On the agenda: Bangor meeting — data center (Jun 1)

AGENDA
Business & Economic Development Committee
Monday, June 1, 2026
Immediately following Finance Committee
73 Harlow Street – Council Chambers
Bangor, Maine
1.

Proposed Code Amendments
A.
Historic Preservation Process

Action request: Send recommendation to full Council

2.
3.
4.
5.

Presentation of Solar Feasibility Report

Action Requested: Provide feedback to staff

Possible Acceptance of Open Space in a Subdivision known as Roseledge
Action request: Send recommendation to full Council

Downtown Bangor Partnership – Annual Report and Budget Discussion

Action Request: Send reocmmendaiton to Council

Discussion of Possible Moratorium on Certain Uses: Needle Exchange and
Chemical Dependency Clinics
Action Request: Send recommendaiton to Council

6.

Executive Session: Acquisition of real property or economic development 1 M.R.S.A.
§ 405(6)(C) – 1 item

7.

Possible Actions on Executive Session Items
Action request: Forward to Council

Upcoming Items:
Short Term Rental Overview – June 2026
Code Division Overview of Procedures and Protocols – June 2026
Feasibility Study Work on City-Owned Properties – July 2026

Memorandum
To:
From:
Date:
Regarding:

Business & Economic Development Committee
Planning Division
May 18, 2026
Historic Preservation Code Updates

At your February 18th meeting, staff reviewed an initial draft of changes to the Historic Preservation ordinance.
Since that meeting, we have reviewed with the Historic Preservation Commission, Legal staff, and the Maine
Historic Preservation Commission and have therefore made several additional changes. The primary changes
are outlined below.
•
•

•
•
•
•
•

Adding additional information that may be needed for applications
Adding a definition of character-defining features
o This is hard to define since it depends on the individual structure or historic district. Many places
recommend using the guidance of a qualified professional to help determine what the characterdefining elements of a particular structure are. Staff have been holding pre-application meetings
with applicants and the City’s advisory consultant to help with this. However, recognizing that it
is important to have good guidance written into the ordinance, staff plan to workshop with the
Commission important elements of the various historic districts and historic sites so that this
guidance can be included in the second round of updates to the ordinance.
Keeping commercial communication devices as needing Certificates of Appropriateness, versus home
communication devices, which would just need a Minor Revision
Adding language stating that replacement of materials should be guided by National Park Service
Preservation Brief 16, based on guidance by the Maine Historic Preservation Commission
Adding a provision that demolition of a historic property may be allowed if the structure has been
damaged beyond repair by fire or natural disaster
Changing the requirement to delay demolition to be optional rather than mandatory for every case
Providing examples of the types of evidence that may be presented to show hardship and providing
additional stipulations on hardship claims

We will note that one of the standards that has been a sticking point, regarding replacement of materials, has
been structured to follow the Secretary of Interior guidelines for rehabilitation, with the staff addition stating that
materials should match only when technically and economically feasible. The Maine Historic Preservation
Commission has advised that using the Secretary’s wording is a requirement for Certified Local Governments
like Bangor. Staff also feel that the new wording provides more flexibility over the original, which required that
materials match the new in "composition", which would basically require the same material. Additionally, the
original wording was based on the Secretary standard for preservation, which is more stringent than
rehabilitation. The addition of considering technical and economic feasibility should also give extra flexibility.
Bangor’s Historic Preservation Commission has expressed approval of the changes. If Council is amenable,
staff will forward the changes for formal adoption.

Item No

Date

CITY COUNCIL ACTION
Council Meeting Date: June 8, 2026
Item No:
Responsible Dept: Planning
Action Requested: Ordinance

Map/Lot: N/A

Title, Ordinance
Amending Chapter 148, Historic Preservation Code, by Adding Flexibility and Clarity to the Process for Certain
Types of Alterations to Historic Structures
Summary
The proposed changes would update the City’s Historic Preservation Code to add flexibility and clarity on
process for certain types of alterations to historic structures, such as changing materials, reducing the review
requirement for installation of certain mechanical equipment like heat pumps, and allowing for demolition in
case of fire or natural disaster. The amendments also provide examples of information that can be provided for
hardship applications and lengthens the time allowed for completion of historic projects. These changes align
with Comprehensive Plan policy 47 promote and enhance the viability of the historic and architectural
resources for their continued use or for new uses.

Committee Action
Committee: Historic Preservation Commission

Meeting Date: June 11, 2026

Action:

For:

Against:

Staff Comments & Approvals

City Manager

Introduced for:

First Reading and Referral

City Solicitor

Finance Director

CITY COUNCIL ORDINANCE
Date: June 8, 2026
Assigned to Councilor:

ORDINANCE, Amending Chapter 148, Historic Preservation Code, by Adding Flexibility and Clarity to the
Process for Certain Types of Alterations to Historic Structures.
WHEREAS, at present, the Historic Preservation Ordinance lacks flexibility for actions such as changing
materials on a historic structure or demolishing where there has been a fire or other natural disaster;
WHEREAS, at present, the Ordinance also requires a high level of review for simple and reversible changes
such as adding heat pumps or solar, or removing or changing awning fabric;
WHEREAS, the proposed changes would update the City’s Historic Preservation Code to add flexibility and
clarity on process for certain types of alterations to historic structures;
WHEREAS, the 2022 Comprehensive Plan contains a policy to promote and enhance the viability of the
historic and architectural resources for their continued use or for new uses;
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BANGOR AS FOLLOWS, THAT
Chapter 148 of the Code of the City of Bangor is amended as follows:
§ 148-2. Definitions.
…
CHARACTER-DEFINING FEATURES – Prominent elements of a historic structure that highlight its character.
These elements can include overall shape of the building, materials, craftsmanship, and decorative details.
Guidance on determining character-defining features can be found in National Park Service Preservation Brief
17 titled, “Architectural Character: Identifying the Visual Aspects of Historic Buildings as an Aid to Preserving
Their Character”.
…
§ 148-8. Approvals required.
The Historic Preservation Commission shall protect historic landmarks, historic sites and historic districts by
the issuance of certificates of appropriateness, approvals of minor alteration or revision, and staff approvals.
A.

Certificate of appropriateness.
…
(2)

Application contents. The application shall contain the following information and documentation:
(a)

For all applications:
…
[3]

Where applicable, Pplans and exterior elevation drawings to scale and with

sufficient detail to show all proposed alterations, and their relation to the exterior
appearance and architectural design of the building.
…
[6]

If available, documentation on the property from the Maine Cultural &
Architectural
Resource
Management
Archive
(CARMA)
(https://www.maine.gov/mhpc/quick-links/carma). Any other information and
documentation the Planning Division or Code Enforcement Division considers
necessary.

[7]

Any other information and documentation the Planning Division or Code
Enforcement Division considers necessary.

…
…
(3)

Process.
…
(e)

Approval. An affirmative vote of four the majority of members present and voting shall be
required to issue a certificate of appropriateness. If the Commission determines that the
proposed alteration, construction, moving, or demolition is appropriate by a majority vote
of four members, it shall direct the Planning Division to issue a certificate of
appropriateness. The Planning Division shall forward copies of the certificate to the
applicant and to the Code Enforcement Officer for issuing of necessary permits.
[1] If approved, the proposed construction, reconstruction, alteration, moving or
demolition must be begun within six 12 months of approval and completed within 12 24
months of approval, unless the Commission sets other time limits. An extension or
extensions of up to one year in total length may be granted as a minor alteration or
revision under § 148-8B. During the duration of the construction, reconstruction,
alteration, moving, or demolition, applicants must display the certificate of
appropriateness approval on the property.
[2] After completion of the project, or after 12 24 months from the issuance of a certificate
of appropriateness, the property owner shall allow staff to access exterior areas of the
property as reasonably necessary in order to perform an inspection to verify work was
done in accordance with the Commission’s approval.
…

B.

Minor alteration or revision.
(1)

When required. Approval of minor alteration or revision is required when:
(a)

The proposed alteration satisfies the definition of "minor alteration or revision" provided
in § 148-2 or is a solar panel, generator, heat pump, or other mechanical installation
(except for commercial communication devices), changing or removal of awning fabric,
or an alteration that cannot be seen from a street.
[1]

Mechanical equipment such as heat pumps, solar panels, residential
communication devices, HVAC units, or similar shall be located in such a way as
to minimize its visual impact. Said equipment shall be screened, if possible, with
vegetation or suitable elements of a permanent nature, finished to blend with the
rest of the building. Where such screening is not feasible, equipment shall be

installed in a neat, presentable manner and, if possible, shall be painted to
minimize its visibility.
…
(3)

Process. Minor alterations or revisions, as defined herein, may be permitted by the Code
Enforcement Officer or their designee, Planning Officer or their designee, and Chair of the Historic
Preservation Commission or their designee without referral for review at a meeting of the Historic
Preservation Commission. If the Commission Chair is absent, the Vice Chair, or, in both their
absences, the senior member of the Commission in time of service may participate in their place.
…
(c)

Approval. If the Code Enforcement Officer or their designee and the Planning Officer or
their designee each determine that the proposed work does not significantly impact the
historic nature or appearance of the property in question, the application shall be
approved. The Staff Coordinator shall forward copies of the approved application to the
applicant and to the Code Enforcement Officer for issuing of necessary permits.
[1]

If approved, the proposed work must be begun within six months 12 months of
approval and completed within 12 24 months of approval.

[2]

After completion of the project, or after 12 24 months from approval, the property
owner shall allow staff to access exterior areas of the property as reasonably
necessary in order to perform an inspection to verify work was done in accordance
with the approval.

…
D.

Exempt activities. The following activities are specifically exempt from requiring approval for certificate
of appropriateness, minor alteration or revision, or staff approval under this section:
…
(11)

Replacing features that match the original in materials, design, and other visual qualities

…
§ 148-9. Evaluation standards.
The standards and requirements contained in this section shall be used in review of applications for certificates
of appropriateness, minor alterations or revisions, and staff approvals, while taking into consideration
economic and technical feasibility.
…
B.

Standards for renovations, alterations and repairs of existing buildings, structures and appurtenances
thereof.
…
(2)

Within historic districts, historic sites and historic landmarks, the Commission shall use the
standards listed below in the evaluation of an application for a certificate of appropriateness for
all renovations, alterations and repairs of existing buildings, structures and appurtenances
thereof:
…
(c)

Deteriorated architectural features should be repaired rather than replaced, wherever
possible. In the event that replacement is necessary, the new feature material should

match the feature material being replaced in color composition, design, texture and finish
other visual qualities and, where economically and technically feasible, materials. When
available, past performance of the replacement material shall also be considered. Repair
or replacement of missing architectural features should be based on documentary,
physical or pictorial evidence rather than on conjectural designs or the availability of
different architectural features from other buildings. Replacement of materials should be
guided by National Park Service Preservation Brief 16 titled, “The Use of Substitute
Materials on Historic Building Exteriors”.
…
(h)

Mechanical equipment such as heat pumps, solar panels, Commercial communication
devices, HVAC units, or similar shall be located in such a way as to minimize its their visual
impact. Said equipment shall be screened, if possible, with vegetation or suitable elements
of a permanent nature, finished to blend with the rest of the building. Where such
screening is not feasible, equipment shall be installed in a neat, presentable manner and,
if possible, shall be painted to minimize its visibility.

….
D.

Demolition or removal.
(1)

(2)

An historic landmark or any building or structure in an historic district, or any appurtenance
thereto, shall not be demolished or moved and a certificate of appropriateness shall not be
approved until either:
(a)

In an historic district, such building or structure has been identified by the Commission
as not contributing to the historic district in which it is located; or

(b)

The property owner can demonstrate that it is incapable of earning an economic return
on its value in its present location as appraised by a qualified real estate appraiser.; or

(c)

It can be demonstrated that the building or structure has been damaged beyond repair
by fire or other natural disaster.

If such a demonstration can be made, issuance of a certificate for movement or demolition
shall may be delayed by the Commission for a period of 180 days. Such time period shall
commence when an application for certificate and the statement of sale, as outlined below,
have been filed with the Commission.

…
…
E.

Exceptional circumstances.
(1)

The Commission may issue a certificate of appropriateness where the standards otherwise set
forth in this section are not met but where the Commission determines that failure to issue
the certificate would result in undue hardship to the owner of the property. Before the
Commission may issue a certificate under this subsection, evidence in the records must show
the following:
…

(3)

For the purposes of Subsection E(1), the following are examples of types of evidence an
applicant may present (but are not the only types of evidence an applicant may present):
(a)

The assessed value of the property and/or the building, structure, object, or site for
the two most recent assessments.

(b)

Real property taxes paid for the previous two years.

(c)

The amount paid for the property by the owner, the date of purchase, and the party
from whom purchased, including a description of the relationship, if any, between the
owner and the person from whom the property was purchased.

(d)

Appraisals obtained within the previous two years

(e)

Listings of the property for sale or rent, price asked, and offers received within the
previous four years.

(f)

Studies commissioned by the owner as to profitable renovation, rehabilitation, or
utilization of any buildings, structures, objects, or site on the property for alternative
use.

(g)

For income-producing property, itemized income and expense statements from the
property for the previous two years.

(h)

Professional assessment from a licensed engineer or architect with experience in
rehabilitation of historic buildings, structures, objects, and sites as to the structural
soundness of the building, structure, object, or site and its suitability for continued use,
or rehabilitation.

(i)

Estimate of the cost of the alteration, construction, demolition, or removal proposed
by the applicant.

(j)

Estimate of the cost that would be incurred by the applicant to implement changes
suggested in findings of fact made by the reviewing authority in issuing a denial of an
application for historic preservation review.

(k)

A statement of the minimum extent of work necessary to allow reasonable use of the
building, structure, object, or site.

(4)

The Commission may request that third-party reviewers with applicable expertise review
materials provided by the applicant and prepare a report on their analysis of the application
materials. In these cases, the cost of the third-party review shall be charged to the applicant.

(5)

The Commission may require additional evidence or supporting materials be provided by the
applicant to inform its decision on the application.

(6)

Certificates of Appropriateness issued based on hardship shall limit the scope of work to the
minimum extent necessary to eliminate the undue financial burden or allow reasonable use of
the building, structure, object, or site. Certificates shall be issued with flexibility to allow
modifications or adaptations that reduce the financial burden on the owner while preserving
key aspects of the historic property. Adjustments to preservation requirements may include
phasing of required work, relaxed standards for non-essential elements, and/or alternative
compliance methods that achieve preservation goals at lower costs.

(7)

Certificates of Appropriateness based on hardship shall not allow for the beginning of any
demolition work until the necessary approvals and permits have been obtained to allow for the
rehabilitation, alteration, or replacement of the building, structure, object, or site.
…

Additions underlined, deletions struck through.

Solar Feasibility Report
City of Bangor
Community and Economic Development
Planning Division

1

Contents

Executive Summary ...................................................................................................... 3
Background ................................................................................................................... 5
Capacity....................................................................................................................... 5
Financing ..................................................................................................................... 5
Community Solar ......................................................................................................... 8
Solar Feasibility Study ................................................................................................ 10
Objectives .................................................................................................................. 10
Methods ..................................................................................................................... 10
Results....................................................................................................................... 12
Conclusions and Recommendations ..................................................................... 25
Appendix A – Current Consumption of Municipal Buildings................................... 27
Appendix B – Solar Potential of Municipal Buildings (Prior Electric Rate) ............ 28
Appendix C – Solar Potential of Municipal Buildings (Fixed Electric Rate) ........... 29
Appendix D – Solar Potential of Municipal Buildings (Commercial Solar Estimate)
...................................................................................................................................... 30

2

Executive Summary
This report presents the research and findings of a solar feasibility study for cityowned rooftops in Bangor, Maine. With municipal operations extending across
numerous locations in the City, and relying heavily on Maine’s electricity grid, there is
both need and potential for improvements to energy efficiency that can reduce the City
of Bangor’s electricity costs and greenhouse gas emissions
This study was conducted from February to April 2026 and included an analysis
of 22 potential locations in Bangor. All locations considered were City-owned and
contained municipal operations. The key aspects of this report include background on
municipal solar and financing options for rooftop and parking lot solar installations in
Maine, and an overview of the solar feasibility study that features opportune locations
for rooftop solar in Bangor.
Currently, the buildings analyzed use 9.4 million kWh of energy each year, and
with that emit an estimated 2,305 metric tons of CO2 (Fig. 1). With rooftop solar there is
potential to offset energy needs and greenhouse gas emissions from these locations.
Impact of City-Owned Buildings in Bangor
Current Annual Energy Consumption
9,421,556 kWh
Cost of electricity
$1,448,623
Greenhouse gas emissions
2,304 MtCO2e/Yr
Table 1. Energy consumption and impact of 22 municipal buildings in Bangor, ME.

