City News Round Up: Friday, October 2, 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; read the agenda preview at the end of this message.

NEED TO KNOW

• Marathon Weekend:  This Sunday, October 4, several streets in and around Baxter Boulevard, including the full length of the Boulevard, will be closed to motorists from 5 AM to 2 PM to make way for Maine Marathon participants.
• In-person absentee voting begins Monday, October 5, and will take place in the State of Maine Room, 2nd Floor of City Hall. Hours are Monday through Friday 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. The last day to absentee vote (unless you have an allowed special circumstance) will be October 29, 2026. On this day only, the Clerk's Office will remain open until 7:00 PM.
• Upcoming Closures: On Thursday, October 8 the Finance Department will close early at 12 PM for a staff event. Portland City Hall and City offices will be closed Monday, October 12, 2026, in observance of Indigenous Peoples' Day. Trash and recycling will be collected as normal. ⁠
• Attention residents who live or park on the peninsula and near USM! Overnight street maintenance parking restrictions went back into effect this week (daytime also, in some areas). Please remember to check posted signs to avoid tickets & towing! 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).
• We’re continuing to expand year-round public bathroom access! Two more were recently added on the Bayside Trail and on Spring Street, increasing the total number of city-managed public bathrooms to 18. 

LATEST NEWS AND CITY EVENTS

• We have begun “daylighting crosswalks” as part of our Vision Zero commitment. Daylighting is the practice of ensuring authorized vehicle parking is set-back far enough to allow sufficient visibility at intersections, crosswalks, and driveways. This removes blind spots and means that drivers, bicyclists, and pedestrians can see each other clearly before entering the crosswalk. 
• Portland in Motion:  If you missed "A More Walkable Portland", a special presentation by Jeff Speck, which was held on Wednesday at the Portland Museum of Art, don’t worry! We recorded it and it’s now available on our YouTube Channel. The event featured a panel discussion on Portland in Motion, the City’s first comprehensive transportation plan in more than 30 years, and a conversation about a more walkable future for Portland. Learn more at portlandmaine.gov/InMotion. 
• Help us transform the esplanades outside of Fort Sumner Park with native plants on North Street October 5-7! All tools and materials will be provided. Sign up and choose a volunteer shift or join us each day.
• 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 marketing 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. 
• 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. 
• 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 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.
• Join Age-Friendly Portland for their FREE annual summit on Wednesday, October 28 (9 AM to12 PM) at the Barron Center Campus (1145 Brighton Ave). This year's theme is Community Engagement and Staying Active in Retirement!

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 Thursday, October 15 at 9:30 AM via Zoom. Join us to review: program eligibility, reporting requirements, and the new online application software. 
• Our Public Works crews will be collecting leaf bags November 1-27. 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 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.

SHAPE YOUR CITY

• 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

• Tonight is First Friday Art Walk! Download the map. 
• The First Annual Tree Festival is Saturday, October 3! Celebrate Portland’s Urban Forest at Deering Oaks Park, 10 AM -12:30 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.
• Attend 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 also 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.

PUBLIC WORKS UPDATES

• October 5-9: Mountfort St. Closed to Through Traffic
• Update: Construction on City Hall's Ganley Plaza is expected to be completed by October 9. The bus stop currently placed at Congress and Chestnut Street will then move to Congress and Myrtle St.
• New Update: 2026 Ocean Ave Sidewalk Project
• A paving project is ongoing on High Street (Congress Square to Park Ave). Final paving is expected to be complete mid-October, barring any unforeseen issues. Check the full 2026 Paving Projects list for the latest updates.

PARKS, RECREATION AND FACILITIES UPDATES

• Read the latest updates in the September 2026 newsletter or subscribe. First Light Common is coming soon!
• Looking for the Reiche pool schedule? Find it on Portland MyRec. 
• Jr. Celtics Gallager and Caldwell basketball registration opens Friday, October 2. Find registration and program details.
• Fall Native Plant Walk at Evergreen Cemetery with Wild Seed Project Tuesday, October 6, 3:00 to 4:30 PM.
• A Boston Tea Party Participant Commemoration will take place at 3 PM on October 8 at Western Cemetery.
• The next Park Ranger Hike Club is October 10, 10 AM to 12 PM, at Presumpscot River Preserve (Gray Road Trailhead: 30 Gray Rd, Falmouth).
• Deering Oaks History Walk with Herb Adams, Sunday, October 11 at 1PM.
• Join Spirits Alive in October at the Eastern Cemetery for Walk Among the Shadows 2026, Burial Ground Blues.
• 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.

AGENDA PREVIEW: Portland City Council Meeting

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

When: Monday, October 5, 2026
Where: Council Chambers, City Hall (2nd Floor) or via livestream
Time: 5:00 PM

MEETING HIGHLIGHTS

Board & Committee Appointments: Appointing members to the Creative Portland Corporation, Civilian Police Review Board, Ethics Commission, Historic Preservation Board, and other municipal boards

Proclamations: Recognizing October 12, 2026, as Indigenous Peoples' Day and October 2026 as Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

Infrastructure & Transportation Projects: Approving state-matching funding agreements (MaineDOT) for the York Street Bicycle Pedestrian Safety Project and Forest Avenue Pedestrian Crossing Improvements.

Affordable Housing Initiatives: Updating the Tax Increment Financing (TIF) district structure for the Boyd & Cumberland Housing project and approving $375,000 from the Jill C. Duson Housing Trust Fund for the Lambert Woods North project.

Grants & Bequests: Accepting an approximate $1.6 million bequest from the Seymour Becker estate for the Portland Fire Department (MEDCU).   

Public Art: Authorizing the removal of the Jewel Box Bus Shelter from the public art collection.   

Executive Session: Discussing compensation for the Corporation Counsel.

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.