City News Round Up:  Friday, September 20, 2024
Please check our agenda center for the full schedule of upcoming Committees, Boards, and Commission meetings. Read a recap of the September 4 City Council meeting. To view agendas, backup materials, and videos from past meetings, please visit portlandmaine.gov/agendas. The next City Council meeting is Monday, October 7 at 5PM.

10/3: Upcoming City Hall Closure
City Hall and Canco Road Buildings will be closed to the public for a partial day on Thursday, October 3 from 10:30 AM to 1:30 PM for an Employee Appreciation Event. Thank you for your understanding.

Moody’s Updates Credit Rating for Portland to Aaa
We’re pleased to announce that we recently received excellent news from Moody’s Ratings with a final credit opinion that upgraded the City to Aaa, the highest rating it offers. The City now holds the highly coveted AAA rating with both major credit rating agencies, resulting in further reduction in future debt service costs and additional demand for the City’s municipal bonds. Read the full update.

ReCode Final Draft, Public Hearing Now October 8
Our Planning staff recently published the final drafts of the land use code and zoning map. There’s still time to tell us what you think! Dig into the final draft code and map here. Due to scheduling conflicts, the ReCode public hearing will now be held on Tuesday, 10/8 at 5:00 PM. Materials for the hearing will be posted to our Meeting & Agenda Portal and the ReCode website by the end of the day on Friday, 10/4.

Sharps/Needles on Public Property
Remember, do not pick up any sharps you come across on public property! Please call the Department of Public Works at 207-874-8493 or submit a request through Portland 311 and a trained specialist will be dispatched to pick up the items and dispose of them properly.

Reminder:  Appointments Strongly Recommended to Avoid Wait Times
A friendly reminder that appointments are strongly recommended for auto registrations as current wait times for walk-ins have been averaging an hour. Making an appointment will save you time! Walk-ins are accepted as time and resources allow. You can easily book an appointment online. Property tax payments can be dropped off at any time. The payment drop box is now in the lobby/main entrance of City Hall (by the greeters desk). Questions regarding payments can be directed to the Treasury office at treasury@portlandmaine.gov.

Groundbreaking for Roux Institute’s New Portland Campus
Last Friday, 9/13, was the groundbreaking for the new Roux Institute Portland campus! We're proud of the role the City played in helping the Roux Institute get to this day. Their new campus will serve as a critical partner in our city’s economic future. The Roux Campus Master Plan will leverage greater economic development and opportunity across Portland and the region through education, technology innovation and business incubation.

New! Evergreen Woods Improved Access Trail
Yesterday was the Portland Trails ribbon cutting and opening of the new Evergreen Woods Improved Access Trail. This newly upgraded trail behind Evergreen Cemetery is designed to provide improved access for all user types, including wheelchairs, strollers, bikes, and more.

Creative Portland Arts & Culture Summit
Join Creative Portland for the 5th Biennial Portland Arts & Culture Summit! Sponsored by the Onion Foundation, and in collaboration with the City of Portland, this free event will take place Tuesday, September 24, 9AM-5PM, at Mechanics’ Hall. All are invited to participate in this day addressing internal strategic planning and cultural plan implementation for Portland’s arts and cultural community. See the full agenda + sign up here.

Tree Walks, West End Neighborhood Association
Save the dates, 9/28 and 10/2, for upcoming Tree Walks! The tree identification walk will highlight the diverse trees in the West End’s Western Cemetery. Find the full details here.

Portland Housing Authority Celebrates Front Street Ribbon-Cutting
Last week Portland Housing Authority, in collaboration with Portland Housing Development Corporation, held a community ribbon-cutting ceremony to proudly celebrate the completion of Phases 1 and 2 of the Front Street redevelopment project. This project was made possible with significant financial support from the City, including Affordable Housing Tax Increment Financing, Federal HOME Funds, Jill C. Duson Housing Trust Funds, and the City’s Brownfields grant. 

Planning Board Approval: 482 Congress Street
On September 10, the Planning Board approved a Major Site Plan application for a change of use at 482 Congress Street from Class-B office to 39 residential units, including 10 workforce housing units. This adaptive reuse project will transform an underutilized office building into much-needed new homes downtown. The five-story building is in close proximity to Monument Square and is very walkable and transit-accessible. 

HUD Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report
The City of Portland’s 2023-2024 HUD Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report (CAPER) is now available for review and comment online here by Tuesday, 9/24. This report is submitted to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development annually and includes performance and evaluation measures concerning the Community Development Block Grant, HOME, and Emergency Solutions Grant programs.

Final Phase: Jetport Taxiway Reconstruction Project
For the next two weeks the primary runway (11/29) will be closed while they remove two taxiways that tie into the runway and add additional lighting and markings in the runway environment. All air traffic will utilize our north/south runway through September 25. Learn more. 

Portland Seeks the Perfect Tree to Light Up Monument Square
The search is officially underway! Along with Portland Downtown, we are excited to announce a community-wide effort to find the ideal tree to illuminate Monument Square this winter season! Visit portlandMaine.com/tree to learn more + submit your tree by November 1, 2024. The chosen tree will be carefully removed and transported from its current location at no cost to the owner. 

