on Thursday, October 15 at 9:30 AM via Zoom. Join us to review: program eligibility, reporting requirements, and the new online application software. 
• Save the date:  Our Public Works crews will be collecting leaf bags November 1-27, 2026. Please follow the curbside guidelines to help our Public Works team work efficiently and smoothly.
• Stay Connected with Portland Police Department! Sign up for their new quarterly newsletter featuring news, community updates, public safety information, crime statistics and more.
• You can now sign up to receive Cruise Ship Outbreak Alerts through our City Alerts! If the City is notified by the Maine CDC or Federal CDC about a docking cruise ship with an outbreak, anyone enrolled in this notification group will receive a message through our mass notification system. Sign up here; learn more about Tourism and Public Health.
• The mil rate for Fiscal Year 2027 has been set. Property owners will receive their tax bills in the mail very soon. They are available to view online now. The first half of property tax payments are due on October 16, 2026, and the second half is due on March 12, 2027. Residents can also drop off payments in our Tax Payment Box in the City Hall lobby, right next to the Greeter's Desk.
• In conjunction with the anniversaries of two deadly fires in Portland related to smoking materials, our Fire Department and Housing Safety Office are issuing an advisory to residents and landlords regarding the dangers of improper disposal of smoking materials.
• Landlords & tenants: Please note that the new allowable rent increase per the consumer price index (CPI) as part of the rent control ordinance has been published for calendar year 2027. We also published the new limit on non-owner occupied short-term rentals for units on the mainland for 2027.
• 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. 

SHAPE YOUR CITY

• Last chance:  If you missed the Reimagining Franklin Street public meeting on September 10, there's still time to provide feedback on the Draft Street Concept Plan! Comments will be accepted through September 25. Visit the Reimagining Franklin Street website to find the plan, provide comments, and review background for the project.
• Take the Safe Streets for All 2026: Post Installation Survey! Greater Portland Council of Governments wants to hear your thoughts about the temporary safety improvement projects in place on Commercial Street in Portland.
• Take this quick community survey about the Portland Urban Forest Management Plan - now open until October 31, 2026.

COMMUNITY NEWS

• The 2nd annual Capisic Fall Festival will take place Saturday, September 26 at the Macy St. entrance of Capisic Pond Park from 2-5 PM.
• Join Friends of Woodfords Corner on Saturday, October 3, 2 to 7 PM for CORNERFEST 2026 - a block party for the entire neighborhood.
• Bus Adventure for Older Adults: Join Greater Portland Metro to learn how to trip plan, apply for a reduced fare pass, and ride the bus to visit a local cafe. Free to attend, RSVP via email to: mobilityforall@gpcog.org. Dates: October 6 and 16: 9:30 AM to12 PM. Meet at Metro Pulse, 21 Elm Street.
• You’re invited to a Candidates Forum featuring At-Large City Council candidates and the District 5 County Commission candidate on October 8, 6:30 to 8 PM, in the Reiche Community Room, sponsored by WENA, WPNA, and PNA. Located at 166 Brackett St, enter through Door 11 on the Clark Street side and head to the second floor.
• You’re invited to a Portland City Council Candidates Forum for the District 4 and 5 seats on October 14 at The Light Church.
• Bookmark our Park Events Calendar for a list of local events.
• Affordable Homeownership at Dougherty Commons & Lambert Co-op: One 3 Bedroom Condo and one 1 Bedroom Condo ready for move-in at Dougherty Commons, and 1 & 2 BRs available at Lambert Co-op, move-in April 2027. Visit their website or call Richard at 207-560-4883.
• 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

• The City Council’s Sustainability & Transportation Committee voted unanimously at its September 16 meeting to endorse the demonstration phase design for the Forest Avenue Redesign Project and authorize staff to move forward with implementation.
• A paving project is ongoing on High Street (Congress Square to Park Ave). Sections of High Street will be closed to traffic and detoured. Drivers should expect delays and avoid the area if possible. Final paving is expected to be complete mid-October, barring any unforeseen issues. This project is weather-dependent.
• Congress Square Project Update: The new substantial completion date for this project is October 31, 2026.
• Construction work is underway in and around City Hall's Ganley Plaza; City Hall will remain accessible for the entirety of the work. Read the full details about this project.
• Update: 2026 Ocean Ave Sidewalk Project
• Update: Union Branch Pathway Project
• Check the full 2026 Paving Projects list for the latest updates.
• In August, our Public Works team installed five speed humps along Ocean Avenue as part of our ongoing Vision Zero initiative. These traffic calming installations will help moderate vehicle speeds along the Ocean Avenue Elementary School walking route.⁠ Three speed humps were also installed in Payson Park, in partnership with our Parks Division as part of the Payson Park Traffic Calming Project.⁠ 
• We also implemented new traffic signal timings designed to enhance pedestrian safety along the Washington Avenue/Auburn Street corridor.
• 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. 

PARKS, RECREATION AND FACILITIES UPDATES

• Read the latest updates in the September 2026 newsletter or subscribe. First Light Common is coming soon!
• The next Park Ranger Hike Club is tomorrow, 10 AM- 12 PM, at Evergreen Woods. Meet by ponds in the back of the cemetery. 
• The First Annual Tree Festival is Saturday, October 3! Celebrate Portland’s Urban Forest at Deering Oaks Park, 10 AM -12:30 PM.
• Fall Native Plant Walk at Evergreen Cemetery with Wild Seed Project Tuesday, October 6, 3:00 to 4:30 PM.
• Deering Oaks History Walk with Herb Adams Sunday, October 11 at 1PM.
• The Jr. Celtics Youth Basketball League is returning for another season!
• Granite stair upgrades are set to begin along Back Cove, work is projected to begin between late September and early October 2026.
• Check out all of the fun and exciting new Recreation Programs this fall on Portland MyRec, including our new Critter Crawls Nature Walks, a great way for young children and their grownups to learn in nature.
• Along with Portland Trails, we celebrated the grand opening of the Stroudwater Bridge with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on September 18! The bridge will allow Portland Trails to connect the Stroudwater River Trail with the Fore River Sanctuary, a longtime goal. 
• After a 9-year hiatus, the Maine Climbing Competition returns this year in Deering Oaks Park on Sunday, September 27.