Frequently Asked Questions

A property tax bill is a bill based on the total assessed value of your property (land and or buildings less any exemptions). Your total assessed value is then multiplied by the tax rate which creates your tax bill. Per the State of Maine Constitution, all real estate and personal property located within the State of Maine is subject to taxation unless specifically exempted by a state statute.

The following are just some of the many services funded through your yearly tax bill:

• Schools/Education
• Police, Fire and Rescue
• Road Repair
• Public Works
• Parks and Recreation
• City Hall Services
• Library
• County Services

According to the Maine Constitution and State Law, property is assessed as of only one day a year; that day is April 1st.

The April 1st assessment date is used for 3 reasons:

1. Sets Owner of record
2. Sets Property Valuation Date
3. Sets Taxable Status for all properties

Assessments are based on fair market value by the following 3 methods:

1. Comparison of sales prices of similar properties within your neighborhood (less foreclosures)
2. Property replacement value minus depreciation
3. Income potential for income-producing properties

The property tax rate (also known as a mil rate) is the amount per $1,000 dollars of property value which is used to calculate your tax bill.

Example: If the tax rate is $18.30 divided by $1,000 and your property's value is $200,000 then your tax bill would be $3,660. (18.30 ÷ $1,000 × $200,000 = $3,660)

The tax rate is calculated every year by taking the Tax Levy (municipal, school and county budgets combined less all revenues) and dividing it by the Taxable Valuation (all the City's taxable real estate and personal property combined).

Aggregate of Budgets ÷ Aggregate of Taxable Value = Tax Rate

The municipal and school budgets are approved and controlled by your elected City Council members.

The county budget is prepared by the county budget committee and controlled by the Cumberland County Commissioners. Each municipality within Cumberland County is allocated a percentage of the total county budget.

Once all budgets are passed, they are certified to the local Assessor to be used in calculating the yearly tax rate.

Assessor Duties

The Assessor is expected to:

1. Assess property no less than 70% and no more than 110% of fair market value.
2. Assess all property fairly and equitably (ensure similar properties are treated the same way).
3. Assess the owner of record as of April 1st of each year.
   • If you sold property after April 1st, please forward the tax bill to the new owner if you should get it. We will make every effort to send the tax bill to the new owner.
   • If you purchased the property after April 1st, we will make every effort to send you the tax bill for each quarter.

State of Maine Duties

The State of Maine provides property tax relief programs:

1. Revenue Sharing (sent to the City to help lower the tax levy)
2. Property Tax Fairness Credit Filed with State Income Tax
3. Homestead Exemption
4. Veterans Exemption
5. South Portland Property Tax Assistance Program filed with the Treasury Office

South Portland Electronic Billing

South Portland has electronic bill payment available. The City of South Portland has available a Citizen Self Serve Online payment feature for real estate tax, personal property tax and general bills.

From time to time, confusion exists as to who actually should receive a property tax bill.

State of Maine law clearly states that each property must be assessed to the last known owner of record as of April 1st of each year.

Per city policy, we do not mail tax bills to banks, mortgage companies, or any other third party. Our Tax Collector does produce electronic reports for mortgage holders who ask for billing information, but they do not get your bill.

If your taxes are paid by a mortgage company or other third party, you are responsible for forwarding the tax bill to them.

If the sale of a property occurs before April 1st, there should be no confusion as to the owner of record. The City of South Portland will receive notice from the Registry of Deeds that the property has been sold and will receive the Transfer Tax form from the State usually within 60 days of closing. Once we have receipt of these notices, we will assess the new owner of the property. The owner of record will get their own tax bill for the ensuing year.

This is when things may get confusing. If you owned your home as of April 1st, we assess you for the entire tax bill. The assessment of these taxes in your name creates a liability. Therefore, it is very common (at the closing of a property sale) for the April 1st owner to request the new owner prorate and pay the tax bill based on the city's fiscal year since the new owner receives the benefit of home ownership balance of the fiscal year.

This proration of taxes has been going on for years and in most cases works fine. A word of caution to the seller: the agreement of proration of taxes is a civil contract and will not shift your liability to the new owner. The new owner's liability starts April 1st of the following year. If the current taxes are not paid, the Tax Collector must file a lien in the old owner's (seller's) name because they were the owner of record as of April 1st. Our Tax Collector will make every effort possible to notify both parties as to any past due taxes prior to the formal lien process.

It would be precautionary to make sure the new owner pays the taxes he or she agreed to in the civil contract. Remember - it is you, the seller, whose good credit is on the line!

Tax Year

The tax year is easy to understand as it is really one day, April 1st of each year. Maine law refers to this day as the tax year, but many other states call it the "tax date". This date (April 1st) is used for three primary reasons:

1. Sets the ownership of record date
2. Sets the valuation date
3. Sets the taxable status of property and if any exemptions apply

Fiscal Year

South Portland's fiscal year runs from July 1 to June 30. These dates are important for many reasons, but what is most concerning to a property owner is: "How much is my tax bill and how is it calculated?"

The tax rate for South Portland is set in July. The tax rate is the dollar amount per thousand of valuation. You can calculate your tax bill by multiplying the total taxable value of your property by the current tax rate. This is your tax liability for the fiscal year July 1 to June 30.

Example

Note: The calculation formula below is for illustration purposes only; you will need to use the current tax rate and property value in order to calculate your correct tax bill amount:

1. Total Property Assessed Value: $200,000
2. Homestead Exemption Value: Less $10,000
3. Equals "Taxable" Assessed Value: $190,000
4. Taxable Assessed Value: $190,000
5. Example Tax Rate: ($18.30 ÷ $1000 = 0.01830)
6. 190,000 ×0.01830 = $3,477 Tax Bill Amount

South Portland's budget is set each year by the City Council. Property taxes in South Portland are billed in quarterly installments (due in August, November, February, and May).

