[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6062603,"mediaKeyId","3277118-9edd8b73e80c207bd4cfe0df536cd5b1","parentId",3277118,"title","Council passes consent items, accepts multiple grants and refers school budget to finance committee; votes at a glance","audioSeconds",559,"startMs",3951000,"endMs",4510000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3277118-9edd8b73e80c207bd4cfe0df536cd5b1&start=3951&end=4510","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3277118-9edd8b73e80c207bd4cfe0df536cd5b1/thumbnail_3951000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6062603/Portland/Cumberland-County/Maine/Council-passes-consent-items-accepts-multiple-grants-and-refers-school-budget-to-finance-committee-votes-at-a-glance","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6062603-f9ce4a37e22a184e0e9d345818ae1f75/orig.mp4?Expires=1771181847&Signature=JoruoFbC4VvvNZ8VwUdqpZSkNASND5h5yXG5I3XNZkr-jI2MQoAaaTXZIbQxEyquqdqRIomGz7VmB10jdFwE1dZfhbAUv0rmwheA-1hqEnSnVsEkrJvvM6zBimXXK~xE7GOBwQ43oW9nTXUPG4AkdqJVKN49leTyM1212WLeJUIpnpFEqGyZ2YGfWVASVMZv~Vwq7ICybYhXJuBTH7ABMnx7ELwg5elvTOhHb2US8Od8yg9DEPYuqeM09vUFCaedNVaCWIX1NE7AaHAvz9s0f1O2HqVrQgQ0RsCggQYl9T0BxVITWJOny2k8suzZjz5EzvxqbUosFgH9seW7x3LUnw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of Portland","date","2025-04-28T00:00:00Z","article","The Portland City Council on April 28 approved consent items and a series of grants, donations and referrals affecting licensing, parks, housing and social services funding.

Key outcomes at a glance:

- Consent calendar approvals: The council passed orders approving the July 4 festival declaration and multiple outdoor-dining and liquor license officer approvals (Orders 169–172). The council welcomed new business owners to the downtown area during the vote.

- Wardens and clerks: The council approved appointments of wardens and ward clerks for the 2025–26 election year (Order 1682425); there was no public comment on the appointment list.

- School budget referral: The council received the Portland Public Schools’ FY 2026 budget estimate and referred it to the Finance Committee and scheduled public hearings for May 5 and May 19 (Order 1732425). Councilor Fournier noted the finance committee would hold hearings and accept public comment on the budget.

- Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) annual action plan: The council received the FY 2025–26 CDBG/HOME/ESG plan and certifications; the council did not vote to adopt the plan at this meeting and scheduled further hearings. Multiple service providers and nonprofit executives testified in support of CDBG funding for programs that serve asylum seekers, youth, and people experiencing homelessness. Tom Doherty of Milestone Recovery, Lucas Schrage of Quality Housing Coalition and representatives from several local nonprofits urged support for street outreach, housing navigation and youth services.

- Grants and donations accepted: The council accepted a Portland Parks Conservancy donation for the Portland Youth Corps; a $60,000 John T. Gorman Foundation grant to relaunch Portland Professional Connectors (a workforce-networking program); and a $205,000 EPA Brownfields subgrant (via Greater Portland Council of Governments) to fund cleanup and off-site disposal of a soil stockpile discovered at Fitzpatrick Stadium. Councilors asked for additional information about the Fitzpatrick remediation timeline and soil origin; Director Ethan Hippel summarized the consultant-led testing and said the material will be transported off-site if the grant is approved.

- Police/traffic safety funding: The council accepted a $10,000 Maine Bureau of Highway Safety grant to fund traffic-enforcement overtime details focused on pedestrian and motor-vehicle safety; the item was approved as an emergency. Councilors and public commenters discussed prioritizing enforcement of hazardous driving (speeding, red-light running) rather than ticketing low-risk pedestrian infractions.

- Other actions: The council accepted donations to the Police Department dive team and a Maine Bureau of Highway Safety grant; it also approved first readings of several orders (Gulf of Maine Research Institute grant, police bargaining agreement, an extension of a hotel moratorium and amendments for vehicles-for-hire code changes).

Why it matters: votes and referrals move funds and review processes forward for parks, housing help, youth programs and public-safety work amid ongoing public concern about downtown safety and homelessness. Several nonprofit leaders urged the council to preserve or expand social-service funding for emergency shelters, outreach and immigrant legal services.

