Port Property’s Bayside Development Plan

Important links, media articles, and associated information will be posted on this page.
Fast facts may be found here.

6/14/2023

Last night, June 13, the planning board approved both Port Property’s Bayside Master Development Plan and their proposed major site plan to convert most of 511 Congress Street from office space to housing*. The only conditions on the approval of the Bayside MDP were related to standard department processes such as pre-permit requirements.

The board discussed some of the differences between a master development plan and a site plan, and what can and can’t be changed once a master plan is approved.

It was noted that the footprint and height of the proposed buildings could get smaller but not larger without Port Property seeking a major amendment, and that building designs may change as each phase and sub-phase moves forward.

Other topics:

  • Affordable housing segregation Community members voiced concerns about the current plan to segregate all the low income renters into one block-long building at 89 Elm. One planning board member felt the design for 89 Elm was wrong and said she would fight for it to be two buildings.
  • Trees In response to concerns about Port Property’s plan to remove and replace almost all of the existing trees in the nine acre project area, the board confirmed that all proposed tree removals must be approved by the Parks and Recreation department.
  • Neighborhood residents expressed a hope that Port Property will be responsive to community feedback during the decade-long construction of the project. Though the planning board cannot require a neighborhood advisory panel, they noted the community’s request and suggested to the Port Property team it will be easier to get their future site plan approvals if the community is on board. 

A recording of the meeting may be found here. Discussion of the 511 Congress project is first and the Bayside MDP discussion starts at the 2:09 mark. A Portland Press Herald article is here and a News Center Maine report is here.

* Like the 804 proposed Bayside units, the 107 apartments at 511 Congress will consist mostly of 1 BR & studio units with no parking included.

6/6/2023

PUBLIC HEARING & POSSIBLE VOTE ON PORT PROPERTY’S BAYSIDE MASTER DEVELOPMENT PLAN

WHEN: Tuesday June 13, 5:30 PM
WHERE: Via Zoom (go here and click on Agenda to find the meeting link and info on giving public comment)

The Planning Board will take public comment and possibly vote whether to approve Port Property’s proposal to re-develop several blocks of the Bayside neighborhood. The plan calls for 804 apartments in seven buildings from five to ten stories. Twenty-five per cent of the units must be affordable to tenants making up to 60% of the area median income.

As proposed, six buildings are reserved for 603 market rate units & a separate building will contain the 201 affordable units. The plan also proposes ground-floor retail, tenant parking in an off-site garage, open space, and a “woonerf” (shared street). For full details on the plan go here. The most recent documents were uploaded on 6/2/2023.

Share your thoughts by sending comments and questions to planningboard@portlandmaine.gov ASAP so the Planning Board has time to review. Reference Port Property’s Bayside Master Development Plan PL-002315-2022 in the subject line.

You can also speak for up to three minutes at the meeting.

Note – The first item on the agenda for this meeting is a public hearing for another Port Property project (under Tom Watson & Co.) that proposes to convert office space at 511 Congress Street into 107 housing units.

5/9/2023

NEIGHBORHOOD MEETING for 89 ELM STREET, Port Property’s 201 unit affordable housing building. Come learn about the project, ask questions, and give feedback!

WHEN: Tuesday May 16, 5:30 PM

WHERE: 190 Lancaster Street (across from Two Fat Cats Bakery)

Port Property has proposed 804 total units in Bayside, and 201 must be affordable. These units are proposed to be located in a single eight-story building that will run the entire length of Elm Street between Oxford and Lancaster with retail spaces on the ground floor at either end.

This is the first building planned in a 10-year, seven-building project. The remainder of the buildings are proposed to contain market rate units.

See the plans here. City Notice here.

4/15/2023

PLANNING BOARD MEETING FOR THE PORT PROPERTY
(AKA WEST BAYSIDE PARTNERS LLC) BAYSIDE MASTER PLAN

WHEN: Tuesday April 25

  • Site Walk – 3:00 pm – Meet at corner of Lancaster & Chestnut Streets
  • Workshop – 4:30 pm – Remote via Zoom – follow link for agenda & documents as well
  • Proposal uploaded to Self-Service Portal – latest documents uploaded 4/11

This workshop will allow the applicant to focus on design specifically, though members of the public and the board may comment on any aspect of the 10-year plan. Please share your thoughts and questions to help shape smart development in Portland!

