GPBR Legislative Updates 

May 2025 Local Policy Tracking   

June 10 Primary / Budget Validation voting - Make sure you're ready to vote! Find town-by-town election information and available sample ballots below. Many municipalities, including Yarmouth, Falmouth, and Cumberland, have local council races on the ballot, so be sure to check what's happening in your town. In-person absentee voting is open through June 5th.



Housing & Development News:

• Scarborough: The Town Council unanimously rejected a proposed contract zone change, blocking a 96-unit housing development
• Portland: A proposed 30-story building could soon become the city's tallest building
• Property Taxes: Portland’s new property tax evaluations are out, and other towns are facing sharp property tax increases. 

Have housing news you’d like to share? We’d love to hear about it! 

Please reach out:  Advocacy@greaterportlandrealtors.com

Cape Elizabeth 

• Residents have filed a citizens petition and gathered enough signatures to send potential town center zoning amendments to referendum placing it on the June ballot. You can review the
• proposed language here.
• Press Herald Article here
• Summary of Amendments here
• Increasing density
• Allowing residential use on the first floor
• Increasing building height 
• Expanding the uses allowed in a building connector
• Decreasing roof pitch
• Change opening space dimensions on the first floor
• Cape Newsletter here
• Town Council Sends School Construction Project to June 10 Referendum
• Cape Town Council Housing Goals here
• Ongoing:
• Housing Projects: 
• 18-unit condominium project at 90 Ocean House Road. More info and sketch here.
• UPDATE - Gull Crest - Feasibility study for potential housing at Gull Crest, the last council action was November 13, 2024 Item #162-2024.https://www.capeelizabeth.com/events/27010 As of now, there is no specific project that has been submitted by or to the town. Read language here.
• Cape Climate Action Plan here.
• Cape building permits available here 
• Cape Elizabeth FloodPlain Management Ordinance here
• 2025 tax rate information here
• Cape Elizabeth residents file ethics complaint over school district’s ads on bond referendum, covered here by the PPH
• Town Center Amendments here
• STR Amendments here
• Town Council and Planning Board agendas. 
• Meeting calendar here.

Cumberland

• June 10, 2025 Primary Election: 
• 2 (Two) seats for Town Council - AT-LARGE, 3 (three) year term
• 1 (One) seat for Town Council – WEST, 2 (two) year term
• 2 (Two) M.S.A.D. 51 School Board of Directors, 3 (three) year terms
• Absentee Ballot Request here 
• Fiscal Year 2026 Town Budget Information
• Cumberland Town Council and Budget Workshop - March 24th, 2025
• Cumberland Town Council Budget Workshop - March 31st, 2025
• Current Construction Project info here.
• Housing Task Force Committee here
• Cumberland Election Information here 
• Town Council agendas. 
• Planning Board agendas

Falmouth

• June 10, for the purpose of electing:
• Three (3) people to the Town Council for three (3) year terms.
• Two (2) people to the School Board for three (3) year terms.
• A guide to the candidates for Falmouth offices, covered here by the PPH
• Falmouth Focus Newsletter here 
• FY26 Municipal Budget Process Update - The budget development process for the FY26 municipal budget is underway. Below is a schedule of upcoming meetings.
• April 28, 2025, 7pm – Town Council – Council vote to approve FY26 Budget
• Budget Documents here
• Falmouth Focus here
• Falmouth Vision and Values Final Report here 
• Housing Affordability in Falmouth here
• Current Bids and RFPs Falmouth here
• Falmouth Election Information here 
• Calendar and agendas here.

Freeport

• Freeport hires design team to create a plan for future housing and transportation options, covered here by Maine Biz 
• The nonprofit Freeport Housing Trust, Inc. and co-developer Timothy Gooch are building 42 residences they’re calling Varney Heights Senior Apartments on Varney Road off U.S. Route 1, covered here by the PPH 
• Freeport Draft Plans
• Vision Statement here
• Future land Use here 
• Goal, Policies, Strategies here 
• Implementation Table here
• Freeport residents unite to tackle climate change, covered here by the PPH 
• Freeport Planning Partnership Initiative will also analyze housing development opportunities on adjacent land served by infrastructure and utilities.
• Freeport Climate Action Plan here.
• Freeport Comprehensive Plan Update here.
• https://freeportmaine.com/401/Public-Hearing-Notices
• June 10, 2025-RSU5 Budget Validation Election
• Calendar and agendas here