Ending: Many budget and grant actions will be finalized after scheduled hearings; the Finance Committee and public hearings will consider the schools’ budget and the CDBG allocations in May.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City of Portland Portal Special City Council (Hybrid) - April 28, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The Portland City Council approved routine permits and license transfers, accepted several grants and donations, set public hearings on community development plans and referred the school department budget to the finance committee for review and public hearings.","taxTitle","Portland, Cumberland County, Maine","taxId",2582,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6062609,"Council refers proposed moratorium on large-capacity theaters to Sustainability and Transportation committee after debate on timing and retroactivity",1671,2299000,3970000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3277118-9edd8b73e80c207bd4cfe0df536cd5b1&start=2299&end=3970","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3277118-9edd8b73e80c207bd4cfe0df536cd5b1/thumbnail_2299000.jpg","/articles/6062609/Portland/Cumberland-County/Maine/Council-refers-proposed-moratorium-on-large-capacity-theaters-to-Sustainability-and-Transportation-committee-after-debate-on-timing-and-retroactivity","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6062609-b61842b9e6be06cdb79fa6a29550cce1/orig.mp4?Expires=1771181847&Signature=Ts6DdWRbImH1~fzoTuMbrb2bZxsF~qjhYmoZI607DGSbmv0Buvk6Em3t2n0CknKkMC5ADFzjqNHPJ7iAA7B4F-1UOFKOzVUiCTPxV8CT1N9d1dKvBjLfjNWNKoQXr5Gc4raJl8RT13sWXTrvmKKtpQxP1B5KMRS~UHe85onSacx3zA1mGfemmHlyQjPXw17M9qWUvHkG5nCwIpdiVkmXYS~UJ8Jz4-yrHpjwwicz7EHIff4KpuRuRHZEYdy~ZXKFQ4Y9Vy6Wtny3MpB4bCAUhNF1-S8I9dvCWvc8wSCEw56QKDPceR-fn7UG7MX4bCqky4-tOlKITOlMJKfSpoqKsQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Portland City Council on April 28 removed from immediate consideration its proposed 180-day moratorium on theater and performance-hall projects with capacities exceeding 2,000 and referred the measure to the Sustainability and Transportation (S&T) Committee for further review.

Councilor David Grant moved to postpone the moratorium to May 19, saying the questions raised were “complex and important” and deserved more time for analysis. Grant told colleagues that while engagement has been high, “the moratorium is the wrong instrument to use to buy that time at this moment.”

After legal and scheduling discussion, the motion to postpone was amended. Councilor Grama made a friendly amendment to refer the order to the S&T Committee “to return as reasonably practicable,” with Councilor Phillips seconding the referral. The amended motion passed on roll call, with Councilor Pelletier recorded as the lone no vote; the remainder of the council voted in favor.

Why it matters: sponsors of the moratorium, Order 1652425, said it was intended to buy time to evaluate the traffic, parking, pedestrian safety and law-enforcement impacts of a potential large-capacity venue that would draw thousands of visitors multiple times per year. Opponents cautioned that the moratorium as drafted included retroactive language and could be legally vulnerable; corporation counsel advised that retroactive land-use moratoria have been upheld in case law when language is clear, but that retroactivity increases litigation risk.

Committee work and timeline: staff said the S&T Committee meets May 14 and June 11; the planning board has meetings on May 13 and May 27. Assistant City Manager Greg Jordan told councilors that S&T could meet May 14 to begin review but that a full council discussion would likely occur in June. The planning board and council can reach different conclusions; if the planning board proceeds before the council, the council retains authority to act and could later adopt a moratorium or other measures.

Council directions: the referral asks S&T to vet parking, traffic, pedestrian safety and law-enforcement needs and to report back; the body also directed staff to coordinate with planning staff and the planning board timeline. Corporation counsel recommended careful drafting of any retroactive language and warned proponents a legal challenge was likely if retroactivity remained.