Prior to this analysis, energy audits were completed for select municipal buildings
and included a solar feasibility analysis. The objective of this analysis was to identify
additional municipal buildings suitable for rooftop installations that would be financially
feasible in the near future. The audited locations were included to maintain consistency
in analysis methodology.
Detailed estimates for current consumption can be found in Appendix A, and
each location’s solar potential in Appendix B. Updated estimates with the City’s new,
fixed electricity rate can be found in Appendix C. These estimates include total annual
costs and electric consumption based on recent utility bills, and an estimate of the total
solar potential, cost savings, and emissions reductions.
While 22 potential locations were analyzed, under the City’s previous electricity
rate, 6 were found to be most feasible considering the estimated payback period (PBP),
and return on investment (ROI). With the recommended installations at these 5
locations and the previous electric rate, there would be potential to offset 33% of their
electrical energy consumption and reduce combined electricity bills by 40%. These
locations include:
3

1. Fire Station #6
2. Abbott Square Parking
3. City Fleet Maintenance
4. Golf Course Club House
5. Community and Economic
Development Lease Building
6. Water Treatment Pump
Station

11 Griffin Road, Bangor, ME
190 Harlow Street, Bangor, ME
481 Maine Avenue, Bangor, ME
278 Webster Avenue, Bangor, ME
39 Florida Avenue, Bangor ME
1 Washington Street, Bangor, ME

However, these estimates were made with previous electricity bills for which the
electricity rates varied. Under a new contract, the City will pay a fixed electricity rate of
$0.11/kWh for the next 18 months. With this rate, the same PBP and cost savings will
likely not be achievable without outside funding. Following this period, a new contract
will have to be negotiated, and if the electric rate is higher, it may then be beneficial to
implement solar. If the City does have a higher electric rate in the future (or if the price
of solar falls significantly), it is recommended that the locations listed above be
prioritized for rooftop solar. Based on the rates the City has been paying, which are
more expensive for these buildings, the payback periods for the recommended projects
would fall within 3-16 years, with an average of 10, only slightly greater than the
average solar installation PBP 1.
Impact and Potential of 6 City-Owned Buildings in Bangor
Previous Electric Rate
Fixed Electric Rate
(Varies)
($0.11/kWh)
Current Annual Energy
540,313 kWh
540,313 kWh
Consumption
Cost of electricity
$176,916.35
$59,434.45
Greenhouse gas emissions
132 MtCO2e/Yr
132 MtCO2e/Yr
Solar Potential
178,997.00 kWh
178,997.00 kWh
Installation Cost
$554,277.00
$554,277.00
Estimated Annual Savings
$70,987.22
$19,689.67
Average Payback Period
10 years
28 years
Potential Emissions
34.83 MtCO2/Yr
34.83 MtCO2/Yr
Reductions
Table 2. Impact and potential of 6 feasible locations for rooftop solar in Bangor, ME.

Other Municipalities have received grants to support the installation of their
rooftop solar arrays, and with Bangor being previously awarded Community Action
Grants, there is potential to pursue one focused on rooftop solar in the future. Recent
rounds of the Community Action Grant have been for awards of up $75,000, which
would more than cover the estimated costs of installation for the majority of the
1

Solar Panel ROI in Maine – How Long Until You See a Return?. Aurora Roofing and Solar.

4

highlighted buildings. If the City was able to fully cover the costs of installation with grant
funding, the City would have a PBP of zero and be able to immediately see energy
savings, as well as carbon reduction. Additionally, while the savings may be lower now
with the new, contracted electricity rate, electricity rates generally trend upwards, so the
annual savings over the lifetime of the solar system is likely to increase.
In general, financing options for solar, such as direct ownership or a power
purchase agreement, are largely dependent on the individual project and the City’s
capacity to purchase and maintain a rooftop solar installation. For smaller installations
with a low PBP, direct ownership may be more beneficial, as the City would have full
ownership over the array. Larger, more intensive projects with a long PBP (and where
grant funding is not available to lower the upfront costs) may benefit more from a power
purchase agreement (PPA), as maintenance and oversight is handled by the third-party
owner of the installation, and the City can purchase energy at a fixed price while still
decarbonizing. PPAs also offer the option for the City to later purchase the array if it
would serve the City financially.
Background
Many municipalities in Maine have added solar to their current infrastructure,
both as ground-mounted installations and on municipal rooftops. Most have chosen to
work with a local solar contractor following a Request for Proposals. After the selected
contractor has installed the photovoltaic array, the contractor will own and maintain it for
a period of time. Alternatively, the town may choose to purchase the array outright and
would have full ownership following installation.

Capacity
Some municipalities have been able to offset a large portion of building electricity
needs using solar. In cases where excess energy is produced, towns have been able to
redirect it to the meters of other municipal buildings using the Net Energy Billing Tariff
Rate Program or have sold excess energy back to the grid. In Mount Desert, a rooftop
solar array on the Town Garage supplies about 71,309 kWh annually, covering 100% of
the garage’s electricity needs. As of 2022, Mount Desert has avoided over 300,000 lbs.
of CO2 emissions with this array. Two additional rooftop installations in Mount Desert, on
the fire station and wastewater treatment plant, offset a portion of these buildings’
energy needs as well.

Financing
Rooftop solar installations often have a high upfront cost; thus, various financing
options have emerged to encourage the continued implementation of renewable energy.
These options can be utilized at different points throughout the project timeline – Power
5

purchasing agreements and grants support towns with initial installation costs, while
Federal Tax Credits and Net Energy Billing Programs can offset costs once the panels
are producing energy. With changes in federal legislation, certain financing options and
incentives have changed, and are noted below.
Direct Ownership
Municipalities have the option to purchase their array outright, if funding is
available for project completion. The benefits of self-ownership are increased control
over decisions on design, construction, and operation of the project; avoidance of
having third party-owned solar arrays on government property; and potentially higher
lifetime cost savings 2. Federal renewable electricity incentives can still be applied to
these projects, with some restrictions. See Tax Credits below for further details.
Power Purchase Agreements
Power Purchase Agreements (PPA) have made it possible for municipalities to
implement photovoltaic systems without large upfront costs, while a developer owns,
operates and maintains the system. Typically, municipalities have contracted a solar
project through a developer, with the intent to enter a PPA for a set period following the
array’s installation. During this period municipalities pay for generated electricity at price
at or below the retail electric rate, often with an annual price escalator of 1-5%.
Municipalities have the option to purchase the array but must do so at least 180 days
before the agreement end date. For example, the town of Lincolnville financed its first
solar installations through a PPA with Revision Energy. They maintained the agreement
for 6 years and purchased the installation in 2016. Renewable electricity incentives can
also be accessed for arrays financed through PPA’s; however, the benefits will be
allocated to the third-party owner of the array. This financing option allows governments
to benefit from solar without the high upfront cost of installation, and without the added
responsibility of management, ownership, and operation of the array. It also ensures
that they only pay for the energy that is produced2.
Tax Credits
Prior to the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) in 2022, solar projects
needed to be owned by a tax-paying entity to be eligible for the solar investment tax
credit, but the IRA included a “direct pay” provision that allowed state, local, and tribal
governments and other organizations that do not pay federal taxes to receive equivalent
credits3, making solar installations more affordable for these entities. With the passing of
the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) in 2025, clean energy tax credits established by

2 US Department of Energy: Key Activities Summary Blueprint 3A: Solar + Storage – Power Purchase

Agreements and Direct Ownership

6

the IRA were significantly reduced and reformed. While some of these incentives are
still available, there are additional restrictions on how they can be used 3.
Municipalities will continue to be able to claim a 30% tax credit through PPAs, but
projects beginning after July 4, 2026, must be completed by December 31, 2027.
Contractors will also face restrictions on the sourcing of materials. According to the
Solar Energy Industries Association and the Residential Solar Association, at least 40%
of the components (by cost) must not be sourced from any Foreign Entity of Concern
(FEOC), to qualify for the credits4. This percentage will increase by 5% each year,
reaching 60% in 2030, having implications for project costs and feasibility.
With this timeline for new installations, and the potential for additional changes to
solar incentives, it is unlikely that the City of Bangor will be able to benefit from these
tax credits for municipal solar projects. State programs offered under Net Energy Billing
may provide an alternative to these incentives.
Net Energy Billing
In Maine there are two Net Energy Billing Programs available through the Public
Utilities Commission (PUC) that municipalities can utilize to bring down the cost of their
solar installations. These include the kWh Credit and Tariff Rate Programs. The former
offers credits for every kWh of solar energy produced that match the current electricity
rate. If there are surplus kWh produced, they are carried over as credits to cover a
portion of the next billing cycle.
The Tariff Rate Program provides dollar credits on customers’ electricity bills. The
credits are determined by the current system’s production and a utility-specific rate,
determined annually by the PUC. In 2024 the credits customers received per kWh
averaged between $0.172-$0.181 5. If the solar installation produces more credits than
can be used by the customer, the excess credits can be used to save on other utility
bills from the same customer, either by “cascading” or “percent allocation” for other
building meters. The cascading option allows customers to designate up to 10 meters
that additional credits will cover after the first meter. The percent allocation option allows
customers to designate a certain amount of credits to each meter listed. For example, a
municipality with a rooftop solar installation on the town hall might allocate 60% of their
credits to the town hall, 20% to the fire station, and 20% to the public works department.
Each building would receive a discount on their electricity bills. Alternatively, excess
credits can also be sold back to the energy grid.
3 Institute for Energy Research: Overview and Questions about the Investment Tax Credit and Production

Tax Credit - IER
4 EnergySage (2026). President Trump Signs Bill Killing The solar Tax Credit—Here’s What it Means for
Homeowners
5 Datta, Chandreyi. Maine. Solect Energy (2024) Maine - Solect Energy

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Some of the locations analyzed have the space and capacity to hold arrays that
cover more than the onsite electrical usage. One of these, the Abbot Square Parking
Lot, uses only 4,846 kWh of electricity annually, but could hold a solar parking canopy
that could produce up to 52,203 kWh, about 1000% of the site’s electricity needs. While
the simple payback period (Table 3) for this site is longer than optimal, allocating the
excess credits generated at this site to other municipal buildings may make an
installation of this size a more reasonable investment.
Grants
Municipalities have also received grants from the State to install or improve
current photovoltaic systems. The Community Resilience Partnership supports Maine
communities in their climate adaptation and mitigation initiatives, and offers Community
Action Grants (CAGs), and Service Provider Grants. In 2025 Bangor was awarded a
$75,000 CAG through this program for a project titled ‘Improving Mobility and Evaluating
Efficiency of Municipal Buildings in Bangor’ and has since used it to conduct energy
audits for 6 municipal-owned buildings, and improve bike storage throughout the city,
with the goal of improving energy efficiency and transportation mobility.
Other municipalities have received CAGs through this program and used the
funding to install solar arrays, or plan to in the future. As of 2025, 19 communities
received Community Action Grants to implement or improve solar arrays, with the total
funding for these projects reaching $1,164,425 since the start of the program.

Community Solar
Community solar is an option for utility customers –individuals, business,
nonprofits, municipalities, etc. – who may not be able to install solar arrays, to benefit
from solar. Utility customers can sign up with the owner of a solar project near them
and receive a share of the credits generated by the project. Each credit purchased from
the solar provider offsets one kWh of electricity used by the customer 6.
The Bangor School Department currently participates in community solar with
Bar Harbor Community Solar LLC, and in their first fiscal year saw a $50,000 savings
for the schools’ combined electricity bills. For buildings that do not have the structural
capacity to support a rooftop solar array, or face other restrictions, community solar may
be an alternative option to save on electricity bills. Because community solar operates
on a credit-for-credit basis, the potential savings are lower than what can be expected
for a rooftop solar installation. While the exact amount may vary based on the provider

6 Community Solar | Maine Office of Public Advocate

8

and individual customer, participating customers can typically expect a 10-15% savings
on their electricity bill.

9

Solar Feasibility Study

Objectives
This study assessed 22 municipal-owned sites in Bangor, Maine for their
suitability as locations for rooftop solar installations. With this research, we hoped to
identify sites that would be cost effective while offering the greatest benefit in terms of
electricity generated, potential savings, and emissions reductions.

Methods
Sites in this report included City-owned buildings that also house municipal
operations. Houses owned by the City were not included. Electric consumption (kWh)
and cost data for each site was collected from recent utility bills and used to estimate
annual electric consumption and average monthly consumption.
Each site was then analyzed using NREL’s PVWatts Calculator. This tool allows
the user to identify useable space on rooftops, and then calculates the potential energy
produced at the site. The tool calculates other details, including the estimated PV
system size, monthly solar radiation received, and potential system losses, based on
surface radiation data and other assumptions made about the site. For each location a
drawing was made using the tool to show the estimated useable area on the roof
(Figure 1). PV Watts then generates the following details (Figure 2).

Figure 1. A drawing of useable roof area identified using PVWatts.

10

Figure 2. Results from the PVWatts Analysis for a potential site

The data from PVWatts was then used to calculate the upfront costs, annual and
long-term savings, payback period, return on investment (ROI), and potential reductions
in greenhouse gas emissions for each site. The solar PV cost used in this analysis was
set at $3.87/Watt 7 for rooftop installations and $3.99/Watt for parking canopies, which
includes design, construction, administration, and installation and maintenance cost
throughout the life of the solar panels. Many of the sites analyzed had rooftop area
sufficient for a residential-size installation, which can fall between 5-50kW, and typically
average $3.87/Watt for installation. Some sites were more suited for a commercial-size
installation with a capacity of 50kW or more. Commercial solar installations average
between $1.50-2.50/Watt 8, so these sites may have a lower installation cost and
payback period if they are pursued. Estimates for sites that fall within the range of
commercial solar can be found in Appendix D.

Calculations
1. Upfront Cost of Installation
a. Rooftop: Installation = 1000 * kW rating * 3.87
7 Bangor – Solar. Find Energy. https://findenergy.com/me/bangor-solar/

8 Solar Installed System Cost. National Laboratory of the Rockies. https://www.nlr.gov/solar/market-

research-analysis/solar-installed-system-cost

11

b. Parking lot: Installation = 1000 * kW rating * 3.99
2. Annual Cost Savings

3. Simple Payback Period

4. Current Emissions from Electricity
5. Potential Emissions Reductions from Implementing Solar

Results
Of the 22 sites analyzed, 6 were found to be most feasible and beneficial locations for
rooftop solar installations under the previous electric rate. These locations had the
lowest estimated PBP under the previous rate and combined could see a roughly 40%
reduction in electricity costs. Sites were variable with respect to annual consumption –
consumption is dependent on the size of the building, and the intensity of energy use. In
total these locations used 540,313 kWh annually, costing $176,916.35.
1. Fire Station #6
2. Abbott Square Parking
3. City Fleet Maintenance
4. Golf Course Club House
5. Community and Economic
Development Lease Building
6. Water Treatment Pump
Station

11 Griffin Road, Bangor, ME
190 Harlow Street, Bangor, ME
481 Maine Avenue, Bangor, ME
278 Webster Avenue, Bangor, ME
39 Florida Avenue, Bangor ME
1 Washington Street, Bangor, ME

Across these locations, there is great potential for solar energy production. It is
estimated that cumulatively, solar installations at these sites could provide 178,997 kWh
annually (Table 2). Of the 6 feasible sites, 4 could produce enough to offset 80% or
more of their electricity use. Three of these locations could produce enough to
completely offset their energy needs and support the electricity use of other municipal
buildings in Bangor or return energy to the grid. Each of these locations (aside from the
parking lot) will need to be evaluated for structural capacity to support rooftop solar
before proceeding with any project plans or proposals. This information was already
available for some sites, and those without the capacity were not included.
12

Impact and Potential of 6 City-Owned Buildings in Bangor
Previous Electric Rate
Fixed Electric Rate
(Varies)
($0.11/kWh)
Current Annual Energy
540,313 kWh
540,313 kWh
Consumption
Cost of electricity
$176,916.35
$59,434.45
Greenhouse gas emissions
132 MtCO2e/Yr
132 MtCO2e/Yr
Solar Potential
178,997 kWh
178,997 kWh
Installation Cost
$554,277.00
$554,277.00
Estimated Annual Savings
$70,987.22
$19,689.67
Average Payback Period
10 years
28 years
Potential Emissions
34.83 MtCO2/Yr
34.83 MtCO2/Yr
Reductions
Table 2. Impact and potential of 6 feasible locations for rooftop solar in Bangor, ME.