Gorham

• Gorham Town Council Report here 
• Gorham Climate Resiliency Results available here
• Gorham School Board seat open ONE (1) persons for School 
• What's Happening in Gorham - The Robie Park Master Plan, here via Vimeo
• Residents of Gorham mobile home park could be the latest to buy their community, covered here by the PPH 
• Bill to Kill Gorham Connector Rejected in Committee, covered here by the PPH
• Gorham Voting Information here 
• Town Council agendas

Gray

• June Election - Candidates here
• Town of Gray’s Draft FY26 Budget Available to View here
• Open Seats 
• Gray Town Councilor
• One three-year term to expire June 2028
• One balance of a three-year term to expire June 2026
• Two newly approved subdivisions from the recent planning board meetings Mayall Mills and Stillwater Phase 2.
•  Transformation Project website here
• Sample Ballot here 
• FY26 budget-related information here
• Gray Voting Information here 
• Council meeting schedule here

New Gloucester

• The Town of New Gloucester has contracted with the Greater Portland Council of Governments (GPCOG) for Planning Department Assistance until a permanent Town Planner is hired. 
• Nomination papers, for New Gloucester residents, are available beginning Thursday, February 27th for the following positions:
• Select Board - 2 positions (for 3-year terms each)
• SAD #15 School Board- 2 positions (for 3-year terms each)
• Water District Trustee - 1 position (for a 3-year term)
• Council meeting schedule here

North Yarmouth

• June Election info here
• Comprehensive Plan Proposed changes to Land Use here. 
• North Yarmouth town budget comes with 6% spending increase, covered here by the PPH 
• North Yarmouth Voting Information here
• Meeting and agenda here.

Portland

• Proposal for Maine’s tallest building would change Portland — and deserves extra scrutiny, covered here by the PPH 
• The city’s Housing and Economic Development Committee has been reviewing five different proposals to build housing on two different sites off 1125 Brighton Avenue, covered here by Spectrum News 
• Escalating costs and zoning restrictions sideline Portland housing projects, covered here by Maine Biz
• Reimagining Franklin Street - Survey:  reimaginingfranklin.me 
• Portland City Council is about to consider a storefront vacancy tax
• City Seeks Volunteers to Serve on Social Housing Task Force Mayor Mark Dion is seeking volunteers to serve on a new Social Housing Task Force - The deadline is Wednesday, April 30, or until filled.
• Portland landlords ordered to pay tenants $34,000 in overcharged rent, covered here by the PPH
• Absentee Voting Information for June 10 Municipal Election
• Voters can now request their absentee ballot 
• Portland Planning’s Instagram here.
• New City Zoning Map - ReCode  Find the updated zoning maps + land use code, along with more information on ReCode here.
• Council goals to guide the future policy of the Council: Read the goals in full and learn Next Steps here. 
• Portland Voting Information here
• Meeting schedule here

Pownal

• Pownal is seeking proposals from qualified contractors to perform a revaluation of all real and personal property in the Town, effective April 1, 2027
• RFP_for_Revaluation_for_the_Town_of_Pownal.pdf
• Pownal Annual Town Report here
• Pownal Election Information here 
• Meeting calendar here

Scarborough

• Scarborough council halts proposed 96-unit housing development, The Scarborough Town Council on Wednesday unanimously rejected a contract zone request, covered here by the PPH
• Forum: Pause housing growth in Scarborough until there’s a plan, covered here by the PPH 
• Board and Committee Newsletter here
• Council Corner: A housing to-do list HERE, INCLUDES: Hosting a workshop to discuss Council thoughts on affordable and workforce housing & STR 
• Latest STR Language here
• Scarborough Flood Vulnerability Assessment here
• Most Recent Newsletter here
• 2024 Town Wrap-up here
• Draft Open Space Plan Available for Review Soon After months of consultant work, a draft Open Space Plan will soon be available for the community to review later this month.
• Town Council Adopts FY2026 Budget at 3.75% Increase
• Scarborough Election Information here
• Sample Ballot here 
• Town Council agendas. 
• Planning Board agendas. 

South Portland

• South Portland awarded $1 million EPA grant for 'brownfield' properties cleanup, redevelopment, covered here by News Center Maine
• Budget - FY26 Municipal Budget page
• South Portland’s 2024 Annual Report here
• Community Newsletter here
• Production versus Permits 23/24 here.
• 2025 Work Plan here.
• City Announces Changes to Improve Development Review and Permitting, changes covered here
• Current South Portland building projects here.
• South Portland Election Information here
• South Portland City Council and Planning Board agendas

Westbrook

• Large condominium project is underway near Pride’s Corner in Westbrook, covered here by Maine Biz
• Westbrook mayor caps city spending; prelim tax rate up 4%, covered here by the PPH
• Westbrook schools’ proposed $53.4 million budget gets initial approval, covered here by the PPH 
• Absentee Ballot Info here 
• Westbrook Council withdraws support for the Gorham Connector: 'Not aligned with our values': covered here by WMTW
• June 10, 2025 - Municipal School Budget Validation Referendum more info here 
• Westbrook Election Information here
• Meeting and events calendar.