Personal property includes but is not limited to the following categories:

• Machinery and Equipment: Presses, tools, machining equipment, garage equipment, heavy-duty shelving and other machinery or manufacturing equipment, telephone equipment, vending machines, televisions, amusement apparatuses, typewriters, calculators, fax machines, copiers and other office items of this type, cargo trailers and any self-propelled machinery that is not subject to excise tax
• Computer Equipment: CPUs, monitors, servers, network wiring, printers, and other computer equipment
• Furniture and Fixtures: Business office furnishings such as desks, chairs, bookcases, file cabinets, tables, and sofas
  • This category also includes fixtures specific to a business that may be attached to the real estate but is generally removed when the business relocates
• Signs: Any business advertisement sign

The State of Maine provides two separate programs for business taxpayer's reference to personal property. Those programs are:

• Business Equipment Tax Exemption Program (BETE)
• Business Equipment Tax Reimbursement Program (BETR)

For more information regarding these programs, you may download the BETE and BETR program information via the State of Maine website.

Visit our FY25 Tax Bill FAQ.

In 2019, the City began a revaluation, the process of updating all residential and commercial real estate property values citywide. Changes were reflected on FY 2022 tax bills. The City has conducted in-house value adjustments, or equalizations, prior to and since. An equalization with significant increases in property value was conducted in 2024. See frequently asked questions and a video from the Tax Assessor about the 2024 equalization in the FY 2025 Tax Bill FAQ.

The Maine Constitution requires that properties be assessed at their "just value." Courts have interpreted just value to mean in accordance with fair market value, or in other words: what the property is worth. In South Portland, as in many communities, determining the just value is the job of the Assessor.

Maine law provides for two primary assessing standards that all Maine municipalities must meet. The first of these is that the average sales ratio in a municipality must not fall below 70%. (This statistic is calculated by averaging the ratio of the current assessed value divided by its selling price all sales in a municipality.) The second standard states that all properties must be assessed equivalently. Two properties that are similar, in similar locations must have equivalent values.

For example, if you and your neighbor have essentially the same home and land features, and your property is valued at $200,000, then your neighbor's value should also be similar to the $200,000 valuation.

In recent years, significant changes have occurred in the real estate market in South Portland (and the region). In fact, Redfin named South Portland one of the ten most competitive cities in the entire United States to buy a home, finding that 55.6% of homes sold above list price. The sale prices impact not just the homes that were sold, but all similar properties in our community as well. As a result of these real estate market forces, South Portland's ratio has fallen below our State's standard.

While commercial property sales have also been competitive, they have been outpaced by the residential market. Because of this, when the revaluation occurs, there will be a property tax "shift" that takes place. In other words, property value growth on the residential side will outpace growth on the commercial side and as a result, residential property owners will bear more of the property tax burden. Once this revaluation is finalized later this spring, it will not be uncommon for residential property owners to see tax bill increases of 10%, 20%, 30% or more even if the City budget were to remain flat.

Here is a simplified explanation as to why this is so. Imagine a community has $100 million in total value evenly split between commercial ($50 million) and residential ($50 million). This community needs to raise $1.9 million via property taxes to fund its municipal budget. This would yield a tax rate (aka mil rate) of $19 per thousand dollars of assessed value. For someone with a $200,000 home or business, this means an annual tax bill of $3,800 ($19 × 200).

However, if a revaluation found that all property values needed to increase evenly by 25%, the community's value would now stand at $125 million. In order to raise the same $1.9 million in revenue for the municipal budget, the tax rate would actually decrease by 20% to $15.20. The owner of the $200,000 home now has a home worth more - $250,000 - but because the tax rate is now only $15.20, they pay the exact same amount in property taxes as before: $3,800 ($15.20 × 250).

Unfortunately, revaluations are never this simple. Some areas and sectors see increases faster than others, while some actually can see reductions in value. In the same example as above, assume the commercial side value only increases 15% while residential increases 35%. This still yields a 25% overall increase as before (to $125 million in overall value), and the mil rate would still drop from $19 to $15.20 to raise the same $1.9 million in revenue. However, the $200,000 homeowner will see their property increase 35% to $270,000. At the new tax rate, their tax bill will increase $304/year, an 8% jump. (Remember that had it been an across the board 25% increase, their tax bill would have remained the same.) Conversely, a commercial property owner with a $200,000 property would see their property's value rise by 15%, to $230,000. At the new mil rate, the owners would go from paying $3,800/year in taxes to $3,496 - an 8% decrease. The amount that the commercial properties saw for a decrease is thus made up by the residential side. Though the percentages will be different, this is in effect what we anticipate for South Portland properties.

As we noted in a tax bill letter mailed in 2020, and in a letter from the City Manager mailed to all residents in March 2021 (PDF), part of the information used to determine valuation is based on the information contained within our Assessor's database. For those of you who haven't already, please visit our Geographic Information System (GIS) website and select "Enter Online Database". From there you can enter your property address to ensure the information we have on file is correct.

The Assessing office completes its work in spring/summer and makes its commitment to the State of Maine. You can look up and pay taxes online via our Citizen Self Service portal once this work is complete and tax bills are ready.

The goal of the Assessing office is to adjust property values closer to market value. If it appears your new assessment exceeds market value, please be sure to email Tracy London, Assistant to the Assessor, at tlondon@southportland.org or call the Assessing office at 207-767-7604 for assistance. Staff will review your property file and determine if any adjustments are appropriate.

