SOUTH PORTLAND, Maine – One year after the historic January 2024 storms that caused damage and loss along South Portland’s coastline and throughout Maine, the City is reporting on its many efforts to make South Portland a more resilient community.
 

New Resilience Tools

The City is in the process of developing a number of tools to support its coastal resilience efforts.

• Resilience Overlay Zoning Amendments – The City is investing $75,000 in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds, supplemented by a $32,000 Maine Shore & Harbor Planning Grant, to develop zoning amendments. The amendments will help ensure that new development and redevelopment projects are prepared for, and don’t worsen, climate impacts.
   
• Coastal Resilience Solutions Assessment – This project will evaluate hardscape solutions at six coastal sites across the City. These include: Willard Beach, Front Street, Mill Cove, Anthoine Creek, Barberry Creek, and Long Creek. The City is investing $133,000 in ARPA funds towards this project.
   
• Risk-based Assessment Management Tool – South Portland and its partners at the City of Portland applied for a grant to build a climate resilience risk-based assessment management tool. This tool will help assess risks to City-owned infrastructure from climate-related hazards, which will help City officials prioritize resources and investments for resilient solutions. The funding for this project is currently pending.

Coastal Flooding Maps

In May, the City unveiled new coastal flooding maps. Among the first of its kind in the state, the map tool hones in on 3.9 feet of sea level rise (the intermediate sea level rise scenario projected for 2100), and shows impacts at average high tide, highest astronomical tide, and with a 100 year storm. This map enables the public to see the effects of expected sea level rise in various neighborhoods and helps the City plan for the future.

Willard Beach

• Dunes – The dunes at Willard Beach have washed out in storms over the past few years. This past October, the City Council directed staff to move forward with beach scraping. The City will use sand available on the beach to create a ridge or “sacrificial dunes” backed up along the dune areas. Council’s decision to initiate beach scraping followed an October 2024 presentation by Peter Slovinsky of Maine Geological Survey. The City expects the project to move forward this winter. Learn more in the “Current Initiatives” tab on the Coastal Resilience page.
   
• Fishing Shacks – The City’s iconic fishing shacks were washed away in the January 13, 2024 storm. The City’s Code Enforcement Officer researched federal shoreland zone requirements and submitted the findings to City Council, which determined that the structures were in a flood velocity zone, and new structures would require costly engineering to be elevated to the base flood level of 12+ feet. As a result, staff made the decision not to pursue rebuilding a modified version of the fishing shacks. Any further direction would come from the City Council. The South Portland Historical Society is working with the City to create a historical marker to memorialize the shacks and educate visitors about the history of Fishermen’s Point.

Infrastructure

• The City secured a $272,000 grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) National Coastal Resilience Fund (NCRF). One of only two projects in the state to receive this highly sought-after funding, the project will design five new culvert crossings in Trout Brook to improve fish passage and allow for greater water flow that results from more intense storms. The project will also identify key locations throughout the watershed for “Green Infrastructure” designed to remove pollutants from stormwater runoff.

Storm Recovery

The City submitted two projects for Federal Public Disaster Assistance in the wake of the January 2024 storms. FEMA has obligated $14,262 to reimburse the City for tree and brush debris removal. The City’s application for assistance for repairs to Bug Light Park is still in progress.

Public Outreach and Engagement

City Council and City departments held numerous workshops and events over the course of the year to gain public input on and share information about the City’s coastal resilience efforts. Check out the “Annual Summaries” tab on the City’s Coastal Resilience page for details about these events.

Comprehensive Plan

The City is in the process of updating its Comprehensive Plan, the guiding document for South Portland’s future through 2040. Ecology and Climate Readiness is a goal in the Comp Plan Vision & Goals, which the Comprehensive Plan Committee adopted on January 31, 2024. Visit the Comp Plan website for more information and ways to engage.

For additional information about these and more steps the City of South Portland is taking to be a more resilient coastal community, visit: www.southportland.gov/coastalresilience
 

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. www.southportland.gov

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