Upfront cost and potential savings vary by site and the size of installation. The
electricity at these locations cost the City $176,916.35 annually with the previous
electric rate, and with the new fixed electric rate, there is potential to save up to
$19,689.67 each year.
For some sites, such as Abbot Square Parking Lot, it would be possible to install
larger arrays that produce much more electricity than the site uses. This may be
desirable if the City desires to allocate excess credits to other municipal buildings
through the Net Energy Billing Programs. However, the upfront cost will be greater for
larger arrays, as well as costs for electrical service, or transmission upgrades to the
utility before the City can connect.
Annual Electric
oAnnual Electric
KW
Consumption
n
Cost
Rating
(kWh)
Location
t
Fire Station #6
74,868
$20,774.28
14.3
Abbot Square Parking Lot
4,846
$1,006.56
4
Fleet Maintenance
144,066
$49,059.72
93.1
Golf Course Club House
15,513
$18,743.77
13
Water Treatment Pump St
Public Works

288,840
12,180

$83,883.00
$3,449.02

Potential
Annual KWh % Capacity Upfront cost
produced

8.7
10

Annual Savings

PBP
(Years)

CO2 Offset
with solar
(MtCO2e/Yr)
3.483
0.973
22.667
3.160

17,898
4,998
116,479
16,238

24%
103%
81%
105%

$55,341
$15,960
$360,297
$50,310

$4,966
$1,007
$39,665
$18,744

11
16
9
3

10,868
12,516

4%
103%

$33,669
$38,700

$3,156
$3,449

11
11

Table 3. Solar Potential of 6 City-Owned Locations in Bangor, Maine. Estimates are made using previous
electric rates.

13

2.115
2.436

Annual Electric
oAnnual Electric
KW
Consumption
n (0.11/kWh)
Rating
(kWh)
Location
t
Fire Station #6
74,868
$8,235.48
14.3
Abbot Square Parking Lot
4,846
$533.08
4
Fleet Maintenance
144,066
$15,847.26
93.1
Golf Course Club House
15,513
$1,706.43
13
Water Treatment Pump St
Public Works

288,840
12,180

$31,772.40
$1,339.80

Potential
Annual KWh % Capacity
produced

Upfront cost

Annual
Savings

PBP
(Years)

CO2 Offset
with solar
(MtCO2e/Yr)
3.483
0.973
22.667
3.160

17,898
4,998
116,479
16,238

24%
103%
81%
105%

$55,341
$15,960
$360,297
$50,310

$1,969
$533
$12,813
$1,706

28
30
28
29

10,868
12,516

4%
103%

$33,669
$38,700

$1,195
$1,340

28
29

8.7
10

Table 4. Solar potential of 6 city-owned locations in Bangor, Maine. Estimates are made using current
fixed electric rate of $0.11/kW.

14

2.115
2.436

Featured Locations – Rooftop Solar
Community and Economic Development Leased Building – 39 Florida
Avenue
The building at 39 Florida Avenue is lease by the Community and Economic
Development Department and has great potential to benefit from rooftop solar. The
operations in this building only use about 12,180 kWh of electricity annually, and there is
space for an installation that could cover 100% of the building’s needs. Version 1 of the
proposed installation would cost about $38,700, could produce 12,516 kWh a year.
Alternatively, this building has enough rooftop area to support an array more than
double its energy needs, making it an option to provide solar credits for other municipal
buildings.
The estimated savings and PBP at this location varies. With the new fixed
electricity rate, the potential savings will be lower and the PBP will be higher. Those
estimates, as well as those for a smaller and a larger array have been calculated and
are included below.
PV Watts Analysis

Figure 2. Estimated area needed for a 21.8 kW rooftop solar array.

15

Solar Feasibility
Using the estimates from PV Watts for kW rating and Potential kWh produced,
the following data was calculated for this site.
Solar Rooftop Photovoltaic Analysis
Previous Electric
Rate (Varies)

Fixed Electric
Rate ($0.11/kWh)

Estimated kW Rating

10 kW

10 kW

Fixed Electric Rate
($0.11/kWh) with Max
Estimated Capacity
21.8 kW

Potential kWh
Produced

12,516 kWh

12,516 kWh

27,282 kWh

% of Current
Electricity Load

103%

103%

224%

Upfront Investment

$38,700

$38,700

$84,366

Annual Savings

$3,449

$1,340

$1,340

Payback period
(years)

11 years

29

63 years

Potential CO2
Reduction

2.436 MtCO2/year

2.436 MtCO2/year

2.979 MtCO2/year (100%)

Fleet Maintenance
The Fleet Maintenance building at 481 Maine Avenue could also benefit from the
switch to solar. Based on the PV Watts analysis, this building has the roof space to
support the addition of a 93-kW array, costing an estimated $360,297 for installation.
The proposed array has the potential to offset 81% of this building’s annual energy use,
avoiding 22.67 metric tons of CO2 annually.
The estimated savings and PBP at this location varies. With the new fixed
electricity rate, the potential savings will be lower and the PBP will be higher. Those
estimates have been calculated and are included below.

16

PV Watts Analysis

Solar Feasibility
Using the estimates from PV Watts for kW rating and Potential kWh produced,
the following data was calculated for this site.
Solar Rooftop Photovoltaic Analysis
Previous Electric Rate (Varies)
Estimated kW Rating

93.1 kW

Fixed Electric Rate
($0.11/kWh)
93.1 kW

Potential kWh Produced

116,479 kWh

116,479 kWh

% of Current Electricity Load

81%

81%

Upfront Investment

$360,297

$360,297

Annual Savings

$39,665

$12,813

Payback period (years)

9 years

28 years

Potential CO2 Reduction

22.67 MtCO2/year (61%)

22.67 MtCO2/year

Fire Station #6
17

The Fire Station at 11 Griffin Road could offset a portion of its current electricity
usage with a 14.3 kW solar installation, estimated at $55,341 for installation. Currently
the station uses 74,868 kWh of electricity annually, and the proposed installation has
the potential to produce 7,898 kWh a year, also offsetting 18% of greenhouse gas
emissions at this location.
The estimated savings and PBP at this location varies. With the new fixed
electricity rate, the potential savings will be lower and the PBP will be higher. Those
estimates have been calculated and are included below.
PV Watts Analysis

Solar Feasibility
Solar Rooftop Photovoltaic Analysis
Previous Electric Rate (Varies)
Estimated kW Rating

14.3 kW

Fixed Electric Rate
($0.11/kWh)
14.3 kW

Potential kWh Produced

17,898 kWh

17,898 kWh

% of Current Electricity Load

24%

24%

Upfront Investment

$55,341

$55,341

Annual Savings

$4,966

$1,969

Payback period (years)

11 years

28 years

18

Potential CO2 Reduction

3.483 MtCO2/year (61%)

3.483 MtCO2/year

Golf Course Club House
The Golf Course Club House on 278 Webster Road provides another opportunity
for the city to completely offset the electricity needs of a municipal-owned building and
potentially provide solar credits to other buildings as well. The Club House was
previously audited and analyzed for solar; however, further analysis was needed to
determine solar feasibility at this location. The proposed installation would cost about
$50,310, covering 105% of the building’s annual energy use.
The estimated savings and PBP at this location varies. With the new fixed
electricity rate, the potential savings will be lower, and the PBP will be higher. Those
estimates, as well as those for a smaller and a larger array have been calculated and
are included below.
PV Watts Analysis

Solar Feasibility
19

Solar Rooftop Photovoltaic Analysis
Previous Electric
Rate (Varies)

Fixed Electric
Rate ($0.11/kWh)

Estimated kW Rating

13 kW

13 kW

Fixed Electric Rate
($0.11/kWh) with Max
Estimated Capacity
25.5

Potential kWh
Produced
% of Current
Electricity Load
Upfront Investment

16,238 kWh

16,238 kWh

31,848 kWh

105%

105%

205%

$50,310

$50,310

$98,685

Annual Savings

$4,966

$1,706

$1,706

Payback period
(years)
Potential CO2
Reduction

3 years

29 years

58 years

3.16 MtCO2/year
(61%)

3.16 MtCO2/year

3.794 MtCO2/year

20

Featured Locations – Parking Lot Solar
Select parking lots were also analyzed for their feasibility as sites for solar
parking canopies. As compared to rooftop solar installations, canopy systems typically
cost about double, if not more than the price per kWh. Without solar incentives or other
funding support, municipalities are unlikely to implement solar canopies. While the
available space and irradiance at these sites made them potential candidates for
canopies, further analysis revealed that the cost of materials and implementation for
these systems would likely outweigh many of the benefits. The results from analyzed
sites are described in the following sections.

Abbott Square
The Abbott Square Parking Lot provides ample space for a solar parking canopy
that is unimpeded by surrounding buildings that might shade them from the sun. As a
site that uses only 4,846 kWh of electricity annually, offsetting the electric bill would not
require a significant installation. This site, however, has the potential for a 90.8 kW
installation, that produces 113,376 kWh per year. While the energy produced would be
much greater than the amount needed at this site, any additional production could be
directed towards the meters of other municipal buildings. The payback period for this
installation is higher than what is preferred, however, allocating additional credits
generated at this location to the meters of other municipal buildings would lower the
PBP. The benefit a solar canopy could provide both to Abbott Square and other
municipal buildings may make it a worthy investment.
This site also contains an EV Charging station. Integrating this with the parking
canopy would benefit electric vehicle owners. The drawing used for the estimate did not
include this charging station, as the area was largely covered by shadows, but future
considerations for the feasibility of integration should be made if this site is further
developed for solar.

21

PV Watts Analysis

Solar Feasibility
Solar Parking Canopy Photovoltaic Analysis
Previous Electric
Rate (Varies)

Fixed Electric
Rate ($0.11/kWh)

Estimated kW Rating

4 kW

4 kW

Fixed Electric Rate
($0.11/kWh) with Max
Estimated Capacity
41.8 kW

Potential kWh
Produced
% of Current
Electricity Load
Upfront Investment

4,998 kWh

4,998 kWh

17,898 kWh

103%

103%

1077%

$15,960

$15,960

$166,782

Annual Savings

$1,007

$533

$533

Payback period
(years)
Potential CO2
Reduction

16 years

30 years

313 years

0.973 MtCO2/year

0.973 Mt CO2/year

1.185 MtCO2/year

22

Pickering Square
The Pickering Square Parking Garage has been of significant interest as a
potential location for a parking canopy installation, as there is ample open space, and is
unimpeded by any surrounding buildings. The garage uses 213,548 kWh of electricity
annually, and with a 171.1 kW installation would offset 92% of its energy needs.
However, without solar incentives, the cost for an installation of this size makes the
potential benefits insignificant. If solar incentives for municipalities are reinstated in the
future, it may be beneficial to reconsider this site as a potential location for a canopy
solar installation.
PV Watts Analysis

Solar Feasibility
Solar Parking Canopy Photovoltaic Analysis
Previous Electric Rate (Varies)

Fixed Electric Rate
($0.11/kWh)

Estimated kW Rating

171.1 kW

171.1 kW

Potential kWh Produced

213,548 kWh

213,548 kWh

% of Current Electricity Load

92%

92%

Upfront Investment

$682,689

$682,689

23

Annual Savings

$17,238

$23,490

Payback period (years)

40 years

29 years

Potential CO2 Reduction

41.556 MtCO2/year

41.556 MtCO2/year

24

Conclusions and Recommendations
Of the sites analyzed, it is recommended that those with a lower payback period
be prioritized, as they have the potential to provide the greatest benefit to the City.
However, with the new fixed electric rate, it is unlikely that a beneficial payback period
will be achieved unless grant funding is used to reduce the installation costs or unless a
PPA can be arranged that would result in the City paying a lower electric rate than the
new contracted rate. Because many of the sites were better suited to support
installations of a residential size, estimates were made using an installation cost
consistent with those of residential solar. Some of the sites were suited to support
commercial size installations, which can have a lower installation cost than residential
installations. Using an installation cost consistent with commercial solar averages, these
locations may be able to achieve payback periods that are half of those calculated with
a residential solar estimate. However, these payback periods are still slightly higher than
those that can be considered beneficial, but as stated earlier, the Community Action
Grant program from the State may be a viable grant opportunity to help pay for a solar
system.
If the City received this grant, it could either be used to almost fully pay for a
system at the Wastewater Treatment Plant (with about $3,561 of City funds needed) or
could fully pay for a system at Fire Station #6 and part of the costs of a system on
another property, such as the Wastewater Treatment pump station at 1 Washington
Street. Using the current electric rate of $0.11/kWh, the system at the treatment plant
would result in a saving of $2,774 year, or over $83,000 for the expected life of the
system (as well as almost 5 MtCO2e 9/year). A system at both the Fire Station and the
pump station would result in a savings of about $3,164/year, or over $94,920 over the
expected life of the system (as well as about 5.6 MtCO2e/year). Alternatively, the grant
could be used to pay for both a solar system and battery storage at the Fire Station,
which would provide benefits such as backup power and being able to directly use more
of the energy that is produced on the site.
The current electric rate is contracted for the next 18 months – following this
period a new contract will have to be negotiated, and if the electric rate is higher, it may
then be beneficial to implement solar using City funds. If rooftop solar at these locations
becomes financially feasible in the future, the sites should be more closely analyzed to
determine building suitability and potential benefits. While the PV Watts Calculator is a
beneficial and informative tool for estimating rooftop solar potential, additional research
is recommended to compensate for site differences not captured by the calculator, and

9 Metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent

25

to determine which financing options are most suitable for the City’s current resources
and capabilities.
With regard to financing options, direct ownership may offer increased control
over design decisions and operation of the project, and potentially higher cost savings,
but will require greater responsibility in terms of maintenance and oversight. Direct
ownership may be feasible for installations that are less than $100,000. Financing a
rooftop solar array through a PPA would be beneficial if the price paid per kW is less
than or equal to the electric rate under the current contract. This option would allow the
city to decrease its carbon impact and purchase the array at a later time if it is financially
feasible. Furthermore, a PPA would allow the City to avoid large upfront costs, while the
developer owns, operates, and maintains the system. Other municipalities in Maine
have financed rooftop solar arrays through PPAs and said that doing so made it
possible for them to benefit from solar when they did not have the additional capacity
and knowledge to direct and maintain the project independently. With the addition of
rooftop solar these municipalities have seen reductions in electricity costs and
greenhouse gas emissions, contributing to the long-term sustainability of their municipal
operations.
If grant funding is not able to be obtained to reduce installation costs or a PPA
isn’t determined to be financially beneficial for a solar installation, community solar may
be an alternative option for the City to reduce electricity costs and decarbonize
operations. While community solar may not provide the same savings as a rooftop
installation, the City could still benefit from solar in an approachable way.