There are a number of State and City property tax assistance programs available to qualifying residents. Below, please find a listing of each program, with a link to an application and/or more information.

• Homestead Exemption - This program provides a measure of property tax relief for certain individuals who have owned a homestead property in Maine for at least 12 months and make the property they occupy on April 1 their permanent residence. Qualifying property owners receive an exemption of $25,000.
• Veterans Exemption - A veteran who served during a recognized war period and is 62 years or older; or, is receiving 100% disability as a Veteran; or, became 100% disabled while serving, is eligible for a $6,000 exemption.
• Paraplegic Veteran Exemption - A veteran who received a federal grant for a specially adapted housing unit may receive a $50,000 exemption.
• Blind Exemption - An individual who is determined to be legally blind may receive a $4,000 exemption.
• Renewable Energy Investment Exemption - This program exempts renewable energy equipment, such as solar panels, from property tax (as of April 1, 2020). Taxpayers must apply for the credit by April 1 of the first year the exemption is requested.
• Property Tax Fairness Credit - Eligible Maine taxpayers may receive a portion of the property tax or rent paid during the tax year on the Maine individual income tax return whether they owe Maine income tax or not. If the credit exceeds the amount of their individual income tax due for the tax year, the excess amount of credit will be refunded to them.
• Tree Growth - This program provides a benefit for owners of at least ten acres of forested land used for commercial harvesting. A forest management and harvest plan must be prepared and a sworn statement to that effect submitted with the application. Applications must include a map of the parcel indicating the forest type breakdown as well as all other areas to be excluded from the tree growth program. Properties are valued at their current use, rather than at market value.
• Farmland - In the Farmland program, the property owner is required to have at least five contiguous acres in their parcel of land. The land must be used for farming, agriculture or horticulture and can include woodland and wasteland. Additionally, the parcel must contribute at least $2,000 gross income from farming activities each year. Properties are valued at their current use, rather than at market value.
• Open Space - The parcel must be preserved or restricted in use to provide a public benefit. Benefits recognized include public recreation, scenic resources, game management, and wildlife habitat. The municipal assessor is responsible for determining the value placed on open space land. In the determination of that value, the assessor must consider the sale price that a particular open space parcel would command in the open market if it were to remain in the particular category or categories of open space land for which it qualifies.
• Hardship Abatements - By law, "[t]he municipal officers…may, on their own knowledge or on written application, make such abatements as they believe reasonable on the real and personal taxes on the primary residence of any person who, by reason of hardship or poverty, is in their judgment unable to contribute to the public charges."
• Senior Property Tax Relief Program - This program allows municipalities to enact an ordinance to provide benefits to resident homeowners. In South Portland, the program is available to seniors age 65 and older and who have also qualified for the State's Property Tax Fairness Credit.

In addition, a new law (LD 1508) establishes an eviction mediation program to provide mediation services to renters in forcible entry and detainer actions. If you wish to request mediation as a result of an eviction, you may do so and your landlord is now required to provide you with a court-approved form to request mediation.

The Transfer Facility is open:

Tuesday through Saturday
8am to 3 pm

You may notice that the items you've carefully separated appear to be emptied into the same truck. Pine Tree Waste uses a split-body truck, which contains separate compartments to segregate trash from recycling. Upon filling either compartment, the driver proceeds to ecomaine, the non-profit, community-managed waste management facility. Ecomaine operates the largest municipal recycling program in the state, processing nearly 45,000 tons of recyclable material per year. Next door to the recycling facility is their Waste-To-Energy (WTE) plant, where any trash identified as unrecyclable is converted at 2000 degrees Fahrenheit to energy in the form of electricity. The WTE plant processes about 175,000 tons of trash a year and, from that process, generates enough steam to create about 100,000 to 110,000 megawatt-hours of electricity annually. That's enough electricity to power their WTE and recycling facilities, their company's electric car, plus about 15,000 homes for a year. Converting the trash to energy also benefits the communities they serve by reducing its volume by 90%, leaving only ash to be stored at the landfill site

List of collection days by street name (PDF).

There are several reasons that Pine Tree Waste may have to bypass an address, including: unacceptable items placed in barrels, barrels placed too close to an obstruction (such as a parked car), barrels not positioned upright at time of collection, barrels placed curbside too late. Barrels must be curbside by 7 am, even if the truck normally arrives later in the day - the truck will not double-back for late put-outs. Pine Tree Waste submits a report to us identifying these types of issues at the end of each collection day, and in some instances will tag a barrel they have skipped for a reason listed above. If you're still uncertain as to why you may have been skipped, please call our office.

On the rare occasion when collection is postponed due to inclement weather, information will be found on our Facebook page, on the front page of the City website, on our outgoing telephone message at 207-767-7635, and on local media stations and their websites

For reschedules due to holidays, please refer to our holiday schedule at the bottom left of our homepage.

City ordinance provides a general guideline for assigning barrel sizes, based on number of occupants in your home. You may be eligible to upsize or downsize your barrel. Please call our office to learn more.

Please call our office to report your damaged barrel. We can either come to your address to repair/replace, or if you have a broken/missing recycle lid, replacements are available for pickup at our Municipal Services office (929 Highland Avenue).

Even though the packaging may be stamped with a recycle symbol, the ecoMaine facility is not equipped to process Polystyrene (Styrofoam) for recycling. There may be other items in this category as well.

Yes. The Transfer Facility began requiring permit stickers in January, 2020.