Windham

• First units are complete at The Cove at Highland Lake, an active 55-plus community, covered here by the PPH 
• North Windham Sewer Project Underway, more info here
• A follow-up evaluation to the North Windham Moves study of 2022, this Downtown Windham Traffic Evaluation considers the impacts of five proposed development projects in the area.
• Located near Manchester Drive: 172 residential units are proposed to be built. 
• turning Leaf Road: Assumed 80 condos. This development is forecast to
• Microtel Inn & Suites: Assumed to add 100 keys to their existing building. 
• Behind Home Depot: 300 residential units. This
• Behind Dugout Ice Cream down Enterprise Drive: Assumed two hotels with 150 keys each and 400 units of multifamily housing. 
• Windham May Newsletter here
• Windham Housing Study here: Windham Housing Study Presentation 1-14-25.pdf
• Downtown Windham Traffic Evaluation here.
• Windham Annual Report here 
• Windham’s strategic economic development plan here.
• Windham Building Growth Ordinance here.
• Windham Energy Plan available here 
• Windham Election Information here 
• Meeting calendar here.

Yarmouth

• Yarmouth solar project hits zoning hurdle - cannot proceed unless the zoning is amended to allow commercial solar use, covered here by the PPH
• Project Details Here
• 2025 Property Revaluation info here
• North Star Planning & Levine Planning Strategies presented the Audit Report on Barriers to Housing Production and their MDR Zoning District 
• Comments from Parks & Land and Tree Advisory Committees: Comments
• The following positions will be in the June Ballot:
• Town Council: 2 - three year terms
• School Committee: 2 - three year terms
• Water District Trustee: 1 - three year terms 
• Affordable Housing Committee Info here 
• New Yarmouth Comprehensive Plan adopted 6/24 here 
• Yarmouth Climate Action Plan here
• Yarmouth ADU Guide here
• Yarmouth Affordable Housing Strategy here. 
• Yarmouth Election Information here 
• Meeting calendar here

Other State/National

• Under Construction: Fixing Maine’s Self-Imposed Housing Crisis - Maine Policy Institute’s Housing Report:  
• A-Roadmap-for-the-Future-of-Housing-Production-in-Maine-January-2025.pdf
• Maine bill aims to relax lot-size requirements to make building homes easier, covered here by WGME
• These Maine towns charge fees to build new homes, covered here by the BDN
• MaineHousing awarded millions to create affordable single family homes around the state, Covered here by Maine Biz
• How can Maine fix its housing crisis? A new report has dozens of ideas, covered here by the PPH 
• Zoning must be used to solve Maine’s housing crisis | Opinion While it's not a silver bullet, zoning is a critical tool, covered here by the PPH
• Maine lawmakers consider bill to stop mobile home park sales for 3 months, covered here by the PPH 
• Mobile Home Communities in Maine and US By Genesis Community Loan Fund This report outlines current conditions and trends in MHC sales in Maine and across the countryand their impacts on affordability, Report Here 
• ‘People are scared’: Mobile home park rents up again, covered here by the Maine Beacon
• Maine takes first step toward more accurately tracking efforts to resolve housing crisis, covered here by the PPH 
• Maine’s pro-housing movement needs some ‘Hands Off!’ energy | Opinion, covered here by the PPH 
• Dozens of Maine homeowners face foreclosure after USDA acts on years-old loan defaults, covered here by News Center Maine 
• It’s time for Maine to act on housing. Here’s how. | Opinion We can no longer live with a system that puts process above outcomes, covered here by the PPH
• 132 Legislature Bill Directory here. 
• GrowSmart Maine Policy Action 2025 here
• Maine Affordable Housing Coalition Bill Tracker here
• HR&A report commissioned by Mills Admin to produce step by step plan as to how to reach state housing goals to be released soon  
• America’s Rental Housing Joint Center For Housing Studies Report here. 
• Build Maine + GrowSmart Maine POLICY ACTION 2025 Overview here
• Mills Administration and MaineHousing launch statewide housing data portal here
• Statewide Housing Production Goals here