26

Appendix A – Current Consumption of Municipal Buildings

Address
Location
City Hall
Fire Station #5
Fire Station #6
Abbot Square Parking Lot
Abraham Lincoln School
Bangor High School
Central Fire Station
Downeast School
Fleet Maintenance
Fourteenth Street School
Golf Course Club House
Golf Course Maintenance
Innovation Center
James Doughty School
Mary Snow School
Pickering Square Parkin Garage
Police Department
Public Works
Water Treatment Pump Station
Water Treatment
William Cohen School
Public Works
Total

73 Harlow St
168 Hogan Rd
11 Griffin Rd
190 Harlow St
45 Forest Ave
885 Broadway
289 Main St
100 Moosehead Blvd
481 Maine Ave
224 Fourteenth St
278 Webster Ave
343 Webster Ave
40 Johnson St
143 Fifth Street
435 Broadway
100 Broad St
240 Main St
530 Maine Ave
1 Washington St
80 Front St
760 Main St
304 Garland St
39 Florida Ave

Annual Electric
Current Electric
oAnnual Electric Annual Electric
Consumption
Emissions
n
Cost
(0.11/kWh)
(kWh)
(MtCO2e/Yr)
t
316,480
$54,561.01
$34,812.80
77.411
40,920
$6,295.68
$4,501.20
10.009
74,868
$20,774.28
$8,235.48
18.313
4,846
$1,006.56
$533.08
1.185
160,560
$17,372.88
$17,661.60
39.273
1,332,600
$174,624.30
$146,586.00
325.954
184,933
$31,548.00
$20,342.63
45.235
217,440
$51,639.48
$23,918.40
53.186
144,066
$49,059.72
$15,847.26
35.239
107,320
$10,593.18
$11,805.20
26.250
15,512
$18,743.77
$1,706.32
3.794
15,752
$2,583.00
$1,732.72
3.853
65,665
$10,986.00
$7,223.15
16.062
543,600
$49,096.92
$59,796.00
132.965
185,520
$27,220.74
$20,407.20
45.378
231,900
$18,719.86
$25,509.00
56.723
692,640
$86,550.48
$76,190.40
169.420
270,720
$28,693.80
$29,779.20
66.218
288,840
3,627,192
888,000
12,180
9,421,554

27

$83,883.00
$31,772.40
$628,626.72
$398,991.12
$72,595.00
$97,680.00
$3,449.02
$1,339.80
$1,448,623.40 $1,036,370.96

70.650
887.211
217.205
2.979
2304.51

Appendix B – Solar Potential of Municipal Buildings (Prior Electric Rate)
Address
Location
City Hall
Fire Station #5
Fire Station #6
Abbot Square
Parking Lot
Abraham
Lincoln School
Bangor High
School
Central Fire
Station
Downeast
School
Fleet
Maintenance
Fourteenth
Street School
Golf Course
Club House
Golf Course
Maintenance
Innovation
Center
James Doughty
School
Mary Snow
School
Pickering
Square Parking
Garage
Police
Department
Public Works
Water
Treatment
Pump Station
Water
Treatment
William Cohen
School
Public Works
Total

73 Harlow St
168 Hogan Rd
11 Griffin Rd

Annual
Potential
Electric
Annual Electric Annual Electric
KW Rating Annual KWh % Capacity
Consumptio
Cost
(0.11/kWh)
produced
n (kWh)
64,065
20%
$34,812.80
51.3
$54,561.01
316,480
40,920
$6,295.68
$4,501.20
29.5
37,008
90%
$8,235.48
14.3
17,898
24%
74,868
$20,774.28

CO2 Offset
with solar
(MtCO2e/Yr)

Upfront cost

Annual Savings

PBP
(Years)

$198,531
$114,165
$55,341

$11,045
$5,694
$4,966

18
20
11

12.467
7.202
3.483

190 Harlow St

4,846

$1,006.56

$533.08

4

4,998

103%

$15,960

$1,007

16

0.973

45 Forest Ave

160,560

$17,372.88

$17,661.60

99.2

123,861

77%

$383,904

$13,402

29

24.103

885 Broadway

1,332,600

$174,624.30

$146,586.00

569.1

708,480

53%

$2,202,417

$92,839

24

137.870

289 Main St

184,933

$31,548.00

$20,342.63

35.5

44,336

24%

$137,385

$7,563

18

8.628

100 Moosehead Blvd

217,440

$51,639.48

$23,918.40

107.4

131,883

61%

$415,638

$31,321

13

25.664

481 Maine Ave

144,066

$49,059.72

$15,847.26

93.1

116,479

81%

$360,297

$39,665

9

22.667

224 Fourteenth St

107,320

$10,593.18

$11,805.20

86

107,384

100%

$332,820

$10,593

31

20.897

278 Webster Ave

15,513

$18,743.77

$1,706.43

13

16,238

105%

$50,310

$18,744

3

3.160

343 Webster Ave

15,753

$2,583.00

$1,732.83

13

16,238

103%

$50,310

$2,583

19

3.160

40 Johnson St

65,665

$10,986.00

$7,223.15

53

66,319

101%

$205,110

$10,986

19

12.906

143 Fifth Street

543,600

$49,096.92

$59,796.00

130.8

166,326

31%

$506,196

$15,022

34

32.367

435 Broadway

185,520

$27,220.74

$20,407.20

115.7

144,407

78%

$447,759

$21,188

21

28.102

100 Broad St

231,900

$18,719.86

$25,509.00

171.1

213,548

92%

$682,689

$17,238

40

41.556

240 Main St
530 Maine Ave

692,640
270,720

$86,550.48
$28,693.80

$76,190.40
$29,779.20

47
178.8

58,683
223,614

8%
83%

$181,890
$691,956

$7,333
$23,701

25
29

11.420
43.515

1 Washington St
80 Front St

288,840

$83,883.00

$31,772.40

8.7

10,868

4%

$33,669

$3,156

11

2.115

760 Main St

3,627,192

$628,626.72

$398,991.12

20.3

25,216

1%

$78,561

$4,370

18

4.907

304 Garland St
39 Florida Ave

888,000
12,180
9,421,556

$72,595.00
$97,680.00
$3,449.02
$1,339.80
$1,448,623.40 $1,036,371.18

167.4
10

210,207
12,516
2,520,572

24%
103%

$647,838
$38,700
$7,831,446

$17,185
$3,449
$363,051

38
11

40.906
2.436
490.503

28

Appendix C – Solar Potential of Municipal Buildings (Fixed Electric Rate)
Address
Location
City Hall
Fire Station #5
Fire Station #6
Abbot Square
Parking Lot
Abraham
Lincoln School
Bangor High
School
Central Fire
Station
Downeast
School
Fleet
Maintenance
Fourteenth
Street School
Golf Course
Club House
Golf Course
Maintenance
Innovation
Center
James Doughty
School
Mary Snow
School
Pickering
Square Parkin
Garage
Police
Department
Public Works
Water
Treatment
Pump Station
Water
Treatment
William Cohen
School
Public Works
Total

73 Harlow St
168 Hogan Rd
11 Griffin Rd
190 Harlow St (Abbot Squa

Annual Electric
oAnnual Electric
Consumption
KW Rating
n (0.11/kWh)
(kWh)
t
316,480
$34,812.80
51.3
40,920
$4,501.20
29.5
74,868
$8,235.48
14.3

Potential
%
Annual KWh
Capacity
produced

Upfront cost

Annual
Savings

PBP
(Years)

CO2 Offset
with solar
(MtCO2e/Yr)

64,065
37,008
17,898

20%
90%
24%

$198,531
$114,165
$55,341

$7,047
$4,071
$1,969

28
28
28

12.467
7.202
3.483

4,846

$533.08

4

4,998

103%

$15,960

$533

30

0.973

45 Forest Ave

160,560

$17,661.60

99.2

123,861

77%

$383,904

$13,625

28

24.103

885 Broadway

1,332,600

$146,586.00

569.1

708,480

53%

$2,202,417

$77,933

28

137.870

289 Main St

184,933

$20,342.63

35.5

44,336

24%

$137,385

$4,877

28

8.628

100 Moosehead Blvd

217,440

$23,918.40

107.4

131,883

61%

$415,638

$14,507

29

25.664

481 Maine Ave

144,066

$15,847.26

93.1

116,479

81%

$360,297

$12,813

28

22.667

224 Fourteenth St

107,320

$11,805.20

86

107,384

100%

$332,820

$11,805

28

20.897

278 Webster Ave (Golf Co

15,513

$1,706.43

13

16,238

105%

$50,310

$1,706

29

3.160

343 Webster Ave (Golf Co

15,753

$1,732.83

13

16,238

103%

$50,310

$1,733

29

3.160

40 Johnson St (Innovation

65,665

$7,223.15

53

66,319

101%

$205,110

$7,223

28

12.906

143 Fifth Street

543,600

$59,796.00

130.8

166,326

31%

$506,196

$18,296

28

32.367

435 Broadway

185,520

$20,407.20

115.7

144,407

78%

$447,759

$15,885

28

28.102

100 Broad St (Water St. Pa

231,900

$25,509.00

171.1

213,548

92%

$682,689

$23,490

29

41.556

240 Main St
530 Maine Ave

692,640
270,720

$76,190.40
$29,779.20

178.8

58,696
223,614

8%
83%

$181,890
$691,956

$6,457
$24,598

28
28

11.422
43.515

1 Washington St
80 Front St

288,840

$31,772.40

8.7

10,868

4%

$33,669

$1,195

28

2.115

760 Main St

3,627,192

$398,991.12

20.3

25,216

1%

$78,561

$2,774

28

4.907

304 Garland St
39 Florida Ave

888,000
12,180
9,421,556

$97,680.00
$1,339.80
$1,036,371.18

167.4
10

210,207
12,516
2,520,585

24%
103%

$647,838
$38,700
$7,831,446

$23,123
$1,340
$276,999

28
29

40.906
2.436
490.506

47

29

Appendix D – Solar Potential of Municipal Buildings (Commercial Solar Estimate)

Location
City Hall
Abraham Lincoln
School
Bangor High School
Downeast School
Fleet Maintenance
Fourteenth Street
School
Innovation Center

Address
73 Harlow St
45 Forest Ave
885 Broadway
100 Moosehead Blvd
481 Maine Ave
224 Fourteenth St
40 Johnson St

James Doughty School 143 Fifth Street
Mary Snow School
435 Broadway
Pickering Square Parkin
Garage
100 Broad St
Public Works
530 Maine Ave
William Cohen School
Total

304 Garland St

Annual Electric
Potential
oAnnual Electric
Consumption
KW Rating Annual KWh
nCost (0.11/kWh)
(kWh)
produced
t
316,480
$34,812.80
51.3
64,065
160,560
1,332,600
217,440
144,066
107,320
65,665
543,600
185,520
231,900
270,720
888,000
4,463,871

% Capacity

Upfront Cost
Annual Savings
($2.00/W)

PBP (Years)

CO2 Offset
with solar
(MtCO2e/Yr)
12.467

20%

$102,600

$7,047

15

$17,661.60
$146,586.00
$23,918.40
$15,847.26

99.2
569.1
107.4
93.1

123,861
708,480
131,883
116,479

77%
53%
61%
81%

$198,400
$1,138,200
$214,800
$186,200

$13,625
$77,933
$14,507
$12,813

15
15
15
15

$11,805.20
$7,223.15

86
53

107,384
66,319

100%
101%

$172,000
$106,000

$11,805
$7,223

15
15

$59,796.00
$20,407.20

130.8
115.7

166,326
144,407

31%
78%

$261,600
$231,400

$18,296
$15,885

14
15

$25,509.00
$29,779.20

171.1
178.8

213,548
223,614

92%
83%

$342,200
$357,600

$23,490
$24,598

15
15

$97,680.00
$491,026

167.4

210,207
2,276,573

24%

$334,800
$3,645,800

$23,123
$250,344

14

30

24.103
137.870
25.664
22.667
20.897
12.906
32.367
28.102
41.556
43.515
40.906
443

Memorandum
To:
From:
Date:
Regarding:

Business & Economic Development Committee
Planning Division
May 18, 2026
Solar Feasibility Study

For the past several months, C&ED’s new Sustainability Intern, Amelia Mooney, has been working on a project
to study the feasibility of roof-top solar at City-owned buildings and some parking lots. The purpose of this
study was to determine if the City could see cost savings from installing solar. Amelia’s final report is attached
to this memo. Airport buildings and parking lots were excluded from this study since they are subject to FAA
regulations. Amelia will provide an overview of her methods and findings and will answer any questions from
Councilors.

Memorandum
To:
From:
Date:
Regarding:

Business & Economic Development Committee
Planning Division
May 27, 2026
Acceptance of open space in a recently approved preliminary subdivision

Recently, at the May 19th Planning Board meeting, the Board approved a preliminary plan for a major
subdivision called Roseledge. These plans are included in your packets. This subdivision would create 22
residential lots on Pushaw Road and would create a public road that would be given to the City, as well as
about 15 acres of open space that is also proposed to be deeded to the City. Staff recommended that the open
space be deeded to the City since problems have arisen in the past when open space is owned by an HOA or
split up amongst the property owners, primarily issues with taxes not being paid and the City having to work
through a complicated process to take the open space for unpaid taxes. Before the plan can receive final
approval, there must be evidence that the Council has accepted the open space. If Council is amenable, staff
will forward language for adoption at the next available Council meeting.

NO

RT

H

NOW OR FORMERLY

NORTH BANGOR
MEETINGHOUSE CHURCH
TAX MAP R30, LOT 5
BOOK 13799, PAGE 62

GRID NORTH

CHURCH ROAD
3

NOW OR FORMERLY

8' US
17
" E HA
W
36
R
2.
82 OA
'
D

KRISTY DONAHUE

R
O
A
D

N 68

PU

SH
A
W

°22'

TP-1

TP-36

TP-108
TP-5

TP-35

LE
D

HERBERT E. AYER &
SHARON L. PELLETIER-AYER

TP-109

TP-203

DR

TP-202

IV

X

TP-6

E

5

TP-206

TP-40

TAX MAP R30, LOT 6B
BOOK 13193, PAGE 262

NOW OR FORMERLY

PATRICK R. BRANSCOMBE
TAX MAP R30, LOT 6C
BOOK 11454, PAGE 300

3

3

4" REBAR, FND

N 52°37'41" E

8" REBAR, FND

N 52°37'41" E

727.91'
3

TP-205

4" REBAR, FND

249.55'

3

4" REBAR #2409, FND

20
0.
00
'
NOW OR FORMERLY

4" REBAR, FND

4" REBAR #2409, FND

3

TP-19

TP-34
TP-18

TP-222

MARTY A. KELLEY &
3
DONALD P. KELLEY
4" REBAR, FND

4" REBAR, FND, BENT

TP-4

80
.0
03
0'
°1
6'
10
"E

TAX MAP R30, LOT 8
BOOK 16670, PAGE 57
MAP FILE 2022-37

#288787

396.24'

TP-2
3

N 52°37'33" E

CENTER LINE STRIP A
BOOK 3404, PAGE 101

G
E

99
N
86
.9
4'
°4
3'
50
"W

4" REBAR, FND

NOW OR FORMERLY

JASON MCKAY &
TONYA MCKAY
TAX MAP R30, LOT 6E
BOOK 15258, PAGE 296
LOT 4, MAP FILE 2019-97

734

63.26
'
S 27°
13'00
"E X

TAX MAP R30, LOT 5B
BOOK 16660, PAGE 156
3

E

.82'

P

03
°1
N

RO
SE

PAIGE N. NADEAU

TAX MAP R30, LOT 6F
BOOK 15477, PAGE 342
LOT 3, MAP FILE 2019-97

NOW OR FORMERLY OF

TP-3
TP-201

NOW OR FORMERLY

00"

MAINE COORDINATE SYSTEM OF 1983
EAST ZONE

307.56'
N 38°16'45" W

culvert from
Bangor GIS

NOW OR FORMERLY

#209243

92.16'

TAX MAP R20, LOT 9
BOOK 13054, PAGE 178

897.62'

TAX MAP R30, LOT 4
BOOK 169, PAGE 363
BOOK 349, PAGE 473

N 37°19'58" W

4" REBAR #2409, FND AT THE
BASE OF A BENT 5 8" REBAR

RLV HOLDINGS, LLC

#296166

CITY OF BANGOR

3

N 52°39'32" E

X

NOW OR FORMERLY

4" REBAR, FND

TP-38

TP-204
TP-39

#102766

N

TP-41
TP-101
TP-107
TP-43

TP-221

°14

71

1408.00'

TP-33

N
"W

'5 0

TP-207
TP-105

35

TP-7

TP-31

0'

0.0

LAND TO BE RETAINED
TAX MAP R30, LOT 6D
T AND T PROPERTY MANAGEMENT, LLC
BOOK 16825, PAGE 335
53.10± AC

TP-106

#288790
TP-20

TP-37

4" REBAR, FND

TP-17

TP-8

TP-208

06

3

4" REBAR #2311, FND

13
2.
°2 43'
1'0
6"
W

3

TP-102

N
3

TP-21

4" REBAR #2311, FND

TAX MAP R30, LOT 7
BOOK 16453, PAGE 111
LOT 3, MAP FILE D2-94

5'
2.8 " W
21
5
1'2
8°5

MELANIE L. ENDERWICK

#279550

TP-30

N6

NOW OR FORMERLY

80' WIDE EASEMENT
BOOK 3404, PAGE 101
BOOK 1544, PAGE 462

LOT 4
MAP FILE
D2-94

S 38°19'06" E

TP-92

TP-217
TP-9

TP-29

TP-209
TP-220

3

TP-218
TP-219

4" REBAR, FND, BENT

#288788

TP-28
TP-27

.86'
276
0" W
°48'5
N 57

TP-42
TP-210

TP-22

TP-44

ROSELEDGE DRIVE
80' WIDE EASEMENT
BOOK 3404, PAGE 101
BOOK 1544,#4
PAGE 462
146.43'

#3
5

TP-10

S 50°35'09" W
#5

S 47°45'33" W

8" REBAR, FND

3

S 51°09'32" W
19.52'

#6

1831.22' #7

TP-26

#8

TP-23
CENTER LINE STRIP B
BOOK 3404, PAGE 101

POINT "A", BOOK 3404,
PAGE 101
#9

#33

TP-103

4" REBAR #1151, FND

TP-104
3

TP-25

4" REBAR #2409, FND

TAX MAP R31, LOT 15
BOOK 16402, PAGE 297

297.78'

TODD K. BANGS &
NICOLE A. MOREAU

N 39°19'40" W

NOW OR FORMERLY

TP-15
TP-11
TP-12

TP-13

TP-14

TP-215

#288789

TP-216
TP-16

OF MA I N
E
STATE

TP-24

#32

2516.45'
3

X

S 50°00'52" W

4" REBAR #1151, FND

REFER TO A BOUNDARY LINE
AGREEMENT RECORDED IN
BOOK 6539, PAGE 156

NOW OR FORMERLY

JUDY E. JERNIGAN
TAX MAP R31, LOT 16
BOOK 12080, PAGE 326
SEE PLAN REFERENCE #4

SURVEY NOTES
ALL DOCUMENTS REFERENCED HEREON ARE RECORDED AT THE PENOBSCOT COUNTY REGISTRY OF DEEDS UNLESS
OTHERWISE NOTED.