Public Works will remove deceased wildlife from a public right-of-way. Sorry, we are not able to remove from private property. If the animal is a domestic (dog or cat), please call the SPPD's Animal Control Officer, who will take custody pending contact of the owner. Their number is 767-5511, ext. 7253.

The City does not remove or relocate feral animals, unless there is a rabies concern. Humane traps may be rented from local hardware stores. For more information, contact SPPD's Animal Control Officer at 799-5511, ext 7253.

• Our curbside leaf collection program is conducted during the month of November. Specific dates will be posted on the top of our webpage and on Facebook as well as in the Sentry.
• Leaves are collected by our Public Works staff, not Pine Tree Waste and not as part of your regular trash collection. In fact, please place bags curbside, but not close to your trash containers
• We cannot predict when our teams will be on your street to collect. The timing depends on the volume of leaves they must collect at each location as they make their way through the city.
• Leaves are only collected curbside in the fall (November), not in the spring.
• The biodegradable paper bags are pretty sturdy, and hold up quite well to rain and wet leaves. An early snowfall will provide an extra challenge, but we'll do our best to find your leaf bags.
• Please try to restrict the bags to leaves only. Sticks, brush, branches and prunings are not part of this curbside collection, but can be brought to the transfer station for disposal.
• We don't offer raking services or fall cleanup on private property.
• Please do not place leaves or yard debris in your trash or recycling containers, or they will be tagged out and not collected.

General assistance (GA) is a program available in each municipality in Maine to help eligible people who do not have enough money to cover basic living costs. It provides confidential financial assistance to South Portland residents who are having difficulty meeting basic needs such as rent, food, electricity, personal and household supplies, medication, heating fuel, and other essential services. You must apply for General Assistance it city or town that you are a resident.

General Assistance is funded by local property taxes with 70% reimbursement from the state.

For the purposes of this program a "resident" means a person who is physically present in South Portland with the intention of remaining in South Portland to maintain or establish a home and who has no other residence.

Applications are taken by appointment. You can call 207-767-7617 or come into the office to schedule an appointment.

If it is on a weekend or after hours and you have a life threatening emergency, you may contact the South Portland Police Department at 207-799-5511.

Your first visit will require the completion of an application and an interview after the application. The process typically takes between 30 minutes to one hour.

Your General Assistance budget will be based on the 30-day period following your application. We will also look back to 30 days before you applied, to see what money you received, and how you spent it. You will need to provide:

• Identification and Social Security cards of all household members
• Passport/Visa and Immigration paperwork (I-589, etc.)
• DHHS benefit letter
• Income and expenses
• Receipts for the past 30 days (repeat applicants)
• Bank statement for the past 30 days with current balance
• Landlord verification

Yes. Your application and any case records pertaining to it are strictly confidential by law. You, the applicant, your attorney and certain government personnel may review your records. The City will need to know who to pay your GA vouchers to, such as your landlord. The City will also need for you to give permission for them to contact people who can verify your income and other necessary information. The general public cannot review your records unless you have given your written permission.

Maybe. If your income is less than your necessary expenses and the program's income maximum, you may be eligible to receive General Assistance. You can call and schedule an appointment for an eligibility determination.

We will issue you a written decision as to your eligibility within 24 hours after you apply and we will promptly furnish any assistance for which you are determined eligible within our guidelines. However, please be aware that if you have not furnished sufficient information, including verification required, to enable us to determine eligibility, we must consider your application incomplete and find you ineligible for any assistance until you reapply with adequate information

The General Assistance Program is regulated by State Law, which has set an overall maximum amount of assistance that a household can receive. In addition, each municipality's GA guidelines contain maximum amounts of assistance allowable for each category of assistance including, rent, food, electricity, etc. We cannot exceed those established maximums even though household's expenses for various items may exceed those amounts. To be eligible, your income must fall below the overall maximum level of assistance for a household your size and your income must also be less than the amount you need to pay for basic necessities using City guidelines.

General Assistance does not furnish money directly to the eligible person or household. All assistance is issued in the form of City vouchers payable to vendors who have provided your household with goods or services.

At the time an applicant receives a decision on their application, the administrator will inform them of their responsibilities for being eligible in the future. The period covered by your application and any assistance given under that application cannot exceed 30 days. However, there is no limitation on how many times a person can reapply and continue to be found eligible for assistance. The General Assistance program budgets your needs for 30 days forward from the date of your application. Upon a repeat application for General Assistance, the client must provide documentation (receipts) of all their spending over the past thirty days. The amount of income from all sources received by the household must be provided. The Applicant must show that they have utilized all potential resources the administrator referred them to on their notice of eligibility.

General Assistance is a program that encourages clients to do all they can to prevent needing future assistance. An applicant may be found ineligible to receive general assistance if they: misspend or cannot account for their money, quit or are fired from employment, willfully make a false representation about their situation, fail to furnish information to the administrator, forfeit a benefit such as SNAP, housing subsidy, unearned income, etc. Applicants may be subject to a 120 day disqualification if they do not adhere to program rules.

Residents can sign out electric equipment by going to the SPETL shed located next to the Swap Shop at the Transfer Station. The SPETL manager will assist residents with signing out and learning how to use equipment. To sign out equipment residents must provide a valid City of South Portland Library card and sign an Equipment User Agreement form. The SPETL manager will provide a demonstration of how to properly use equipment and answer questions to the best of their knowledge. Equipment can checked out for a period of one week.

To return the equipment, bring it back to SPETL manager who will make sure the equipment is in working order and sign it back in. If the equipment is returned late, the borrower will be fined an overdue fee of $1 per day until the equipment is returned. If the equipment is 30 days overdue, the equipment will be considered stolen and the borrower will receive a bill for the price of the stolen equipment.