Comment Submission Deadline – Noon the day before the Planning Board meeting to guarantee comments are posted in the agenda packet. Include your name, legal address, and the name of the agenda item:
Master Development Plan; 196 Lancaster Street (Bayside Master Development Plan)

3/15/2023

Portland’s Planning Board held an introductory workshop for Port Property’s Master Development Plan on 3/14/23. The applicant has also submitted a Major Site Plan for Phase 1b, the single building proposed to allow low-income residents to meet inclusionary zoning requirements for all 7 sites. [This section will be updated with a link once documents are uploaded to the Planning Department’s self-service portal.]

24 members of the public submitted written comment, and 12 spoke during the meeting, expressing concerns ranging from new mass in a small residential neighborhood, to a wish not to delay a plan that includes housing development. Board members discussed topics from green space to ratio of retail amenities to traffic flow.

Next steps: Port Property will continue to work with with Planning staff on recommendations such as mid-block permeability, and with various other departments to complete application requirements such as wastewater plan, tree canopy and redesign of public streets. The Board will schedule several topical workshops where the applicant will present in more detail on specific areas such as design or transportation.

Public comment may be submitted any time to planningboard@portlandmaine.gov to be included in future Planning Board agenda packets (reference plan number PL-002315-2022), and questions regarding city code or planning processes may be sent to Planner Zachary Powell at zpowell@portlandmaine.gov.

3/7/23

PLANNING BOARD MEETING FOR THE PORT PROPERTY
(AKA WEST BAYSIDE PARTNERS LLC)BAYSIDE MASTER PLAN

WHEN: Tuesday March 14, 4:30 PM
WHERE: Via Zoom, follow this link for meeting access, agenda and relevant documents.

Bayside and Beyond – What’s your vision for new housing in Portland? Share your thoughts and ask questions about Port Property’s Bayside Master Plan for redeveloping Bayside. This will be the biggest project the peninsula will see for many years to come – your voice matters.

Comment Submission Deadline – 12:00PM the day before the Planning Board meeting to guarantee comments are posted in the agenda packet. Include your name, legal address, and the name of the agenda item:
Master Development Plan; 196 Lancaster Street (West Bayside Master Development Plan)

2/21/2023

There was a great community turnout for tonight’s neighborhood meeting for Port Property’s Master Development Plan. Huge thanks to the broad range of community members who attended and asked so many good questions. We’ll be sharing the meeting minutes as soon as we receive them from the development team.

Thank you to Michael Barton and John Laliberte of Port Property, Will Savage of Acorn Engineering, and Jeff Sauser from Stantec for presenting the plan and fielding community questions.

The next step in the process is a planning board meeting on March 14 at 4:30 PM. Please make sure to send your thoughts and questions to the planner for this project, Zach Powell zpowell@portlandmaine.gov and written public comment to the Portland Planning Board at planningboard@portlandmaine.gov

2/14/2023

IMPORTANT MEETING ALERT – The neighborhood meeting for Port Property’s master development plan has been scheduled for next Tuesday February 21 at 5:30 PM, in person at 190 Lancaster St. (across from Two Fat Cats Bakery). Click here for more details.

Documents

Port Property has submitted a Master Development Plan to the city. When documents are uploaded they will be available to view on the City’s Citizen Self Service Portal, found here. The plan number is PL-002315-2022.

Media Coverage

A document containing links to media coverage of Port Property’s development plans may be found here.

History: the Vision for Bayside in 2000

In 2000 the City adopted as an official part of its Comprehensive Plan A New Vision for Bayside, a roadmap for redeveloping Bayside. Take a look at Book 1: The Plan and Book 2: Implementation to see Bayside’s future as envisioned twenty-two years ago.