E

4. "STANDARD BOUNDARY SURVEY SHOWING LOCATION OF PROPOSED BOUNDARY BETWEEN LANDS OF LAVALLEE & IDE
INC. AND EVERETT PALMER", BY PLISGA & DAY LAND SURVEYORS, PROJECT NUMBER 94437, RECORDED AT THE
PENOBSCOT COUNTY REGISTRY OF DEEDS AS MAP FILE 1997-107.

F

E S S I O

S U R V

N

E

R

L
A

O

O

N

D

Y

SURVEY STANDARD
PLISGA & DAY

LAND SURVEYORS

72 MAIN STREET
BANGOR, MAINE 04401

2. "A DIVISION OF LAND FOR PROPERTY OF JULIA S. TURNER", BY JAMES W. SEWALL COMPANY, DATED APRIL 1, 2022, AND
RECORDED AT THE PENOBSCOT COUNTY REGISTRY OF DEEDS AS MAP FILE 2022-37.
3. "FINAL PLAN GRANT FARM SUBDIVISION FOR KEY FINANCIAL SERVICES, INC.", BY ANDREW J. SHYKA LAND SURVEYOR,
DATED NOVEMBER 30, 1993, AND RECORDED AT THE PENOBSCOT COUNTY REGISTRY OF DEEDS AS MAP FILE D2-94.

N

JON
P.
PINKHAM

R

A

"FINAL SUBDIVISION PLAN OF THE "DON GRANT LOT"", BY JAMES W. SEWALL COMPANY, DATED JUNE 13, 2019 AND
RECORDED AT THE PENOBSCOT COUNTY REGISTRY OF DEEDS AS MAP FILE 2019-97.

A

NO. 2404
L

1.

M

P

PLAN REFERENCES

O F

I

2. COORDINATES VALUES AND NORTH ORIENTATION REFERENCE THE MAINE COORDINATE SYSTEM OF 1983, EAST ZONE
WITH UNITS OF U.S. SURVEY FEET, NAD_83(2011)(EPOCH:2010.0000). COORDINATE VALUES SHOWN ARE PROVIDED AS
AN AID IN LOCATION. THE PHYSICAL LOCATION OF A COORDINATE LABELED POINT SUPERSEDES SAID COORDINATE
VALUES.
3. THE CONTOUR LINES SHOWN (EXCEPT THOSE ADJACENT TO THE SUBJECT PROPERTY WITHIN PUSHAW ROAD) WERE
DOWNLOADED FROM NOAA DATA ACCESS VIEWER, REFERENCE NAVD88 AND ARE AT 1 FOOT INTERVAL. THE CONTOUR
LINES WITHIN PUSHAW ROAD ADJACENT TO THE SUBJECT PROPERTY ARE BASED ON GROUND MEASUREMENTS USING
A TRIMBLE R12I GPS RTK RECEIVER, REFERENCE NAVD 88 AND ARE ALSO AT 1 FOOT INTERVAL.

E

A

T

S T

1.

Email: [email protected]
Phone: (207) 947-0019
Toll-Free: 1-800-734-0019

www.WeMapIt.com

THIS PLAN WAS PREPARED FROM INFORMATION
OBTAINED BY A SURVEY CONFORMING
SUBSTANTIALLY TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF
TECHNICAL STANDARDS CONTAINED IN CHAPTER
90, PART 2, OF THE RULES OF THE BOARD OF
LICENSURE FOR PROFESSIONAL LAND
SURVEYORS, EFFECTIVE APRIL 1, 2001.

DATE: FEBRUARY 26, 2026
JON P. PINKHAM
MAINE PROFESSIONAL SURVEYOR, LICENSE NUMBER 2404
PLISGA & DAY PROJECT #24096

ENGINEERING & DEVELOPMENT CONSULTING
PO BOX 282, HAMPDEN, MAINE 04444
207-862-4700

W ROA

D

D
A
O
R
W
A
H
S
U
P

PUSHA

ENGINEERING & DEVELOPMENT
CONSULTING
PO BOX 282, HAMPDEN, MAINE
04444
207-862-4700

K

ISER

ISER

K

TBM #1
6" SPIKE, UP #209242,
EL=132.04' NAVD88

K

ISER

ENGINEERING & DEVELOPMENT
CONSULTING
PO BOX 282, HAMPDEN, MAINE
04444
207-862-4700

ISER

K

”

”
”

ENGINEERING & DEVELOPMENT
CONSULTING
PO BOX 282, HAMPDEN, MAINE
04444
207-862-4700

K

ISER

ISER

K

”

Memorandum
To:
From:
Date:
Regarding:

Business & Economic Development Committee
Anne Krieg
May 27, 2026
Downtown Budget

Please accept the documents attached as the proposed budget for the Assessment District for
downtown.
To remind the Committee:
Special Assessment Districts (sometimes called benefit assessment districts) are areas where
property owners pay an additional assessment to fund specific projects or programs. Unlike TIF, they
do not rely on incremental tax capture but on direct assessments tied to benefit received.
Assessment Districts are allowed and regulated by statute.
In 1991, the Assessment District was created in Bangor specifically for the Bangor Center
Development Corporation, now known as the Downtown Bangor Partnership (DPB).
The funds function as a pass-through, we, as the city, collect the funds based on a rate and
assessment. The Council approves the budget in a statute-required hearing. This hearing is set for
your meeting June 8th.
After the budget is approved, an agreement with the city affirming the budget and coordinating checkins with both staff and BED is empowered by Council. The oversight is reviewing the invoices for
payment to ensure the funds are used by what is agreed to in their budget.
By statute, these funds can only be directed for the purpose originally set forth in the creation of the
district. If the Council ever wanted to dissolve the district, there would be a hearing process to do so
and those funds would no longer be collected and thus not available to the city for use.
amk

Downtown Bangor Partnership
Budget vs. Actuals: Budget_FY26_P&L - FY26 P&L
July 2025 - June 2026
Total
Actual

Budget

over Budget

% of Budget

Revenue
4000 Levy - Special Assessment

265,566.00

265,593.00

-27.00

99.99%

4002 Requested Streetplus Funding

213,865.88

230,000.00

-16,134.12

92.99%

4050 Interest

14.69

1,000.00

-985.31

1.47%

4100 Sponsorships

260.00

3,000.00

-2,740.00

8.67%

4110 Beautification

28,847.37

13,000.00

15,847.37

221.90%

4120 Events

17,955.41

16,000.00

1,955.41

112.22%

3,250.00

-3,250.00

0.00%

16,647.50

15,000.00

1,647.50

110.98%

13,460.28

126.79%

4130 Networking & Outreach
4140 Marketing
Total 4100 Sponsorships

$

4500 Event Revenue
Pride
Total 4500 Event Revenue

$

63,710.28

$

50,250.00

$

17,237.61

10,000.00

7,237.61

172.38%

22,991.07

3,500.00

19,491.07

656.89%

26,728.68

297.99%

40,228.68

$

13,500.00

$

4900 Other Income

3,990.15

4,800.00

-809.85

83.13%

4901 TIF Funding

32,808.74

43,744.00

-10,935.26

75.00%

4903 Digital Income

628.39

628.39

Mix Maine Sublet

10,480.00

10,480.00

Total 4900 Other Income
Total Revenue

$

47,907.28

$

48,544.00 -$

$

631,292.81

$

608,887.00

$

636.72

98.69%

22,405.81

103.68%

Cost of Goods Sold
4,604.38

Cost of Goods Sold
Total Cost of Goods Sold

$

Gross Profit

$

4,604.38

4,604.38 $
626,688.43

$

0.00

$

4,604.38

608,887.00

$

17,801.43

102.92%

Expenditures
5100 General & Administrative
5104 Utilities
5105 Accounting Fees
5106 Legal & Professional Fees

8,197.15

8,197.15

300.00

300.00

2,000.00

3,060.00

-1,060.00

65.36%

35.00

500.00

-465.00

7.00%
0.00%

8,000.00

-8,000.00

5109 Professional Development

5,051.32

0.00

5,051.32

5110 Insurance

2,825.85

2,000.00

825.85

141.29%

696.25

877.50

-181.25

79.34%

4,355.50

7,000.00

-2,644.50

62.22%

29.01

75.00

-45.99

38.68%

5122 Supplies

5,664.67

1,500.00

4,164.67

377.64%

5124 Phone & Internet

2,330.14

1,504.00

826.14

154.93%

150.00

200.00

-50.00

75.00%

8,910.00

15,300.00

-6,390.00

58.24%

5107 Legal Advertising

5112 Workers Comp Insurance
5115 Memberships/Registration Fees
5120 Postage & Printing

5130 Bank & Credit Card Fees
5140 Rent

500.00

5142 Other Business Expenses

-500.00

0.00%

0.00

5150 Payroll
5152 Payroll Wage Expenses - Exec Dir

63,912.72

63,739.73

172.99

100.27%

5153 Payroll Wage Expenses - Mktg/Event

51,648.89

57,189.60

-5,540.71

90.31%

5154 Payroll Tax Expenses

11,715.29

9,780.32

1,934.97

119.78%

5156 Payroll Fees

1,945.50

2,100.00

-154.50

92.64%

5158 Retirement Benefits

1,639.16

3,627.82

-1,988.66

45.18%

Total 5150 Payroll
Total 5100 General & Administrative

$

130,861.56

$

136,437.47

-$

5,575.91

95.91%

$

171,406.45

$

176,953.97

-$

5,547.52

96.86%
14.81%

1,184.99

8,000.00

-6,815.01

18,686.74

24,000.00

-5,313.26

77.86%

5214 Website

993.36

2,000.00

-1,006.64

49.67%

5216 Television

1,500.00

7,000.00

-5,500.00

21.43%

5218 Digital

30,433.86

7,000.00

23,433.86

434.77%

5220 Contract Services

2,500.00

5200 Marketing

0.00

5210 General
5212 Printed Materials

Total 5210 General

$

54,113.96

5240 Holiday Promotion

1,935.19

Radio

1,125.00

Total 5200 Marketing

$

58,359.14

2,500.00
$

$

8,000.00

14,113.96

135.28%

-6,064.81

24.19%

1,125.00
$

7,693.36

5300 Beautification

40,000.00

56,000.00

$

2,359.14

0.00

7,693.36

104.21%

5305 Flower Boxes

3,443.55

7,000.00

-3,556.45

49.19%

5310 Adopt a Garden

217.24

6,250.00

-6,032.76

3.48%

5315 Holiday Lighting

23,790.82

10,000.00

13,790.82

237.91%

5320 Art and Placemaking

8,517.00

10,000.00

-1,483.00

85.17%

10,411.97

131.31%

145.56

114.56%

Total 5300 Beautification

$

43,661.97

$

1,145.56

5400 Events
5410 Advertising

2,438.62

5420 Sidewalk Art Festival

11,938.99

33,250.00

$

1,000.00

2,438.62
21,000.00

-9,061.01

920.53

5424 Halloween

56.85%

920.53

5430 Downtown Countdown

3,005.26

2,000.00

1,005.26

150.26%

Pride

12,791.43

3,380.00

9,411.43

378.44%

Total 5400 Events

$

5401 Streetplus
5500 Networking & Outreach

4,860.39

117.75%

289,780.65

32,240.39

$

310,000.00

27,380.00

$

-20,219.35

93.48%

2,111.54

3,750.00

-1,638.46

56.31%

-310,000.00

0.00%

5600 Public Safety - DT Officer
GBRERC

71.24

71.24

Interest Expense

316.46

316.46

PayPal Fees

445.53

445.53

1,028.26

1,028.26

QuickBooks Payments Fees
Total Expenditures

$

599,421.63

Net Operating Revenue

$

Net Revenue

$

$

607,333.97 -$

7,912.34

98.70%

27,266.80 $

1,553.03

$

25,713.77

1755.72%

27,266.80 $

1,553.03

$

25,713.77

1755.72%

Downtown Bangor Partnership
Statement of Financial Position
As of Mar 31, 2026

TOTAL

Assets
Current Assets
Bank Accounts
1000 Bangor Savings Bank
1020 PayPal Bank
COMMUNITY COMPLETE W/INTEREST (1185) - 3
Total for Bank Accounts

4,422.10
1,159.98
0.00
$5,582.08

Accounts Receivable
1200 Accounts Receivable
Total for Accounts Receivable

131,388.41
$131,388.41

Other Current Assets
1010 Undeposited Funds
Due from Employee
Fundraising Ornaments
Prepaid Expenses
Rental Security Deposit
Total for Other Current Assets

0.00
0.00
1,590.74
275.00
4,100.00
$5,965.74

Total for Current Assets

$142,936.23

Fixed Assets
Office Equipment
Total for Fixed Assets

1,670.59
$1,670.59

Total for Assets

$144,606.82

Liabilities and Equity
Liabilities
Current Liabilities
Accounts Payable
2100 Accounts Payable
Total for Accounts Payable

27,555.79
$27,555.79

Other Current Liabilities
2150 Cult Comm-Beautification Grant
2200 Unearned Revenue
2300 Accrued Paid Time Off
BSB - Overdraft LOC
Total for Other Current Liabilities

0.00
0.00
851.12
8,219.64
$9,070.76

Total for Current Liabilities

$36,626.55

Total for Liabilities

$36,626.55

Equity
3200 Opening Balance Equity
3000 Unrestricted Net Assets
Net Revenue
Total for Equity

0.00
15,159.26
92,821.01
$107,980.27

Total for Liabilities and Equity

$144,606.82

Accrual Basis Wednesday, May 27, 2026 08:29 PM GMTZ

1/1

Bangor Center Development District
Municipal Development Program and Financial Plan
Fiscal Year 2027
Downtown Bangor Partnership
Executive Summary​

​

The purpose of this document is to provide a comprehensive yet succinct look at the programs and
projects the Downtown Bangor Partnership (DBP) undertook in FY2026 and to outline the plans and
proposed budget for FY2027 so that the City Council may consider the DBP’s contributions and essential
functions in the Downtown District and look favorably on continuing its support.
The DBP continues to focus on its mission to promote and market activities that enhance the distinctive
identity of Downtown Bangor, encouraging retention and growth of commercial, residential, and cultural
life within the downtown district.
We continue to focus our efforts on marketing to those outside of Downtown Bangor, connectivity
between stakeholders within Downtown Bangor, promotion and creation of events happening in
Downtown Bangor, adding amenities to enhance the look and feel of Downtown Bangor, maintaining a
clean and safe environment and gathering consensus on and advocating for issues like safety and
sanitation that affect downtown Bangor stakeholders.
We commend the City Council’s continuing initiatives to promote downtown’s economic vitality and cultural
excellence, and we hope you agree that the DBP has made a positive contribution to downtown
development over the past year. We are pleased to be involved with the transformation of Downtown
Bangor to a more vibrant and engaged economic center and we are focused on maintaining this
momentum.
During the first 3 quarters of the year the DBP raised $89,000, in private sponsorships, grants, digital
income generation and events which is $20,000 over our projected goal and allowed us to offer more
programming as our goal is to remain revenue neutral, transforming additional funding to assets and
opportunities.
This year Downtown Bangor is not requesting an increase to the current special assessment maintaining
$.70 on every $1,000 of valuation, with an overlay of $.02 for an estimated revenue of $285,600.
As safety and security remain the top concerns for downtown stakeholders at present, the DBP is
requesting $230,000 from the downtown TIF, to provide supplementary 24/7 services to the downtown
district.