You can get a new library card or renew your card for free by visiting the Main Library at 482 Broadway or the Branch Library at 155 Wescott.

To get a new library card, you will need to provide proof of South Portland residency by providing a Maine state-issued photo identification showing a current South Portland residence, or a state or federal issued photo identification in conjunction with one of the following documents:

• Utility bill dated within the last 30 days
• A South Portland issued tax bill/tax receipt dated within the past three months
• Current lease, mortgage papers, or rent receipts that officially state the property address (that is, no handwritten receipts; must be a preprinted form which shows the bank or realty company name)
• Current vehicle registration, in the name of the applicant, showing a current South Portland address

To renew your expired library card, please visit the library. Library accounts may be renewed annually as long as the account is in good standing and the user maintains eligibility.

Lost or damaged library cards may be replaced at a cost of $1.

The SPETL is only available to South Portland residents. A non-resident library card cannot be used to sign out equipment at the SPETL.

SPETL equipment cannot be renewed. You will be eligible to check out equipment again on the next day that the SPETL is open after the equipment has been returned. For example, if you returned a piece of equipment on Wednesday, you would be eligible to check out that same piece of equipment on Friday.

Yes, all lawn equipment signed out will come with a battery and a charger.

If the equipment is damaged, please return it to the SPETL and let the SPETL manager know about the damage. Do not try to repair the equipment. The borrower will not be charged for damages unless the equipment is damaged beyond repair due to the borrower's misuse of equipment, at which time the borrower could be charged. The borrower will not be charged if the equipment is inoperable due to a manufacturing-related malfunction.

See a copy of the Equipment User Agreement (PDF).

Equipment must be signed out in-person. You can check availability of equipment on the library catalogue by visiting the SPETL: The South Portland Electric Tool Library page.

For additional questions, please reach out to the Sustainability Department via email or call 207-347-4147.

The City of South Portland is very proud of the businesses throughout our City. If you have business-related questions, need assistance, are looking to expand, or are interested in getting more involved in partnering with the City on events and activities, please email Economic Development, or call 207-347-4139.

Before you start your business, pay us a visit or give us a call. City staffers are pleased to help you determine what steps need to be taken for you to open your doors. Please stop by City Hall or give us a call so staff can assist you.

• Call the Planning Department at 207-767-7603 for zoning and permitting information
• Read our brochure: Guide to Doing Business in South Portland (PDF)
  • Please note: The guide above is a general reference tool. Please email Biz Support with any specific questions. We are planning to update this guide by the end of 2025.
• If you need general assistance in getting started or have questions about available loans, grants, and resources, please see our links below, and call our office at 207-347-4139.

Please view our Real Estate Connection tab.

Yes, send to codeenforcement@southportland.org as pdf attachments. Enter the property address in the subject line of your email. Applications are also accepted in-person as hard copies at 829 Sawyer Street, South Portland, ME 04106.

Very likely! Send proposed idea/project via email codeenforcement@southportland.org

1. Enter the property address in the subject line.

2. Once reviewed, notification of which permit to apply for will be sent.

Please view the checklist provied for each application type. Please visit the Applications & Information page for a list of all the current applications.

Credit card payment over the phone is accepted (207-767-7603). Payment accepted in person (check, cash, or credit card).

Varies seasonally with an average of 4 weeks.

Please contact the office by email codenforcement@southportland.org or by phone (207) 767-7603.

Please email codeenforcement@southportland.org or call the office (207) 767-7603.

Please contact the offie by email codeenforcement@southportland.org or phone (207) 767-7603 to receive a response specific to the parcel of land for which you are inquiring. Each parcel within the city is unique and there are no generalizations within the code of ordinance.

No permit is needed for residential properties for fences that are less than 6' high. Fences higher than 6' high need permitting and are subject to setback requirements for that parcel.

Place fences on your own property to ensure ownership and maintenance of the fence. 

Shared fences are at the discretion of neighbors and are maintained by both parties as a civil agreement.

If no such agreement is made, the fence is determined to belong to the parcel of land for which it was originally installed.

Yes, we have food waste pamphlets translated into French, Somali, and Portuguese. 

Food Waste Program French Translation

Food Waste Program Somali Translation

Food Waste Program Portuguese Translation

Clear plastic produce bags from the grocery store can be used to tie up your food waste before putting it into the bin. Exter Agri-Energy has a machine that separates food waste from plastic bags. You can also line the bin with newspaper before throwing in your food waste. Residents are responsible for cleaning their bin.

If you have a lost or damaged bin, contact Denise at Public Works at 207-767-7635 for a replacement. 

Yes, we strongly recommend placing your food scraps in the bin rather than down the garbage disposal. There are higher uses for compost. Putting food waste into the City’s waste water system has environmental costs.

Not necessarily. You should feel free to continue composting in your backyard. Residents may use the food waste collection program to compost items that you cannot put in your backyard compost- such as liquids, fats, oils, greases, meat and fish scraps, paper napkins, compostable silverware, as well as coffee filters and tea bags. Food waste collection can also serve as a backup in the winter months. 

That is up to you! Once you have received your free food waste cart from the City, the choice is yours. You can elect to continue contracting with Garbage to Garden to haul your food waste and provide you compost. The City has negotiated a reduced rate. Otherwise, you can bring your food waste to any of the four collection sites at no cost. Or, if you like having your bin cleaned out every week by Garbage to Garden, you can keep paying for the full rate service (Note: the City's negotiated rate service with Garbage to Garden does not include this bin cleaning service).

