SOUTH PORTLAND, Maine – The City of South Portland invites the public to attend two upcoming events where community members can learn about and weigh in on the South Portland Climate Resilience Zoning project.
Open House #1: Orientation to Climate Risks and Project Objectives - Learn about the City’s Climate Resilience Zoning project objectives and the climate risks to future development and daily life in South Portland.
- Date: Monday, May 12, 2025, 5:30 to 7:30 PM
- Location: South Portland High School Cafeteria, 637 Highland Ave, South Portland, ME 04106
Open House #2: Climate Zoning Approaches & Alternatives - Explore different approaches, tensions, and tradeoffs when considering climate resilience zoning in South Portland, including how to balance climate risks with other community priorities and policy goals.
- Date: Wednesday, May 21, 2025, 5:30 to 7:30PM
- Location: SMCC Oceanview Dining Hall, 95 Campus Center Drive, South Portland, ME 04106
Both Open House events are drop-in and family friendly. Pizza and refreshments will be provided for event attendees. While registration is not required to attend these events, the City strongly encourages prospective attendees to RSVP via Eventbrite (Open House #1 | Open House #2).
Project Overview
As climate change drives extreme weather that threatens people, infrastructure and the environment, municipalities can implement strategic land use planning and zoning regulations to responsibly manage future development in areas with high climate-related risks. Throughout 2025, South Portland Planning and Sustainability staff are working with Utile (a planning and urban design firm) and Weston & Sampson (an engineering design firm) to ensure future development in South Portland is resilient to the anticipated effects of climate change. The project will propose updates to the city’s land use code to help manage three major climate risk factors: coastal flooding, stormwater management, and high heat. These factors were identified in the City’s adopted climate action plan, One Climate Future, and subsequent waterfront resilience mapping conducted by the City in 2024.
The South Portland Climate Resilience Zoning project is funded through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) and the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation & Forestry Coastal Communities Grant program. Learn more about the Climate Resilience Zoning effort and upcoming events.
About the City of South Portland
The City of South Portland is a vibrant Southern Maine community of nearly 27,000 residents and over 1,500 businesses located on picturesque Casco Bay.
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