Ending: Order 1652425 was not enacted at this meeting. The S&T Committee was tasked to analyze the questions raised and return findings to the full council as reasonably practicable; councilors set expectations for expedited committee work while acknowledging scheduling constraints.","After prolonged debate over retroactivity, parking and public-safety impacts, the Portland City Council removed Order 1652425—an ordinance proposing a 180-day moratorium on theater/performance-hall projects over 2,000 capacity—from immediate consideration and referred it to the Sustainability & Transportation Committee for further vetting.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6062614,"Residents and downtown business owners press Portland council for action on Monument Square safety and homelessness",1316,304000,1620000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3277118-9edd8b73e80c207bd4cfe0df536cd5b1&start=304&end=1620","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3277118-9edd8b73e80c207bd4cfe0df536cd5b1/thumbnail_304000.jpg","/articles/6062614/Portland/Cumberland-County/Maine/Residents-and-downtown-business-owners-press-Portland-council-for-action-on-Monument-Square-safety-and-homelessness","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6062614-9c28f3eefaadacefd3d0e4de0d453bbf/orig.mp4?Expires=1771181847&Signature=NMwcb5rffDfhKf~7NvEUC35g9z543PtBoaYBR~0apUKBnwcfiAmG1TUPFboG66QKtVRu3ytYtC-4cBQiE8yLvDQs4m6FBqr5~hoiXyYb1wlzSqsQzB4oAYFFZykECD4ZXL837vMWbOySuZPnF~q9bQcBM9XewTanH78irf-oIcZ7c8SyN2NKYFlmTOYPpjwgrA5E-iUyO4ujUYrlNkzRSPB96aw9XosmlJRnJ9wV4~JYVCARrddQflBDmoO2KCnFdLGuOSucfH6wB9lz9LEiSyeen~L4dMI6PEC~QIEd~1dInWEQmu5eWQEn0azBycSZtL~1QMe~MeT~6cvEYsdyZQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Dozens of residents and business owners urged the Portland City Council on a range of public-safety and homelessness-related problems in and around Monument Square, saying visible drug use, littering and aggressive behavior are making the downtown area unsafe for customers and employees.

The most immediate appeals came from residents who said the problems are worsening. “I have become frightened in my own neighborhood to go outside my own door,” said Elizabeth Stoddard, who said she lives in Monument Square, requesting council attention to “unsafe conditions that persist in the square.”

The testimony included business owners describing harms to staff and customers and to their bottom lines. Bill Stauffer, introduced himself as a Portland resident and business owner and read a letter from restaurateur David Turin that described repeated break-ins and vandalism: “In the past month, we have had staff cars broken into on 6 occasions,” Stauffer read. He also said staff windows had been smashed twice in two years and that dining guests and staff are “frequently verbally abused and sometimes physically threatened.”

Why it matters: speakers said Monument Square’s problems are already eroding business revenue and threatening long-standing downtown institutions the city depends on for jobs and taxes. “When customers don't feel safe walking up to our door, it doesn't matter how much we try,” said Ari Gerson, owner of Longfellow Books, describing needles, drug paraphernalia and “frightening episodes of shouting or violence” near his storefront.

Residents described repeated incidents of public drug use and human waste near their homes. “Almost every day when I leave my house, I have to knock on my door because someone is using in front of my door,” said Veil Sutton, who lives in Monument Square. “I've come home often to defecation or urine on the ground outside of my house.”

Speakers pressed the council for a mix of enforcement, outreach and sanitation. Nancy English, president of the Parkside Neighborhood Association, asked the council to coordinate services and enforcement so social-service staff and law enforcement can work together: “We depend upon intelligent compassion to help who can be helped,” she said.

Some testifiers urged tactical steps to reduce harm while preserving services. John Donnelly, a Monument Square resident who said he volunteers to help people in need, said there must be “consequence” for repeated disruptive behavior, but added that enforcement can be proportionate: “The consequence doesn't have to be heavy handed. It could be moving people along,” he said.

Several public commenters endorsed street-level outreach and cleanup programs and asked the city to better connect people experiencing homelessness to shelter and treatment options. Tom Doherty of Milestone Recovery later testified during the community development block grant discussion that Milestone’s HOME outreach team provides street outreach and helps move people into treatment and housing.

Council response and context: councilors did not take formal action on Monument Square during the meeting, but several council members and staff noted the testimony and cited ongoing coordination among the police, public works and social-service providers. Speakers called for more consistent visibility by public safety and for better cleaning protocols and partnership agreements with nonprofits that provide meals in public spaces.

Ending: Commenters urged a mix of compassion and enforcement to restore safety and downtown vibrancy, while asking the council to prioritize coordinated outreach, more reliable cleanup and better coordination with business owners and neighborhood groups. The council’s agenda later included separate items on public-safety grants and community development funding that officials said would be considered in light of public testimony.","Residents and small-business owners told the Portland City Council that rising drug use, open defecation and aggressive behavior in Monument Square are driving customers away and threatening livelihoods, urging coordinated city action and better cleanup and outreach.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Council passes consent items, accepts multiple grants and refers school budget to finance committee; votes at a glance

Council refers proposed moratorium on large-capacity theaters to Sustainability and Transportation committee after debate on timing and retroactivity

Residents and downtown business owners press Portland council for action on Monument Square safety and homelessness