Carts located at the drop-off locations will be emptied weekly by Garbage to Garden. In summer months, carts will be emptied more frequently. Saw dust is available at drop-off sites to contain the smell and can be scooped into the bin after disposing of food waste. If you notice a full or smelly drop-off cart, please contact the Sustainability Office to coordinate a pick-up within 24 hours. 

No, as long as the one (1) applicant is over the age of 65, the co-applicant can be under 65.

You must be 65 on or before April 30th to qualify for the current year's program.

You must wait until you have have completed your 1040ME, including Schedule PTFC (Property Tax Fairness Credit) before you apply for the City's program. 

If you are not required to file a tax return, just include the Schedule PTFC that you filed with the State for credit.

Yes, we must have a way to contact you in case we have questions about your application. We will not give out your phone number or email to any other party or agency.

Yes, if you qualified for a refund this year, we will automatically send you an application next January. 

The aging Central Fire Station, Police Station, Main Library, City Hall and Assessing outbuilding, and former Hamlin School building all need major repairs  and no longer functionally meet the needs of the community. If the Mahoney project were not to happen, each of these current buildings would need major renovations to prolong their lives, which could be much more expensive for the community over the long run. Download the informational brochure.

These buildings:

• fail to meet today’s building codes
• fail to meet ADA requirements
• fail to meet fire safety standards
• have old and deteriorating mechanical and electrical systems
• contain hazardous materials
• suffer damages from water intrusion
• rely on inefficient heating and cooling systems, and 
• are inadequate to perform today’s city functions

Offices currently located at City Hall, Assessing, the former Hamlin School (Planning & Development offices), and the Main Library would be relocated to the Mahoney building.

A new Police Station would be built next to Mahoney (on the current field) and a new Central Fire Station would be rebuilt at its current location on Broadway. Learn more.

• In 2018, the city hired a Facilities Director to oversee the maintenance and planning for municipal buildings. 
• In 2019, the City Council directed the city to plan a long-term solution to the needs of multiple city facilities. 
• The new South Portland Middle School was completed and the vacant Mahoney School property came into the City’s possession in 2023. 
• In 2024, after a two-year study and recommendation by the Facilities Committee, and various workshops to obtain public feedback, the City Council approved pursuing a plan to consolidate various city offices at Mahoney and rebuild public safety facilities. 
• In 2025, Council formed the Mahoney City Center Committee, which includes residents from every district in the city, to help guide the project and transform the property into a lively center for city services, culture, and community connection.

The Mahoney City Center Committee (M3C) is seeking community input to plan spaces reserved for community use inside the new City Center. Take the Community Space Needs Survey today!

Look for more opportunities to provide input at www.southportland.gov/mahoney or email M3C@southportland.gov to share your ideas.

Yes, outdoor spaces for community use will be part of the campus design. Community input will help the designers and committee plan the specific outdoor amenities.

Housing is being considered in a broader context. For example, there is more potential for housing on the three sites that the City would vacate than there is on the Mahoney site alone. This was verified by a third-party reviewer prior to City Council recommending that the City pursue a plan to consolidate at Mahoney.

Yes, residents will vote in a future Bond Referendum, tentatively planned for November 2026.

The City Council will invite input from the public and ultimately determine what happens to the properties that would be vacated. Some sites could potentially be sold and redeveloped for the benefit of the community.

Initial cost projections are expected in December 2025 once initial conceptual design options are complete. By July 2026, the City Council is expected to vote on the amount to be included in a Bond Referendum. South Portland residents will then vote in the Bond Referendum, which is tentatively planned for November 2026.

City Council allocated $4.5 million in Tax Increment Financing (TIF) funds in the fiscal year 2025 budget for an owner's representative, design team, site survey and environment testing to support the initial design phase of the project. Very early and rough estimates from the Facilities Committee's initial research put the project at around $74 million. However, the City expects this number to shift as the more detailed plans are developed and current constructions costs are incorporated. 

In the FY25 budget, the City Council approved $4.5M in Tax Increment Financing (TIF) funds for the initial design phase of the project. This design work is required to determine an accurate cost estimate and bond figure that the City Council must approve to put forward to voters in a referendum (tentatively planned for November 2026). Public budget meetings and workshops were held between April and June of 2024. City Council also allocated American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to hire an Owner's Representative for the project. You can view all budget documents, link to meeting agendas and materials, and link to videos of the council meetings from the homepage of the city website: southportland.gov

City Council awarded the bid in the amount of $256,000 to Colliers Project Leaders at the December 17, 2024 meeting. City Council awarded the bid for phase 1 of the design services to SMRT Architects and Engineers in the amount of $691,898 at the June 3, 2025 meeting. This money is part of the $4.5M allocated in TIF funds in the FY25 budget; no additional funding was required. All bids are posted on BoardDocs, the City's meeting agenda platform (click the "Agendas & Minutes" button to access from the City's homepage).

Yes, the Mahoney City Center Committee formed a Funding Plan Subcommittee to research additional funding possibilities such as grants, Tax Increment Financing (TIF), and other opportunities to reduce the impact to taxpayers.

Central Fire Station (1955), The Police Station (1967), Main Library (1965), City Hall (1881) and Assessing outbuilding (1955), and former Hamlin School building (1961) are aging public facilities. These facilities are between 58 and 144 years old, and with age come issues. At a certain point, the issues are so numerous, expensive, and/or complex to address, that it makes sense to consider a new facility or major renovation. This is the current status of all of these buildings.