FY2026 Review (July 1, 2025 to June 30, 2026)​

​

​

​

​

​

​
​
​
STATE OF DOWNTOWN
During the first part of Fiscal Year 2026 we continued to see a positive shift in visitation to downtown
Bangor and the many amenities located within the district. Attendance at venues like Penobscot Theatre
and the Zillman Art Museum continues to eek upwards returning to prepandemic numbers. Downtown
Bangor was named number six in a national list of cities most likely to have a Hallmark movie.
However, the impact of the unsheltered and substance use disorder population, and the perception of
safety continue to plague the reputation of downtown and hinder growth, though the downtown
community at large recognizes that the public narrative is vastly different from the reality of the state of
downtown.
We also saw new investment and development in
downtown from private investors. The Y broke
ground on their Main Street location and the historic
Pearl building at Harlow was recently purchased and
will undergo significant renovations bringing more
housing to Downtown Bangor. Engaged property
owners are continuing to activate vacant and
underutilized spaces continuing the “spread” of
active buildings within downtown’s constrained
footprint and contributing to downtown hosting the
most valuable real estate in the City and contributing
more dollars per square foot to the City.

Overall district spending in Downtown Bangor was $42,600,000 with “local” spending representing 65% of
the overall spend and visitors spending at least one night represent 35% of overall spending. This number
does not include spending on ticketed entertainment at Maine Savings Amphitheater or Cross Insurance
Center as those purchases are largely made off site and in advance but are part of the local economy .
Downtown Bangor annexed parts of Main Street, Harlow Street and Park Street hill as of July 1, 2024. We
continue to foster relationships with many of the new stakeholders creating collaborations and installing
small winter and summer activations. We will continue to foster and expand our relationships as we plan
for branding and amenities that highlight each zone’s specific identity.
Dining and nightlife remains the largest category of spending within the downtown district garnering 33%
of spending. “Leisure, Recreation and Entertainment” likely represent a considerably higher percentage
however ticket sales for Maine Savings Amphitheater and Cross Insurance Center are not factored into
district spending as purchases are made in advance and off site.
Downtown Bangor continues to advocate for a five year parking plan that addresses the immediate need
in downtown development and a ten year plan that addresses a fully occupied downtown and reduces
redundant private surface parking in favor of high-usage, shared, public parking. There is currently no
night and weekend parking management and those remain some of the highest use times for downtown.
Parking for night events often relies on visitors ignoring private parking signage to attend the theater or a
concert. The result on the nightlife community would be catastrophic if private parking were enforced. The
addition of high density municipal solutions will allow for the continued economic growth and development
of downtown by freeing empty parking lots for development.
The downtown commercial office space market continued to improve with upgrades to several office
buildings, and workers have increasingly returned to workspaces in downtown. Data on commercial

vacancy rates show commercial vacancy rates in downtown as below 5%. The “functional vacancy rate”,
meaning space available for use is closer to 2.4%. To support the large influx of retail and restaurants,
downtown needs to continue to bring its daytime workforce back to the office.
The DBP serves as a communication liaison connecting interested businesses with landlords and
property management companies through maintenance of an available space inventory. One of the
largest growth inhibitors that downtown faces in fostering commercial growth, especially in customer
facing, street level businesses, is the lack of available, ready-to-use spaces. While the public perception
is that there are many empty storefronts, in reality there are very few available storefronts.
The DBP has identified the infill of underutilized surface parking with high density residential and
commercial construction as a top growth point for the future, along with solicitation of an additional hotel
added within the district to foster the expansion of the Cross Insurance Center’s ability to host
conferences and to meet the desire of our expanding cultural and recreational tourism capacity within the
arts and entertainment district tourists wish to visit.
EVENTS
Last year the Events Committee continued to work on programs and events that drive traffic into existing
downtown businesses. This includes both hosting DBP signature events in downtown Bangor and
supporting events other stakeholders are hosting in Downtown Bangor.
The 2025 Summer Sidewalk Art Festival featured more than 130 jury-selected artist-vendors, four food
trucks, five main stage performances, and six stations of free children’s activities. The event is popular
with vendors, many of whom return year after year and it brings in thousands of additional visitors to
Downtown Bangor. Held during Maine Craft Weekend, the 2025 ARTober Sidewalk Art Festival, was
similarly well attended, with 88 artist-vendors and musical performances by five local performers and
groups.
DBP funded permits, insurance and promotion of a weekly PanStorm Concert Series in West Market
Square which was a community highlight for audience attendees, from small children dancing in front of
the bubble machine, to diners enjoying steel drum music with their dinner and drinks; and provided
additional marketing support, tables, chairs and tents to New England Pan Music Festival’s 2026 event on
Bangor’s Waterfront.
District-wide celebrations like Downtown Countdown brought thousands of people downtown on New
Year’s Eve to celebrate the new year in performance venues, bars and restaurants and cultural
organizations.
Downtown Bangor Partnered with a group of
artists and business owners to provide marketing
support for First Friday Art Walks. Additionally
DBP provided support and advice to first-time
event hosts, including the newly-formed
organization hosting the Bangor Pride Festival,
and the first Maine Honey Fest at the Bangor
Waterfront.
Downtown Bangor created umbrella events like
Plaid Friday and Small Business Saturday that
served bolstered Downtown visitation and sales
during the height of winter retail. Events like the
Holiday Tree Lighting with Hollywood Casino Hotel
& Raceway Light Show in West Market Square
and the Wabanaki Art Market at Wabanaki Public Health & Wellness brought audiences with a variety of
interests into the district.

In addition, smaller-scale events sprinkled throughout the year, like the summer solstice garden party,
Cinco de Mayo Margarita Competition, Downtown Trick or Treating, and the first community Dia De Los
Muertos celebration motivate engagement with Downtown businesses.
The Community Events Calendar on the downtownbangor.com website continues to be the most visited
page on the website with over 4,000 visitors, one of the most searched items and a 25%-33% click
through rate. It continues to be the top information source for out of town visitors planning their trip to
Bangor.
BEAUTIFICATION
The pride of the Downtown Bangor community continues to be
exemplified by the DBP’s Beautification Committee and its
volunteer-fueled base which focuses its efforts in four areas: gardening,
lighting and art and placemaking and caretaking. 228 Volunteers have
dedicated over 725 hours of service to downtown via Downtown
Bangor projects.
DBP purchased liners for 56 flower boxes along the Kenduskeag
Stream, professionally planted by Windswept Gardens. 25 new
planters were built by Job Corps and sponsored by R.H. Foster to
replace aging planters from 1997, bringing the total to 50 large flower planters planted by Windswept
Gardens and set for delivery in May 2025. Volunteers also planted umbrella-shaped planters to be
installed on Cross Street as part of the umbrella sky installation. Our annual Adopt-A-Garden program
brought over 100 individuals and organizations together to plant and care for 125 garden plots, with
outstanding collaboration from Public Works improving the program this year.
Public Works replaced aging bistro lights in Hamlin Park, with an updated color scheme coordinated with
holidays and civic initiatives. Downtown Ambassadors are actively replacing broken street lamp lights,
and Downtown Bangor is developing a plan to add lighting under the Union Street overpass on Broad
Street.
The Umbrella Sky installation is returning for another year. DBP partnered with a local artist on a summer
art box installation project and, in collaboration with Louie Morrison, is creating a mini golf experience in
Pocket Park on Central Street, to be managed by Downtown Ambassadors throughout the summer.
With the support of Hollywood Casino, DBP brought back the holiday light show for a second year. 40
snowflakes were added to poles on Main Street and Exchange Street, with plans to expand to
Washington Street in the coming year. Two holiday-themed activations were also added at the top of Park
Street and in Town Plaza.
With support from Hollywood Casino, Downtown Bangor Partnership awarded facade improvement grants
to seven retail stores. DBP organized volunteer cleanups in Fall 2025 and Spring 2026, representing over
200 hours of labor, and a team of 30 Husson students painted picnic tables, planters, and graffiti on the
waterfront. Downtown Ambassadors continue to regularly clean public and private spaces throughout
downtown, removing debris and litter.
MARKETING
Downtown Bangor is rich in assets that benefit residents and tourists alike including historic architecture,
parks, public art, a professional theater, concert venues, a casino, and so much more. Our marketing
capital focuses on positioning downtown Bangor as the shopping, dining and arts and culture destination
for Central and Northern Maine.

We have continued to update and maintain assets like the website and interactive map created with the
Maine Office of Tourism Arts And Culture Grant in 2024, which provided funding for a unified, city-wide
effort in promoting arts and culture. (https://www.bangorcultureandartscollective.com/)
Over the past year, DBP has worked with the steering committee for Recreation Economy of Rural
Communities (RERC) on a long-term regional marketing and branding project. Downtown Bangor took on
the responsibility for programming digital kiosks in the three participating communities. DBP designed and
launched the initial project website, and assists with the site’s ongoing maintenance.
Additionally, DBP has been working in collaboration with the City of Bangor to provide marketing
assistance creating a series of campaigns including “Spend the Summer in Bangor Maine” and “Celebrate
the Holidays in Bangor Maine”. Both campaigns included ads in print publications in addition to digital and
social advertising that directed viewers to dedicated webpages sharing opportunities in Bangor.
In the past year, DBP expanded its investment in tourism marketing. Campaigns were developed to take
advantage of the Maine Department of Tourism’s marketing efforts and destinations with direct flights to
Bangor International Airport.
With the changing economy and new travel patterns emerging, the marketing committee shifted
advertising priorities away from the Canadian Maritimes and towards large urban centers with direct
flights to Bangor. This has proven an effective strategy as Boston and New York City remain top visitors to
our website and some of the top spenders within our district with Massachusetts representing 13% of
annual in district spending and an average of $239.00 per person in addition to accommodations and
ticketed activities.
We continued our multi-year video project to capture Downtown in all four seasons and promote each
area of our marketing matrix: shop, dine, stay, play. Videos continue to be produced, updated and
reproduced as we move through each season building out our asset library.
We use these videos in our digital and social campaigns, especially in major metropolitan areas with
direct flight paths to Bangor and credit much of our success in drawing website visitors with the use of the
assets and our placement.
Last summer the Marketing Committee circulated an RFP for digital marketing services, focused on the
regional and tourism markets mentioned above. We conducted an experimental PPC campaign focused
on ARTober and the Halloween season. The ad creative with the highest CTR was related to the
Downtown Bangor - Maine Keyword PPC strategy, which advertised the "Downtown Bangor Art Festival"
and "ARTtober Fall Art Festival" which reinforced that people in tourism markets are engaged with our
messaging.
Our goal last year was to explode web metrics during FY26 with targeted dollars spent across digital,
social, and print campaigns. We overwhelmingly achieved this goal, with 256k site views (48.6%
increase) by 152k active users (89.6% increase) from the previous year.
The majority of traffic was still generated by organic search, with large audiences exploring events, the
interactive maps, and holiday content.
One of the most impressive results has been the organic search impressions (over 6 million) and resulting
73,236 clicks show the strength of the marketing efforts and Bangor’s appeal to the target market of
event-goers.

We plan to continue to cultivate the community events page which is the most popular page on our
website. DBP’s website continues to rank in the top few rankings for most searches involving events in
Bangor. The community events page remains by far the most visited page on our website with organic
searches for “Bangor, Maine” leading visitors to the page.
However, the tourism sector is not without its challenges at the moment, as evidenced by a reduction in
new user website traffic from two of the typically strongest regions – New York (-16.52%) and
Massachusetts (-16.26%).Despite a digital dip from those two cities, in person visitation continues to
climb in areas with direct flights to Bangor. We saw a 16.21% increase from Florida, a 70.43% increase
from Philadelphia and 38.35% from Georgia (of note is Bangor International Airport’s new direct flight to
Atlanta), and a 30.34% increase of new in-state users.
Last summer, DBP shifted its online business directory from a static business directory to an interactive
map. This tool has had nearly 17,000 views since it launched, with the majority looking for food and
beverage options. The self-guided arts and culture tour map has been visited nearly 6,000 times in the
past year. Top viewers were from Bangor, Boston, and New York City, demonstrating that investment in
marketing Bangor’s assets yields tangible results, even during challenging times.
Social media has remained a priority and our successful engagement shows this, with an overall increase
in engagement of +73.9%, evenly split between followers and non-followers. We generated more than five
million social media views last year (an increase of more than one million over the previous year),
showing that the Downtown Bangor social media platforms continue to reach new viewers and convert
new people into Bangor lovers. Additionally, our Facebook and Instagram pages continue to generate
income from our top social media posts.
To handle our growth spike, DBP added two interns in the marketing department: one to help manage
back end webpage, event and interactive map details, and another to create social media content. Both
internship positions were wildly successful, increasing both our capacity and asset development through
shared education and collaboration.

We continued to invest in the Visit Downtown Bangor guide, due to its popularity and success, enhancing
the booklet images and content. These booklets have been incredibly popular at state tourist spots, where
we regularly have to replenish both books and maps. They are also made available to American Cruise
Lines visitors on board and by local tour guides. Our brochures and guides are distributed at all MTA Rest
Areas along the highway and included in every outgoing mailing from the Maine Highlands. Downtown
Bangor videos run in the Hampden North Rest Area and Acadia Gateway Center in Trenton.
To further solidify Bangor as a destination, DBP staff created an entire new set of assets to ensure that
Bangor put its best foot forward in growing the presence of its cruise capacity. Downtown Bangor created
content and assets for Cruise Maine which launched its new website over the spring, and with it, the new
page highlighting Bangor.
A new partnership with Mix Maine Media and WKIT and their host of radio stations and media outlets
began last year, which resulted in numerous collaborations. These brought great energy to our events
and proved beneficial to increasing local awareness of Downtown events and businesses.
The Marketing Committee has also secured content in two state-wide publications (Maine Invites You and
Experience Maine) that will feature Downtown Bangor as the shopping, dining and arts and culture capital
of Central and Northern Maine. These were combined with co-op advertising offering space to downtown
stakeholders at reduced rates, bolstering the collective visibility of downtown and highlighting individual
businesses and events.
An ongoing marketing collaboration with the City of Bangor has allowed the co-promotion of the city as a
whole, showcasing the many reasons why this is an attractive area to visit, shop, and live. Content in
these publications drives traffic to specifically designed landing pages like “Celebrate the 4th and More”
and “Winter Holidays in Bangor” which highlight the activities throughout the City of Bangor, as well as in
Downtown.

