The City of Portland is hosting a first of its kind Waterfront Summit on Tuesday, September 29, 2026. Property owners, business owners, and a variety of waterfront stakeholders in Portland will join City staff from the Sustainability Office, the Department of Housing & Economic Development, and the Department of Planning and Urban Development for a discussion about the future of our waterfront.
Participants will see how the shape of the waterfront has changed since colonial times, learn about the latest projections for sea level rise on Commercial Street, review the Waterfront goals from the City's 10-year Comprehensive Plan, and contribute to discussions about potential solutions.
“We are excited to invite the waterfront community to a discussion around our future - from resilience in the face of climate change to envisioning the next 10 years of Portland’s waterfront, this event will be the launchpad for several larger City initiatives,” said Heather Moretti, the City’s Waterfront Coordinator. “It’s rare that we get the waterfront community together in one room; having reached the venue’s capacity, we are expecting a full house and a lively discussion!”
“Portland’s waterfront is already experiencing the consequences of sea level rise as demonstrated by the damaging storms of January, 2024. In their aftermath, pier owners and others who depend on water access responded by upgrading infrastructure and adjusting their work practices to accommodate more frequent flooding,” said Troy Moon, the City’s Sustainability Director. “Unfortunately, more will need to be done as seas continue to rise. This summit is the beginning of a process of public engagement that will help the City develop adaptation strategies to manage the impacts of coastal flooding and sea level rise.”
The first half of the event will include a presentation by Libby Bischof, Director of the Osher Map Library, showing the history of the Portland Waterfront using historic maps, followed by a panel discussion featuring Hannah Baranes of the Gulf of Maine Research Institute, Matt Grooms, Deputy Director of the Planning and Urban Development Department, and Sustainability Director Troy Moon.
The second half will feature a casual reception with multiple opportunities to provide input, including visualizations from the Envision Resilience lab showcasing potential solutions and approaches for an adaptive waterfront. Summit participants will have the opportunity to react to the renderings and share ideas about what it will take to make the waterfront more resilient, and identify their goals for the next 10 years of Portland’s waterfront.
Presentation made possible with the generous support of Envision Resilience and Remain.