Problems with the buildings
For several years before the Mahoney property came into the City’s possession, the City and City Council have been discussing how to address the numerous significant deficiencies across these facilities. The buildings:

• are not up to code
• have water intrusion issues that cause damage and risk to documents, equipment, and health
• have outdated building systems and equipment well past its useful life
• have expensive repairs on the immediate horizon (new roof, elevator, boilers, etc.)
• do not have sprinkler systems or compliant fire systems – a significant safety concern
• have building materials containing hazardous materials like asbestos and lead, requiring remediation
• are not accessible or compliant with Americans with Disabilities Act
• have inadequate insulation, roofs and outdated heating and cooling systems

Any one of these issues in any one building would be costly and in some cases complicated to address. Now consider that all these problems (and more) currently exist across six different city buildings.

How did the buildings get this way? 
Many issues are the result of these heavily used buildings and their systems and infrastructure aging. Unlike someone’s private home, which can see a small family living in it with occasional guests, these facilities house numerous City staff, in some cases staff that work there 24/7. Some of these facilities also see hundreds of members of the public utilize them on a daily basis. Even with maintenance, time and constant heavy use will take their toll. 

One important thing to note is that it was only in 2019 that the city hired its first Facilities Director to oversee all city buildings. Prior to this time, heads of departments were responsible for the maintenance of their individual buildings. So, for example, the Police Chief was not only in charge of the city’s law enforcement (their area of expertise), but they were also in charge of maintaining the Police Station. Staff did a good job keeping the facilities functional over the years, but it became clear as the buildings aged and problems multiplied that a streamlined approach to the city’s facilities was needed.

The new Facilities Director was charged with examining the issues across the buildings and creating a plan to address them. Around this time, the City Council directed staff to defer non-urgent maintenance issues in these buildings while the study and plan were underway. The Facilities director led a Facilities Committee that worked for two years on the task, the results of which are detailed in the 800+ Facilities Committee Study (2024). Ultimately, the Committee recommended the plan to consolidate many city offices at Mahoney and build a new Police and Central Fire Station, and the City Council – after much discussion and input from the public and consultants – directed the city to pursue this plan.

What will happen if the Mahoney City Center & Public Safety Buildings project doesn’t move forward?
It is critical to note that even if this plan doesn’t move forward, our community will still need to invest significantly in our declining public facilities over the next few years. It is very likely to be more costly to renovate and/or rebuild each individual building. (The City is currently conducting an analysis to better understand the cost of renovating Mahoney and building new PD and FD stations versus making renovations to each). At some sites there may not be enough space to renovate and meet current needs of the community. It is possible that renovating or rebuilding at current locations could also impact future service delivery or prompt the need for satellite buildings in other locations.

Consolidating four buildings into a single City Center at a renovated Mahoney building (which tests have found is structurally very solid) will make maintenance and planning for future needs much easier and more cost effective. Consolidating at Mahoney will also yield a facility that will last much longer than if the community were to invest significant dollars into existing facilities.

The City expects to save significantly on general maintenance, emergency repairs, and ongoing operating expenses such as heating, cooling, utilities, and more.

The City will still need to invest significantly in its declining facilities over the next few years. It is very likely to be more costly to renovate and/or rebuild each individual building. At some sites there may not be enough space to renovate and meet current needs of the community, and it is possible this could impact future service delivery or prompt the need for satellite buildings in other locations.

The City Council decided on the location of the proposed new Police Station after months of public discussion in 2024-2025. They selected the Mahoney property as the location at their June 17, 2025 meeting. Learn more about the site selection process and read this post that breaks down how our public safety buildings are at the heart of the City Center project.

The primary reasons the Mahoney site was selected are:

• It has enough space for the new station
• It does not require the purchase of new land
• Its prominent location supports PD’s community-centered goals to build greater trust, transparency and partnerships to proactively reduce crime
• This plan avoids needing to temporarily relocate the Police Department during an extensive reconstruction of the current site (a very costly and challenging endeavor)
• The plan enables Central Fire Station to be rebuilt on the current public safety site with the building and drive aprons oriented to improve safety and access

Fire and EMS response is based on industry-accepted time guidelines and we locate facilities to best meet these guidelines.

• The City operates 3 stations: West End, Cash Corner, and Central.
• The current Central Station location balances coverage between these facilities.
• This positioning helps the department meet required response-time standards.

To continue to meet these standards, locating the new Fire Headquarters in another location would not be viable.

• Acquiring new land elsewhere would be cost-prohibitive.
• Relocating would interrupt the balance of coverage between the 3 stations.

With PD relocated on the Mahoney site, a new Central Fire Station can be built with all the safety measures in place to serve the community and ensure a safe, healthy facility for our firefighters. Unlike the current Central Fire Station,

• The new design includes properly separated living spaces, apparatus bays, and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) storage.
• It provides adequate decontamination facilities.
• It ensures appropriate facilities for male and female firefighters (ex: bathrooms).
• It includes an above-grade Emergency Operations Center (EOC) that is protected from flooding.

After analysis and discussion between the design firm, owners representatives  and City staff, including the Fire Department, the decision was made to build a brand-new station.  A new station:

• Improves the site layout, especially grades needed for apparatus ramps.
• Addresses anticipated flood-inundation concerns.
• Maintains a visible, public-facing presence along Broadway.
• Avoids conflicts between apparatus movement and Rusty Lantern market traffic.
• Prevents direct response routes into the Anthoine Street neighborhood.
• Creates flexibility with larger bays, including space for a ladder truck.
• Enhances readiness with a new on-site training building.

Keeping the current building, or part of the current building, was ruled out because the facility is considered critical infrastructure and must meet certain standards.