SAFETY AND SECURITY
Downtown Bangor launched the Safety and Hospitality Ambassador program in mid October 2024.
Throughout most of FY 2026 we have maintained 5-6 employees providing service nearly 24 hour per
day, seven days a week. The program has consistently employed four full time ambassadors who patrol
125 hours of the 168 hours in a week with the remaining two positions occasionally in flux. Priority is
given to night and weekend hours when the Downtown Officer, Downtown Custodian and BCAT are not
on patrol.
Program Manager Mike Brown was selected to be part of Maine Development Foundation’s Civic
Leadership Institute which will build a framework of connections with people working in a multitude of
capacities across municipalities in Maine.
Since its operational launch in late 2024, the Downtown Bangor Ambassador program has evolved to a
high-volume, year-round operation. The program’s evolution is marked by more sophisticated reporting,
proactive seasonal strategies, and a shift toward maintaining long-term cleanliness in previously
problematic areas.
Strategic Evolution of Outreach
Outreach efforts have evolved from simple wellness checks to a proactive, service-oriented model.12
●​ Proactive Wellness and Assistance: Initially focused on connecting unhoused individuals to
local warming centers to reduce trespassing, the team now "intensifies" efforts during extreme
weather. In Jan 2026, ambassadors proactively offered services and assistance specifically in
response to freezing temperatures.134

●​ Safety and Hospitality Growth: The program began with a "partial crew" in October 2024, but
by fall of 2025, it consistently maintained target staffing levels.15
●​ Business and Community Engagement: Outreach has expanded to include regular "Business
Checks," which grew from 389 total in late 2024 to consistent monthly counts exceeding 1,000 by
early 2026.167
Evolution of Cleanup and Hazard Mitigation
The partnership has moved from reactive litter collection to large-scale, recurring place management and
specialized hazard removal.128
Phase

Cleanup Focus & Achievements

Early Ops (Late
2024)

Focused on basic litter (22 bags of garbage) 12

Expansion (Mid
2025)

Increased focus on large scale debris removals (21 in Aug 2025 alone)
and addressing graffiti.910

Sustainability (Late
2025)

Targeted long-term problem areas. For example, a 4-month daily effort
behind the Bangor Public Library resulted in a 30-day period with no
encampments or drug activity by Oct 2025.811

Maintenance (2026)

Shifted to "maintaining a clean and welcoming environment" through
regular cleaning of major garages (Epstein, Columbia, Pickering
Square) and trails.61213

Impact on Hazardous Waste
The scale of needle recovery and hazardous waste removal has seen dramatic fluctuations based on
targeted sweeps:
●​ Targeted Projects: In Sep 2025, the team conducted an extensive sweep for the YMCA
Redevelopment Project and Second Street Park to protect construction crews and residents from
blood-borne pathogens.514
●​ Reporting Sophistication: Needle recovery data evolved from simple counts to tracking "Unique
Needle Recovery Locations" (e.g., recovering 491 needles from 108 locations in Apr 2026),
allowing for better data-driven patrols.515
While total needle counts vary based on targeted sweeps, the number of "Unique Recovery Locations"
has grown, indicating that Ambassadors are identifying and clearing hazards across a wider patrol area
rather than in a few fixed locations.12
Needle litter also depends heavily on weather conditions as extreme cold reduces the number of
individuals using outdoors and snow makes recovery more difficult.
Month

Needles
Recovered

Unique Recovery
Locations

Geographic Focus & Key Cleanups

Sep
2025

698

N/A

Centralized: Major focus on the
YMCA Redevelopment Project,
Second Street Park and One
Merchant Plaza.34

Oct
2025

465

186

Dispersed: High recovery volume
across nearly 200 sites as they
maintained a clear environment
behind the Library.56

Nov
2025

269

109

Targeted: Major recovery from a
railroad encampment; continued
monitoring of the Waterfront.78

Dec
2025

55

31

Sustained: Significant reduction in
volume, likely related to snow cover
and inclement weather conditions;
focus shifted to covered areas like
the Epstein Garage and Camden
National Bank areas.910

Jan
2026

108

16

Winter Maintenance: Recovery
concentrated in 16 specific locations
during extreme cold outreach.1112

Mar
2026

345

148

Spring Cleanup: Wide-scale
recovery at the Transit Center and
various alleys behind businesses like
Waverly Tavern.1314

Apr
2026

491

108

Broad Impact: Heavy recovery at
the Half Acre lot and Kenduskeag
Stream Trail.215

Proactive Prevention Methods
Effectiveness is also measured by the proactive "Security Patrols" and "Quality of Life" checks that
identify potential encampment sites before they become established. By early 2026, Ambassadors were
conducting over 1,200 specialized garage, alley, and park checks monthly to maintain a "clean and
welcoming environment". In Apr 2026 alone, dedicated efforts at the Half Acre lot and Kenduskeag
Stream Trail focused on preventing the formation of encampments and maintaining public
access.7131114
Ambassadors work with Bangor Police Department and local service organizations to maintain community
standards in Downtown Bangor. Over the course of their work they have removed nearly 100 bags of litter
and trash from both public and private property including over 1000 needles, removed individuals from

camping overnight in public parks and private alcoves, connected with businesses and residents to
uphold community standards both inside and outside businesses and provide assistance in directing
people available services.
NETWORKING
Downtown Bangor provided both homogenous and
heterogenous networking opportunities to connect with
downtown stakeholders around issues of shared
importance.
DBP sent 26 stakeholder emails to over 450 businesses,
organizations and property owners during the first 10
months of this fiscal year to inform the business
community about opportunities and issues of importance.
In November, DBP hosted a property owner lunch for the
City’s Tax Assessing department to help property owners
understand their role in revaluation process.
We welcomed 22 new businesses in calendar year 2025
with ribbon cuttings and grand openings. Many of the new businesses worked with DBP staff to identify
and secure a location that met their needs. Several businesses moved from other existing locations to be
part of the downtown community and sited the marketing and collaboration in downtown as a driving force
in their decision.
ORGANIZATION
Fiscal year 2026 saw the realization of many of DBP’s strategic plan initiatives including increased
collaboration with City departments, increasing DBP staffing, increased marketing, enhanced
placemaking assets, and an update of the boundaries of downtown to include adjacent areas.
Downtown Bangor also began the process of launching a public facing welcome center in collaboration
with WKIT and Mix Maine by securing a high visibility location that can serve as a hub for helping visitors
from near and far access available amenities.
Downtown Bangor also received certification as a Main Streets Affiliate, forging new relationships and
opening the door for increased collaboration with other downtowns in Maine and providing access to new
funding streams. Staff and the Board of Directors have been attending organizational capacity workshops
and meeting with other downtowns in Maine

FY2026 Work Plan Overview (July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027)​

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This year the Downtown Bangor Partnership is focused on connecting with the new stakeholders brought
in through the district expansion to develop assets and infrastructure that support the look, feel, goals and
scale of the additional zones and create unique identities for the distinct areas of downtown.
DBP will also focus its resources on continuing to promote Downtown Bangor as a place to shop, dine,
play and stay locally and within our targeted tourism outreach zones which are built on piggyback
campaigns with Maine Office of Tourism and fine tuned to target Bangor’s specific demographics. There
were over 300,000 overnight trips to Downtown Bangor, the majority of which involved more than one
person with an average stay of just under three days.
Downtown Bangor plans to work with City Staff and Council to ensure a clean, safe and welcoming
environment for all through its ambassador program, volunteer collaborations and supplemental asset
contributions.
MARKETING
FY2027 will see continued investment in tourism marketing. Our marketing capital focuses on positioning
downtown Bangor as the shopping, dining and arts and culture destination for Central and Northern
Maine. As part of this effort, the DBP will continue to update and maintain existing assets like the Bangor
Culture and Arts Collective website and interactive public art map funding for a unified, city-wide effort in
promoting arts and culture.
We will continue our multi-year video project to produce, and update video content as we move through
each season, building out our asset library. We will be aided in this effort by marketing interns from
Husson University, who have shown a keen interest in capturing Downtown Bangor. The digital content
produced by student interns thus far has resulted in solid audience engagement (and many positive
comments) and helps us access a demographic we actively seek to bring downtown. We look forward to
expanding content driven by their unique points of view.
We use these videos in our digital and social campaigns, especially in major metropolitan areas with
direct flight paths to Bangor. We credit much of our success in drawing website visitors to the quality of
these assets and our strategic placement of them. Building on the momentum of FY26’s success in this
area, we plan to increase our advertising budget in digital spending, in FY27.
We also plan to grow our YouTube channel, taking advantage of the world’s second largest search engine
to show viewers the natural and architectural beauty of Downtown Bangor, as well as its unique events,
activities, and lifestyle. Each piece of content will have descriptive text to drive traffic to the DBP website.
Additionally, we will add to existing playlists of user-generated content of people experiencing Downtown
Bangor and the region.
Goals for downtownbangor.com include expanding content in areas that educate visitors on topics like
hosting events in Downtown, sample itineraries for target demographics, and additional landing pages for
marketing collaboration. Additional goals include streamlining analytic data and creating custom reports
with less labor and auditing site content to reflect current best practices for traditional SEO and AI search.
Since users come to us largely through organic content creation, we plan to increase awareness and
visitation through targeted dollars spent across digital, social, and print campaigns, in addition to content
marketing. We hope to continue our trend of organic visibility, ideally exceeding the more than six million
impressions of 2026.
We plan to continue to cultivate the community events page which is the most popular page on our
website, and grow it further by continuing to publish week and weekend event round-up posts on social

media channels, which have been incredibly popular. Since starting to post them, we have received an
uptick in requests to be included, resulting in additional event content in the Downtown event calendar.
​
We will also invest in Downtown Bangor social media platforms to reach new viewers and convert them to
become lovers of Bangor. We’ve seen excellent results with “slice of life” content over the past year, and
will lean into that kind of positive content.
In partnership with the City of Bangor, our current plan for the Visit Downtown Bangor guide is to expand
to include a section about assets in the City of Bangor that are outside of Downtown, which will direct
visitors to the most appropriate digital location, whether it is a City site or a custom landing page. We
anticipate a print run of 15,000 of both the guide and brochure map, which will lead visitors to a more
detailed online map to help them explore Downtown.
We look forward to a continued partnership with Mix Maine Media and WKIT as they move into 33 State
Street and broadcast from their street-level studio. The relationship has generated positive collaborations,
including live streams and live broadcasts of DBP events which provide a real benefit to participating
businesses.
DBP will continue to offer reduced-rate co-op marketing opportunities in key print publications, including
Visit Maine, Portland Mag and DownEast Magazine, while increasing investment in district-wide
campaigns that position Downtown Bangor as a destination, drawing visitors in by showcasing the full
experience of “shop, dine, play, stay” and letting them discover businesses organically.
Based on the success of digital campaigns last year, we will increase our digital marketing spend running
concurrent campaigns locally and in large urban centers with direct flights to Bangor. Our website and
social traffic indicate that Downtown Bangor holds interest as a destination for people looking for
small-town charm, “nature lite” and an urban experience, for couples from The County coming for a
concert to folks “from away” visiting the region for the first time.
NETWORKING & OUTREACH
Networking & Outreach Committee to conduct outreach efforts to build cohesion within downtown and
create connections with underserved stakeholders in the service sector, property owners, and residents,
creating ties that will help the DBP better understand and meet their needs.
The 2026 semiannual survey will provide a baseline for establishing areas of concern and pathways for
action within each subset of the downtown community.
The DBP will continue to host the property owner lunch and listening session to meet and advocate for
this sector.
The Networking & Outreach Committee will increase the frequency of retailer meetings, to help business
owners connect and continue to support each other through collaborative efforts.
The Networking & Outreach Committee will host meetings and public forums to engage stakeholders
including an annual social and town hall event to promote both formal and informal channels of
networking and communication.
Connecting with residents remains a top priority though capturing the attention of a significant number has
remained elusive. We hear from residents frequently, but would like to engage with them on a more
consistent basis.
Safety and security remain a top concern in the last four years. Addressing the issue is a combination of
improvements to safety and shifting the perception of safety via our marketing initiatives. DBP plans to

continue advocating for enforcement of existing ordinances and to encourage the adoption of ordinances
that improve the quality of life in Downtown Bangor and make it a more welcoming community.
EVENTS
The Events Committee will kick off FY27 with the annual Sidewalk Arts Festival, enhancing downtown’s
image as an arts and cultural center for Central and Northern Maine. Bangor Savings Bank is returning as
the Presenting Sponsor and we anticipate financial and volunteer support from other organizations as
well. The event already has more than 100 jury-selected artist-vendors committed to attending. We will
continue to offer free children’s activities and live musical performances on the festival main stage.
The PanStorm Summer Concert Series will return to West Market Square in late summer. In October, we
will host the ARTober Sidewalk Art Festival, with additional promotion of the event as part of Maine Craft
Weekend.
Plaid Friday and Small Business Saturday represent the start of major retail season in the US, and DBP
will continue to encourage visitation by ensuring that there are appealing activities for a wide variety of
interests. The Wabanaki Art Market provides a way for Indigenous microbusinesses to have a presence
Downtown during this weekend and has become an annual favorite for shoppers.
The holiday tree lighting and light show, as well as the photo-ready decorations that have been added to
the tree base, are significant attractions throughout the holiday season.
Downtown Bangor has become a resource for organizations seeking to execute events in Downtown
Bangor. One of the goals of the Downtown Bangor Partnership is to make Bangor an easy and inviting
place to host events of every scale and size. We have been compiling information on event venues and
will be sharing more information on how to hold events in Downtown Bangor on our website.
DBP provides organizational and marketing support for individuals and organizations seeking to execute
events in Downtown Bangor. We will continue to provide marketing support for events like First Friday Art
Walks, Bangor Pride, Stephen King Birthday Carnival, Janes Walks, and the Maine Witch Walk, among
others.
The Events Committee will continue to assist in promoting seasonal visitation opportunities like
Valentine’s Day, Maine Basketball Tournament, St. Patrick’s Day, Easter, Halloween, Bangor Rotary
Festival of Lights Parade, and New Year’s Eve.
They will also seek out and support the many events already happening within the district. The availability
of items of DBP-owned infrastructure, including popup tents, tables, and chairs, have been leveraged by
organizations who are hosting events Downtown, including a spring resource fair and the 33rd Annual
Pan New England Steel Band Festival. ​
​
Finally, it will remain the great pleasure of DBP staff and Board members to participate in some of the
most impactful events that happen in any Downtown community – celebrations of Downtown businesses,
from ribbon cutting ceremonies to anniversaries, expansions, and rededications.
BEAUTIFICATION
The Beautification Committee will focus its energy on gardens, lighting, and placemaking in FY 27 with a
specific focus on working with the newly annexed areas to develop the look and feel of the new district.
This includes a new banner program at major entry points to downtown.

Existing seasonal and year-round planters and flower
boxes will continue to bring colorful blossoms to
downtown. This year DBP completed the replacement of
20 of the aging wooden box planters and can now focus
on expanding our summer flower program with new
planters.
In honor of the semisesquintennial, we will be decorating
guard rails, flower boxes and buildings with red white and
blue for the entire season.
Adopt-A-Garden, which now has over 150 gardens
throughout downtown will continue in FY 27 with
improved collaboration with Public Works Staff (shout out
to Public Works for the amazing job they do supporting
the adopt-a-garden program). The invasive species program will continue to ensure the vitality of City
gardens in Downtown Bangor.
Lighting during the holidays will continue to brighten the darkest part of the year with 110 lamp posts
wrapped in lights. Our Downtown Ambassadors plan to assess and replace damaged and non functioning
lights. The color-changing Hamlin bistro lights will mark special holidays and occasions such as Pride
Month and St. Patrick’s Day to ensure downtown is a community center for shopping, gathering, and
celebration. We plan to add lighting to additional streetlamps as they are updated to allow for lighting.
Downtown Bangor partnered with Wabanaki Public Health and Wellness and City of Bangor to apply for a
T Mobile Hometown Grant to provide an all ages activation in Broad Street Park as Phase I of improving
the area underneath and adjacent to the Union Street Bridge overpass. If approved, the $50,000 grant will
create an interactive park-like setting with oversized topiary animals in the form of native species selected
by Wabanaki Public Health. Future phases of the project will provide lighting enhancements to the
underside of the bridge and create water filtering planters that clean the dirty water from the roadway
above before it enters the Penobscot River.
ORGANIZATION
As many of the goals from Downtown Bangor’s 2022 strategic plan have been implemented or are well
underway, the Board plans to create a new strategic plan to formalize and organize priorities and
initiatives including plans to open the Welcome Center.
The DBP continues to invest in professionalizing its staffing by sending both staff people to the
International Downtown Association’s (IDA) Fall Conference along with City Staff to learn best practices
and new ideas for urban placemaking through workshops, seminars and mentorship.
As a Main Streets Affiliate, DBP will continue investing in the knowledge bank of Maine Development
Foundation and Main Streets and DBP Board Directors and staff have been attending workshops that will
shore up organizational systems and capacity. We will host the annual Maine Downtown Center
Conference in 2027 bringing placemakers from across the state to Bangor.
SAFETY AND SECURITY
The DBP’s number one priority for visitors, residents, and owners within Downtown Bangor is the
enjoyment of our unique downtown by everyone without compromising the ability of one group to enjoy it
versus another. The DBP has supported initiatives to expand services for people experiencing
homelessness and for services at “points of service” for people experiencing substance use disorder and
in need of mental health services. We support the City of Bangor’s investments in these arenas.

