Portland · issues
Civic issues
Topics getting the most attention in Portland public meetings, ranked by how frequently they come up.
New condominium building in Munjoy Hill Historic District
A contemporary house on a narrow vacant lot between two contributing properties sparked debate over whether its side entrance reads clearly from the street. The board approved it 6-1 after design revisions, with Chair Miller arguing the entrance still isn't properly connected to the public way.
Future of Expo Center campus and Police Department
The new police department project is moving forward with a low bidder under last year's capital plan; the Expo Center effort is further behind. Big price tags on these projects could eventually trigger voter referendums under the new thresholds.
City-Trelawny Tenants Union-landlord settlement agreement
The city mediated a settlement between the Trilani Tenants Union and landlord Jeffrey Rice over substantial rent-control violations, winning repayment for overcharged tenants. Councilor Pelletier wants the agreed interpretations of rent control used as precedent going forward.
Seven-unit apartment building on Munjoy Hill
A fire-gutted lot on St. Lawrence Street gets a new four-story, seven-unit building with parking and rebuilt sidewalks. Neighbors' earlier concerns about windows facing the abutter were addressed by moving them to the roof level.
New apartment building at 43 St. Lawrence Street
A developer wants to build a five-story, seven-unit condo building on a surface parking lot in the dense Munjoy Hill Historic District. The board's workshop review will shape how the project fits the neighborhood's historic character before any approval.
63 affordable apartments proposed at 41 Ashmont Street
509 Forest LLC wants to build 63 affordable apartments in two buildings near Forest Avenue, with only 10 parking spaces. The workshop lets the board dig into site design, parking, and neighborhood impacts before a formal review.
Proposed new construction at 101 & 105 Winter Street
Developers propose two buildings with nine townhouses on a mostly vacant lot in the West End Historic District, with a shared pedestrian-and-vehicle courtyard between them. Board members praised the overall design but pushed for further study of the long second-floor facade, window scale, and visibility of the rear building before a public hearing.
Glimpse sculpture relocation at the Jetport
Two deer sculptures by Wendy Klemperer must move to make way for a Jetport parking lot expansion. The committee wants a specialist art handler — not city workers — after horror stories from other cities, and accepted the city's existing $50,000 fine arts insurance.
Jewel Box bus shelter deaccessioned
The council removed the Jewel Box bus shelter from the public art collection so Metro can replace and relocate it, following a unanimous Public Art Committee recommendation.
Inclusionary Zoning policy review
The committee is in a three-meeting review of Portland's 25% inclusionary zoning requirement. Advocates say the voter-passed law doubled affordable unit production; developers say it raises costs. A November workshop will try to find consensus before any recommendation goes to the Planning Board.
Boyd/Cumberland Affordable Housing TIF
The council amended the affordable housing TIF district and its credit enhancement agreement — tools that help fund affordable housing development in the district.
Lambert Woods North Funding Gap
The council gave first reading to appropriating $375,000 from the Jill C. Duson Housing Trust Fund to Preservation of Affordable Housing for Lambert Woods North at 622 Auburn Street.
Portland House (340 Eastern Promenade) open space sale
The condo association wants to sell about two acres of woods between the building and the Eastern Prom trail to the Land Bank instead of developing it, partly because new federal reserve requirements are squeezing condo association budgets. A survey and appraisal of the parcel portion are underway.
64 Pine Street expansion from nine to twelve units
A vacant one-story commercial building in the West End will become 12 apartments (three of them workforce housing) with ground-floor retail, up from 9 units. The developer dropped a German mechanical parking system due to cost; the city's housing trust gains roughly $558,000.
Permitting performance and customer service
The committee was scheduled to review scoring for development activity applications under the CDBG program. Scores help determine which community development projects move forward.