• Upgrading the current structure to these standards would significantly increase costs.
• The design team and Owner’s Representatives identified major concerns with the building envelope and the cost of bringing it to modern standards.
• The existing building footprint prevents improvements to the steep apparatus ramp without changing exit directions.
• Maintaining the building would force apparatus to exit into the Anthoine neighborhood or toward the Rusty Lantern market.
• Retaining the current structure would limit the department’s ability to create a fully resilient site.

The new building will be built to resiliency standards with specific consideration of the site. 

• The new building and floor elevation will be designed to be above the flood plain elevation.
• The design will factor in future sea rise potential.

Elements that capture the history of Central Fire Station may be incorporated into the new building.

Keeping the building or portion of the building would conflict with the goal of creating a long-lasting, climate-ready, safe, and cost-effective new fire station to serve the South Portland Community. However, the current building is an important part of the City’s history, and the design team and city staff are discussing ways to incorporate historical elements and features into the new station.

Visit www.southportland.gov/mahoney/police-and-fire. Information will be added as the project progresses. 

To ask a question or share a concern, email M3C@southportland.gov.

A traffic study will be completed as part of the project and will analyze anticipated trip generation at various days and times. The study will identify off-site traffic improvements that will be integrated into the project.

M3C is considering input from the Historic Preservation Committee on ways to preserve the historic character and certain design elements of the building. Consideration will be given to the best ways the City can honor the important role the building has played in our community’s history

The design of the new City Center will strive for the most efficient, electrified, resilient campus designed to align with leading building science and technology. Achieving the goals of the City’s One Climate Future plan is a guiding principle of the project.

Timelines for construction and a target open date will be determined following voter approval. The scale of this project will likely require a phased construction schedule over several years to full completion. 

The sale or lease of current City sites, like the current City Hall property, could bring revenue to the City. There is also potential for community spaces at Mahoney to be revenue-generating.

You can make a public comment at an M3C Meeting at the beginning or end of any meeting. Meeting dates and times are posted on the project web page. You can also email the Committee at M3C@southportland.gov, and look for engagement opportunities on the project page:  www.southportland.gov/mahoney

There were many considerations that went into SPSD’s decision to build a new Middle School. Most significantly, the State of Maine was to pay most of the cost for a new consolidated Middle School that complied with all of the required school design standards. The Mahoney site did not meet those standards. Building new also meant students did not need to be relocated during a lengthy renovation. For more information, visit www.spsdme.org. 

No parking is allowed overnight from December until April per City ordinance. The ban enables Public Works crews to respond to ice and snow events and keep street clear and safe throughout the winter.

Public Works crews must be able to respond to weather events as they occur. While a snowstorm is usually predictable, icing events are not. Our hardworking Public Works team is ready to hit the streets whenever sanding or ice/snow clearing is needed. This requires that City streets be free of vehicles, as many South Portland streets are too narrow for our 11-foot wide plow trucks with 11-foot wings to pass if vehicles are parked. Cars parked on the street during the overnight or emergency parking ban slow down and otherwise negatively impact snow removal and sanding operations. They can also block emergency vehicles from being able to pass.

Many nearby communities, including Cape Elizabeth, Westbrook, Gorham, Falmouth, Bangor, and Augusta have an overnight parking ban like South Portland’s. Communities that implement only storm-related parking bans might have plow equipment that is narrower than South Portland’s, a bigger fleet with separate trucks doing the plowing and sanding, wider streets where getting a plow truck through isn’t as much of a challenge, or limited on-street parking in general.

The City offers our lots on Waterman Drive, at the Bug Light Boat Launch, and Willard Beach. These locations are suitable for parking during the winter overnight parking ban and emergency bans. Cars must be removed from these lots within 24 hours after the end of a storm (when precipitation ends) to allow the Public Works Department to plow the lots and remove snow as necessary. Read more.

The Public Works department sometimes puts an emergency parking ban in effect, prohibiting parking on streets during certain hours (including daytime hours). This enables crews to efficiently and effectively remove snow resulting from a storm. If an emergency parking ban is put in place, the City will announce this on our website and social media channels.

The City offers our lots on Waterman Drive, at the Bug Light Boat Launch, and Willard Beach. These bus-accessible locations are suitable for parking during the winter overnight parking ban and emergency bans. There are limited public lots in other parts of the City where parking would not impede snow removal operations or impact programming. Some have suggested the Community Center lots should be used, for example. This is not possible because all cars must be out of the Community Center lots 1) in order for Public Works to keep the lots clear of snow and ice; and 2) to ensure that the limited parking spaces remain available to the many community members who visit the Center. The City continues to think about potential overnight parking options in other areas of the City. This would likely require partnerships with businesses, which presents challenges as they must also keep their lots clear and ensure parking for their customers.

The City clears sidewalks on walking routes to schools, around the Maine Mall, and the Greenbelt. Public Works has 4 sidewalk operators and 4 sidewalk machines that work on clearing snow from sidewalks after a storm. These machines and employees run 24-7 to make the sidewalks safe to pass. Sidewalks are cleared after streets are plowed so that sidewalks are not filled back in from the plow trucks. Public Works crews begin with the sidewalks on school travel routes. Then they work on clearing the rest of the sidewalks on main arterials for a number of days after the snow event ends. 

Some residents and businesses shovel or plow snow onto sidewalks or into streets. Not only is this against City ordinance, but it delays the snow removal process. With no extra staff or machines to cover breakdowns we could have a delay in clearing the sidewalks. Please be sure to keep shoveled/plowed snow out off of the City right-of-way. 

Our dedicated Public Works team clears snow from 330 lane miles of roads and 40 miles of sidewalk during a snowstorm!