Simultaneously, the City has made considerable investments in providing assets to Bangor residents as
well as in supporting tourism marketing via numerous organizations working in tandem to highlight the
City as a recreation destination. The recreation economy in Bangor is strong with established parks and
trails, public art and various visual and performing arts venues of nearly every size. Downtown Bangor is
home to a casino, a race track, a world class art museum, a professional theater and a top performing
concert venue. There are few communities, certainly not of this size, with so many assets in play.
The Park Ranger program, BCAT, and numerous other programs dedicated to helping those in need are
all welcome and important factors in improving safety and the perception of safety in Bangor.
Additionally, the DBP benefits from the presence of Officer Larby, our downtown walking officer and the
downtown custodian from Public Works. Although the downtown foot patrol and custodian has a tangible
effect, and is appreciated by the downtown community, the hours are generally limited to 8:00 a.m. - 4:00
p.m., Monday through Friday and downtown has an active night and weekend scene.
The Downtown Ambassadors will continue to monitor public and private spaces on nights and weekends
ensuring Downtown remains safe and clean for visitors. Bangor Police Department has been helpful and
collaborative in helping the Downtown Ambassadors navigate the continuously shifting landscape of
ordinances and community standards that are being enforced.
Over the past year there has been an influx of day and night time activity for Ambassadors to manage.
Ambassadors will continue to enforce shared community standards.
The Ambassadors have been incredibly successful in mitigating the impact of disruptive behaviors
downtown within the boundaries of what they are allowed to do. One of our biggest challenges is that a
key KPI is that services are delivered without a complaint being issued, i.e. a proactive approach to
removing problems before they are noticed. Delivering services in this way often means that the public is
unaware of the scope of issues that are being addressed. In FY 27 Downtown Bangor plans to better
enhance service communication strategies.
Additionally ambassadors plan to strengthen relationships with service providers in downtown and use
downtown warming shelters as a base of operations during the coldest months so they can provide
supportive services to those using and running shelters.

Downtown Bangor Partnership
2027 Budget
2027 Budget

2026 Budget

Revenue
4000 Levy - Special Assessment

$285,600.00

$239,009.84

$230,000.00

$230,000.00

$1,000.00

$1,000.00

Requested Assessment Increase
Requested Ambassador funding
4050 Interest
4100 Sponsorships

$27,556.00

$7,000.00

$3,000.00

4110 Beautification

$50,000.00

$12,000.00

4120 Events

$33,000.00

$16,000.00

4130 Networking & Outreach

$3,250.00

$3,250.00

4140 Marketing

$32,000.00

$15,000.00

Total 4100 Sponsorships

$125,250.00

$49,250.00

4500 Event Revenue

$10,000.00

$7,500.00

$20,000.00

$4,000.00

Pride
4900 Other Income
RERC Digital Kiosks Administration

$3,000.00

$3,000.00

Mix Maine Sublet

$30,000.00

$18,000.00

Other Sublet

$12,000.00

$4,800.00

TIF Funding for ED

$43,746.12

$43,746.12

Total Revenue

$760,596.12

$627,861.96

Expenditures
5100 General & Administrative
5105 Accounting Fees
5106 Legal & Professional Fees

$3,060.00

$3,060.00

$500.00

$250.00

5107 Legal Advertising

$7,000.00

$7,000.00

5108 Other Contracted Services

$7,500.00

5110 Insurance

$2,000.00

5112 Workers Comp Insurance
5115 Memberships/Registration Fees
5120 Postage & Printing
5122 Supplies

$2,000.00

$877.50

$877.50

$8,000.00

$6,000.00

$75.00

$75.00

$1,500.00

$1,500.00

$1,500.00

$1,504.00

Equipment - New Computer
5124 Phone & Internet
5130 Bank & Credit Card Fees

$200.00

$200.00

$42,000.00

$18,000.00

Electricity

$1,800.00

$1,200.00

Heat

$8,000.00

5140 Rent

5142 Other Business Expenses

$500.00

5150 Payroll
5152 Payroll Wage Expenses- ED

$69,601.49

$63,739.73

5153 Payroll Wage Expenses - Mktg/Event

$63,051.53

$57,189.60

Payroll Wage Expense Interns

$8,060.00

$8,000.00

5154 Payroll Tax Expenses

$10,228.91

$9,780.32

5156 Payroll Fees

$2,100.00

$2,100.00

5158 Retirement Benefits

$3,979.59

$3,627.82

$157,021.52

$144,437.47

$241,534.02

$186,103.97

Total 5150 Payroll
Total 5100 General & Administrative

5200 Marketing
5210 General

$10,500.00

$1,000.00

$21,550.00

$34,000.00

5214 Website

$2,000.00

$2,000.00

5216 Television/video

$14,500.00

$7,000.00

5218 Digital

$29,000.00

$7,000.00

Total 5210 General

$77,550.00

$50,000.00

5240 Holiday Promotion

$8,000.00

$8,000.00

$85,550.00

$58,000.00

5305 Flower Boxes

$7,500.00

$7,500.00

5310 Gardening

$5,250.00

$5,250.00

5315 Holidays and Lighting

$2,500.00

$10,000.00

5320 Art

$15,000.00

$10,000.00

Banners and Streetscape

$10,000.00

5212 Printed Materials

Total 5200 Marketing

5300 Beautification

Total 5300 Beautification

$40,250.00

$32,750.00

Total 5400 Events

$24,000.00

$24,000.00

Pride

$20,000.00

$4,000.00

Total 5500 Networking & Outreach

$3,750.00

$3,750.00

$5,000.00

$5,000.00

Operational Reserve

Street Plus/Service Provider
5600 Public Safety - StreetPlus

$340,000.00

$310,000.00

Total 5600 - Public Safety

$340,000.00

$310,000.00

Total Program Expenses

$518,550.00

$432,500.00

Total Expenditures

$760,084.02

$623,603.97

$512.10

$4,257.99

Net Revenue

Community & Economic Development

Anne M Krieg, AICP - Director

Memorandum
To:
From:
Date:
Regarding:

BED
Anne Krieg
May 28, 2026
Proposed Moratoriums

Please accept the attached orders as a request from Councilor Fish for committee
consideration. She requested staff to prepare these moratoriums for legal review and
ultimately to take to the full City Council for review.
amk

Item No

Date

CITY COUNCIL ACTION
Council Meeting Date: [placeholder] [xx], 2026
Item No:
Responsible Dept: Councilor Requested
Action Requested: Ordinance

Map/Lot: N/A

Title, Ordinance
Moratorium Ordinance on chemical dependency treatment facilities in the City of Bangor, Maine.
Summary
The proposed ordinance would establish a 180-day moratorium on the development of chemical dependency
treatment facilities in the City of Bangor. The City of Bangor is proposing to temporarily halt the establishment
or expansion of chemical dependency treatment facilities in Bangor while City staff and the Council undertake
a comprehensive review of policy options. The moratorium is intended to protect public health, safety, and
welfare while the City evaluates best practices, legal considerations, and potential impacts on the community.
At present, Bangor does not have a specific ordinance regulating these services. Without a temporary pause,
there is a risk that a program could be initiated before the City has had the opportunity to fully consider how
such services should be structured, regulated, or integrated into our public health framework.
Therefore, the City Council finds that a moratorium of 180 days is necessary to develop and implement the
necessary amendments to the Land Development Code to accommodate and mitigate negative impacts from
this development pressure.
This item has been placed on the agenda pursuant to the request of Councilor Fish.
Committee Action
Committee: Business & Economic Development Committee

Meeting Date: [PLACEHOLDER], 2026

Action:

For:

Against:

Staff Comments & Approvals

City Manager

Introduced for:

First Reading and Referral

City Solicitor

Finance Director

Item No

Date

CITY COUNCIL ORDINANCE
Date: [placeholder] [xx], 2026
Assigned to Councilor:

ORDINANCE, Moratorium Ordinance on chemical dependency treatment facilities in the City of Bangor, Maine.
WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Bangor, Maine, has a responsibility to protect the public health,
safety, and general welfare of its residents; and
WHEREAS, there are currently three chemical dependency treatment centers within the City; and
WHEREAS, the City has not performed an analysis to determine the number of chemical dependency
treatment centers necessary to serve a City the size of Bangor nor best practices for the best location of such
facilities within the City; and
WHEREAS, the City Council finds that the establishment or expansion of chemical dependency treatment
facilities within the City of Bangor have significant public health, safety, and community impacts that require
careful study and possible amendment of existing ordinances; and
WHEREAS, the City’s current ordinances do not specifically address chemical dependency treatment facilities
and are inadequate to prevent serious public harm from establishment or expansion of chemical dependency
treatment facilities within the City; and
WHEREAS, the City Council finds that allowing the establishment or expansion of chemical dependency
treatment facilities without the presence of use-specific regulations could pose risks to public health, safety,
and general welfare of its residents; and
WHEREAS, a temporary moratorium will provide the City with necessary time to study these issues, consult
with experts, consider appropriate regulations, and develop standards to mitigate potential adverse impacts;
and
WHEREAS, the City Council finds that a moratorium of 180 days is necessary to develop and implement the
necessary amendments to the Land Development Code to accommodate and mitigate negative impacts from
this development pressure; and
WHEREAS, amendments to the Land Development Code require a public hearing by the Planning Board and
City Council; and
WHEREAS, in the judgement of the City, these facts create an emergency within the meaning of 30-A
M.R.S.A. 4356 (1)(B) and require the following Moratorium Ordinance as immediately necessary for the
preservation of the public health, safety, and welfare;
NOW THEREFORE BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BANGOR AS
FOLLOWS, THAT a moratorium is hereby imposed, effective immediately and applicable to the maximum
extent permitted by law and subject to the severability clause below, on the acceptance, processing, and
approval of any applications, permits, or approvals related to the establishment, construction, or expansion of
chemical dependency treatment facilities within the City of Bangor until the effective date of the necessary
amendments to the City’s zoning and land use ordinances and regulations or until 180 days after the adoption

Item No

Date

of this Ordinance, whichever is earlier; and
BE IT FURTHER ORDAINED, that for the purposes of this Moratorium Ordinance, “chemical dependency
treatment facilities” shall mean a state-licensed facility for the treatment of chemical dependency; and
BE IT FURTHER ORDAINED, that the Planning Division, Code Enforcement Division, Planning Board, Board
of Appeals, all City departments and all City employees shall neither accept nor approve any applications,
plans, permits, licenses, and/or fees for any new construction or uses governed by this Moratorium Ordinance
for such chemical dependency treatment facilities for said period of time; and
BE IT FURTHER ORDAINED, that those provisions of the City’s Land Development Code and other
regulations which are inconsistent or conflicting with the provisions of this Moratorium Ordinance, including,
without limitation, the requirements for site plan review by the Planning Board, subdivision or Site Location of
Development review by the Planning Board, and variance appeals by the Board of Appeals, are hereby repealed
to the extent that they are applicable for the duration of the Moratorium Ordinance hereby ordained, but not
otherwise; and
BE IT FURTHER ORDAINED, that to the extent any provision of this Moratorium Ordinance is deemed invalid
by a court of competent jurisdiction, the balance of the Moratorium Ordinance shall remain valid.
EMERGENCY CLAUSE:
In view of the emergency cited in the preamble, this Moratorium Ordinance shall take effect immediately upon
passage by the City, shall apply, to the maximum extent permitted by the law but subject to the severance
clause above, to all proceedings, applications, and petitions not pending as of the date of adoption of this
Ordinance, and shall stand repealed as of 180 days after the adoption of this Ordinance.

26-

05/XX/2026

CITY COUNCIL ACTION
Council Meeting Date: May XX, 2026
Item No:
Responsible Dept: Councilor Requested
Action Requested: Ordinance

Map/Lot: N/A

Title, Ordinance
Moratorium Ordinance on Syringe Service Providers in the City of Bangor
Summary
The proposed ordinance would establish a 180-day moratorium on the development of any new or the
expansion of any existing syringe service programs (SSPs), also referred to as needle exchange programs, in
the City of Bangor. The moratorium is intended to protect public health, safety, and welfare while the City
evaluates best practices, community need, legal considerations, and community impact.
At present, the City of Bangor does not have a specific ordinance regulating SSPs and their location. Without a
moratorium, there is a risk that a new SSP could be developed or expanded before the City has had the
opportunity to fully consider their appropriate location, regulation, and integration into the City’s public health
framework. Therefore, the City Council finds that a moratorium of 180 days is necessary to develop and
implement the necessary amendments to our Code to proactively address their location and regulation prior to
the development or expansion of any additional SSPs within the City.
This item has been placed on the agenda pursuant to the request of Councilor Fish.
Committee Action
Committee: Business & Economic Development Committee

Meeting Date: May XX, 2026

Action:

For:

Against:

Staff Comments & Approvals

City Manager

Introduced for:

First Reading

City Solicitor

Finance Director

26-

05/XX/2026

CITY COUNCIL ORDINANCE
Date: May XX, 2026
Assigned to Councilor: Fish

ORDINANCE, Moratorium Ordinance on Syringe Service Providers in the City of Bangor
WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Bangor, Maine, has a responsibility to protect the public health,
safety, and general welfare of its residents; and
WHEREAS, the City regulates land use and development to ensure that infrastructure systems, including
water supply and wastewater treatment, are adequate to support existing and future uses, and that potential
pollution is mitigated; and
WHEREAS, the City of Bangor is suddenly experiencing increased development pressure from data centers;
and
WHEREAS, data centers are a rapidly growing and evolving land use that typically require substantial
electricity and water usage for cooling and related operations, often generate air, water, and noise pollution,
and can take up a very large amount of land; and
WHEREAS, because this development pressure was unanticipated, existing ordinances and development
standards do not adequately address the unique infrastructure demands, environmental impacts, impacts to
neighboring property owners, and operational characteristics of data centers; and
WHEREAS, the potential cumulative impacts of data centers on Bangor’s municipal water supply, groundwater
resources, wastewater infrastructure, electrical grid, and air and water quality are not yet fully understood; and
WHEREAS, there is strong support for this Moratorium Ordinance from the Bangor Water District and
members of the public; and
WHEREAS, the City Council finds that allowing the establishment or expansion of data centers without the
presence of use-specific regulations could pose risks to water availability, wastewater system performance,
electrical grid resilience, environmental quality, quality of life, and the long-term interests of the community;
and
WHEREAS, a temporary moratorium will provide the City with necessary time to study these issues, consult
with experts, evaluate infrastructure capacity, consider appropriate regulations, and develop standards to
mitigate potential adverse impacts; and
WHEREAS, the City Council finds that a moratorium of 180 days is necessary to develop and implement the
necessary amendments to the Land Development Code to accommodate and mitigate negative impacts from
this development pressure; and
WHEREAS, amendments to the Land Development Code require a public hearing by the Planning Board and
City Council; and
WHEREAS, in the judgement of the City, these facts create an emergency within the meaning of 30-A
M.R.S.A. 4356 (1)(B) and require the following Moratorium Ordinance as immediately necessary for the

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preservation of the public health, safety, and welfare;
NOW THEREFORE BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BANGOR AS
FOLLOWS, THAT a moratorium is hereby imposed, effective immediately and applicable to the maximum
extent permitted by law and subject to the severability clause below, on the acceptance, processing, and
approval of any applications, permits, or approvals related to the establishment, construction, expansion, or
operation of data centers within the City of Bangor until the effective date of the necessary amendments to
the City’s zoning and land use ordinances and regulations or until 180 days after the adoption of this
Ordinance, whichever is earlier; and
BE IT FURTHER ORDAINED, that for the purposes of this Moratorium Ordinance, “data center” shall mean
any building, structure, or facility, or group thereof, whose primary use is the storage, management,
processing, or transmission of digital data, and which houses computer systems, servers, and associated
components, including but not limited to cooling systems, power supply infrastructure, and water-dependent
cooling technologies. This includes, but is not limited to cloud computing facilities, server farms, cryptocurrency
mining operations, artificial intelligence training or processing facilities, and data storage warehouses; and
BE IT FURTHER ORDAINED, that the Planning Division, Code Enforcement Division, Planning Board, Board
of Appeals, all City departments and all City employees shall neither accept nor approve any applications,
plans, permits, licenses, and/or fees for any new construction or uses governed by this Moratorium Ordinance
for such data centers for said period of time; and
BE IT FURTHER ORDAINED, that those provisions of the City’s Land Development Code and other
regulations which are inconsistent or conflicting with the provisions of this Moratorium Ordinance, including,
without limitation, the requirements for site plan review by the Planning Board, subdivision or Site Location of
Development review by the Planning Board, and variance appeals by the Board of Appeals, are hereby repealed
to the extent that they are applicable for the duration of the Moratorium Ordinance hereby ordained, but not
otherwise; and
BE IT FURTHER ORDAINED, that to the extent any provision of this Moratorium Ordinance is deemed invalid
by a court of competent jurisdiction, the balance of the Moratorium Ordinance shall remain valid.
EMERGENCY CLAUSE:
In view of the emergency cited in the preamble, this Moratorium Ordinance shall take effect immediately upon
passage by the City, shall apply, to the maximum extent permitted by the law but subject to the severance
clause above, to all proceedings, applications, and petitions not pending as of the date of adoption of this
Ordinance, and shall stand repealed as of 180 days after the adoption of this Ordinance.