City Seeks New Fire Chief
The City is seeking its next Fire Chief to manage Maine’s largest and most sophisticated Fire/EMS department following the announcement that the current Fire Chief, Keith Gautreau, is retiring by the end of this year. The Fire Chief also serves as a member of the City’s Leadership team helping to run Maine’s largest and most complex municipality. The recruitment brochure can be found here, and qualified individuals can apply directly here. 

FY25 Property Tax Bills Now Available
FY25 property tax bills are now available. Due dates are October 18, 2024 and March 14, 2025. Visit our web portal to view and/or pay your property taxes online. The payment drop box is now in the lobby/main entrance of City Hall (by the greeters desk). Questions regarding payments can be directed to the Treasury office at 207-874-8490. Questions regarding exemptions, valuations, or address changes, contact the Assessor's office at 207-874-8486.

• Homestead Exemption Note:  Please note that the Homestead Exemption value this year is $22,500 and not the full $25,000. Because the ratio for assessment of properties for the City changes, due to the market value of properties, municipalities take that ratio off the exemptions amount as well. Last year, the ratio to market value was at 100%. This year, it’s at 90%. 
  • Example:

FY24 (July 2023-June 2024) $25,000 x 1.00 = $25,000 = $360.25 off your bill

FY25 (July 2024-June 2025) $25,000 x .90 = $22,500 (current) = $337.73 off your bill

It’s Revaluation Time! Find the Details On New Website
Make sure you complete the revaluation data mailer that was sent out recently. Information about the revaluation process is available on a new website where residents can learn more + view a sample data mailer. Data mailers for condominiums will be sent in the next few weeks. Property owners are encouraged to visit the site and contact the Assessor’s Office with questions. 

Workshop: A Beginner's Guide to Writing a Business Plan
The Immigrant Welcome Center will host a business plan writing workshop on September 30 at 3:30PM. Interpretation services are available. Learn more and register here.

Portland Trails Installs Traffic Calming Demonstration on Diamond Street
Portland Trails and the Bicycle Coalition of Maine have installed temporary features on Diamond St. to slow car traffic and improve pedestrian safety. Learn more + share your feedback.

City Announces Allowable Rent Increases Per CPI for Calendar Year 2025
Per City ordinance, each September we determine the allowable rent increase per the consumer price index (CPI). Based on the most recent available data from the Bureau of Labor Standards, from July 2023 to July 2024, the CPI-U for the greater Boston metro area advanced 3.5%. Therefore, the Allowable Increase Percentage for calendar year 2025 is 2.5%. Read the full update.

Fall Veteran Memorial Events
Memorial events will be held in Portland this fall for six U.S. Army veterans who died in the War of 1812 and for whom, until now, military markers have not been available, the next is on Sunday, October 13, for War of 1812 POWs, 1:00 PM, 1812 Cemetery, Eastern Promenade. Please contact Program Organizer, Larry Glatz, larry.glatz@gmail.com for more information.

Public Health Division Announces Upcoming Vaccination Clinics
In conjunction with Northern Light Home Care & Hospice, we’ve announced a series of upcoming influenza (flu) and COVID vaccination clinics open to the public (insured and uninsured). For those with insurance, you must bring your insurance card with you to the clinic. Read the full update here.

Voters Can Now Request Absentee Ballots for November 5 Election
Absentee ballots can be requested online through the State of Maine’s website. Learn other ways to request your ballot on our website here. 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! Get started here.

Portland Parks, Recreation and Facilities Updates
The 2024-2025 Fall/Winter/Spring Recreation Program Guide is now available to the public! The guide has information for all Recreation services the department provides through the Spring of 2025, and registration is now open. Read all the latest updates in the August 2024 newsletter. 

Sundays on the Boulevard Ends September 29
Reminder: Baxter Boulevard is closed to vehicular traffic Sundays only, 9AM - 4PM, and OPEN for walkers, bikers, pedestrian traffic + play through Sunday, September 29, 2024! Street details: Baxter Boulevard is closed to traffic from Vannah Ave. to Catafalque Dr. (Payson Park east entrance). Payson Park, west entrance road - from the tip of the Grass Triangle (by the softball field) to Baxter Boulevard.

We’re Hiring!
Come make a difference with us, our wellness benefits are award winning! We are hiring across several departments in the city, with a variety of open positions: healthcare roles (RNs/CNAs), trades workers, before + after school recreation counselors, 911 dispatchers, community health workers, and more. Connect with our city recruiter to learn more, or apply today.

The Parks Division is also actively recruiting people to work for our Before & After the Bell program as well as in Aquatics. These are great, flexible positions! Learn more by visiting our jobs portal and help us spread the word.
 

DPW Paving Updates and Ongoing Construction Projects

Update: Back Cove South Nearing Completion
You may have seen TV news stories this week regarding an update on this project. While the project experienced several geotechnical delays, it will be substantially completed this fall, and fully complete in spring of 2025 when the grass sod is installed on the soccer field.

Ongoing: Western Promenade Drainage Improvements Project
Residents were notified by mail of this construction anticipated to begin during the week of June 17 and scheduled to be substantially completed by 10/31/24. Read full details. Starting on Wednesday, 7/31, the Western Promenade Roadway from Bowdoin to Vaughan Streets will be closed to local traffic only.

Visit portlandmaine.gov/PublicWorks for links to all the most recent DPW project updates, or find all paving updates here.