News Flash

BANGOR, Maine -- The City Council has approved the formation of a new standing Council committee that will ensure the interests of Bangor residents are being represented at the State House in Augusta. 

The creation of the Legislative Committee takes effect the week of March 2 and is the result of a meeting Councilors held earlier this winter with the City’s state legislative delegation, at which Councilors expressed an interest in the adoption of a new standing committee to coordinate responses to state-level legislation that impacts the City of Bangor.

“The City Council wants to be sure the interests of the City are clearly heard in Augusta,” said Councilor Daniel Carson, who will chair the Legislative Committee. “We intend to move swiftly in working with the City’s state legislative delegation and other elected officials on legislative matters pertinent to the City and our residents, while also providing input to our delegation and other lawmakers on legislative proposals.”

The Legislative Committee also will seek sponsorship of legislation that is in the City’s interest. Joining Carson on the committee are Councilors Susan Deane, Carolyn Fish, Joseph Leonard and Angela Walker.

The committee becomes the sixth standing committee of the City Council, with the others being the Business & Economic Development Committee, Finance Committee, Government Operations Committee, Infrastructure Committee and Personnel Committee. 

Members of the Legislative Committee, much like the other committees, will be appointed shortly after the annual election of the Council Chair in November. They will serve terms of one year each and until their successors are appointed. 

Most Council committees meet monthly but the Legislative Committee will meet as required – with its work ramping up when the Maine Legislature is in session, as it is now. 

The Legislative Committee must keep the full Council apprised of the committee’s activities and must obtain full Council approval prior to taking any action on behalf of the Council. 

###

The City of Bangor, Maine, is a service center community of 31,753 residents and is the county seat of Penobscot County. Bangor is the major commercial and cultural center for much of northern and eastern Maine. The City is an equal opportunity employer and service provider. For information on City projects and news, see www.bangormaine.gov

BANGOR, Maine – The City of Bangor Planning Division will host a public information session on proposed changes to the Land Development Code resulting from legislation passed by the State last year.

This session will be open to the public on March 17, 2026, at 7 p.m. in the Council Chambers of Bangor City Hall during the regularly scheduled Planning Board meeting. 

These proposed changes relate to requirements of LD 1829, An Act to Build Housing for Maine Families and Attract Workers to Maine Business by Amending the Laws Governing Housing Density; LD 427, An Act to Regulate Municipal Parking Space Minimums; and LD 997, An Act to Allow Residential Use Development in Commercial Districts. 

The biggest changes resulting from this legislation are the requirement to allow a minimum of 4 dwelling units on a 5,000-square-foot lot if the lot is inside the City’s growth boundary and on public water and sewer; an allowance for additional height and reduced parking space minimums for affordable housing; a requirement to allow ADUs (accessory dwelling units) on any lot that has 1 to 3 dwelling units; an allowance for projects to use off-site parking within 0.25 miles of the site to satisfy parking requirements; a requirement to allow residential units in commercial districts; and reduced review requirements for projects creating 3 to 4 dwelling units. 

The City of Bangor is required to be in compliance with LD 1829 and LD 427 by July 1, 2026, and must comply with LD 997 by July 1, 2027. The changes discussed at the meeting will consist of an initial round of edits focusing on the urban zones of Bangor. Later edits will focus on the transitional and rural zones in the City.

The public is welcome and encouraged to attend the meeting in person or via Zoom. Public comments are allowed over Zoom; however, you must register before 9 a.m. on March 17 at https://bangormaine.gov/504/Meeting-Participation. Zoom details can be found at the City’s website under www.bangormaine.gov/calendar. The Planning Board meeting may be streamed live via the City of Bangor's YouTube page; however, comments are not enabled during streaming. 

###

The City of Bangor, Maine, is a community of 31,753 residents and is the county seat of Penobscot County.  Bangor is the major commercial and cultural center for much of northern and eastern Maine.  The City is an equal opportunity employer and service provider.  For information on City projects and news, see www.bangormaine.gov.

BANGOR, Maine -- An invasive insect that can devastate red pine trees has been detected in at least three Maine counties and there is concern that it will eventually spread to Penobscot County and Bangor, according to the City's Forestry Division. 

Red pine scale (RPS) is a scale insect native to Asia that is believed to have been introduced to the U.S. in the 1930s. It feeds on nutrients in red pine trees by inserting their sucking mouthparts into the upper branches and twigs. This feeding interrupts the flow of nutrients and water to the needles of the trees, leading to canopy decline and eventual death. RPS was first detected in Maine in Hancock County on Mount Desert Island in 2014. Since then, it has also been found in Washington County and York County. Over 1,800 acres of red pine mortality have been detected by the Maine Forest Service and are directly attributed to RPS.

The City of Bangor has 131 red pine street and park trees. These trees will continue to be monitored for signs and symptoms of RPS; however, they are of relatively low concern because they are a low percentage of the urban canopy. What is of greater concern are the thousands of red pine trees planted in plantations across the City’s publicly owned properties and parks in Bangor and Winterport. These are monocultures of red pine that are highly susceptible to RPS infestations and much more difficult to monitor on a regular basis. Additionally, because of the density of the plantings and closure of the forest canopy, in most of these plantations there is little to no tree regeneration growing underneath to succeed the overstory red pine trees.

Chemical treatment of publicly owned red pine is not a viable option for managing RPS in the City. For this reason, active management through invasive plant management, thinning, harvesting and replanting these red pine plantations is the chosen course of action. Invasive plant management will occur first and involve the use of mechanical, cultural and chemical controls. 

This will be followed by a pre-commercial thinning of the red pine, where the least successful trees are removed to allow the remaining red pine to maximize their growth, and promote natural regeneration of other tree species. This management will reduce wildfire risks, increase forest species and age diversity, and improve wildlife habitat. A final harvest of the remaining red pine will be performed once RPS is detected in Winterport or Bangor. 

Spacing out the removal of red pine in these plantations will give the more successful trees the opportunity to increase in size so that they are more likely to be merchantable by the time they are harvested. If adequate regeneration of native tree species isn’t achieved by the time the final harvest is completed, replanting the areas with seedlings may be necessary. Appropriate species for the soil types and other environmental conditions will be selected.

For more information, contact: Sophia CameronForest TechnicianCity of Bangor207-992-4504sophia.cameron@bangormaine.gov

###

The City of Bangor, Maine, is a service center community of 31,753 residents and is the county seat of Penobscot County. Bangor is the major commercial and cultural center for much of northern and eastern Maine. The City is an equal opportunity employer and service provider. For information on City projects and news, see www.bangormaine.gov

BANGOR, Maine -- The City Council recently reinstituted remote public comment for municipal meetings, and there is now a required pre-registration form for those wishing to offer remote comment during a meeting. 

To provide comment remotely during any one of several meetings, a person must pre-register using the City's online form. All registrations must be received by 9 a.m. on the date of the meeting during which a person would like to comment. 

Be aware that public comment requirements can vary. For instance, comments during Council meetings can be wide-ranging, but comments directed to the Planning Board must relate to an item on the agenda.

Here's the link to access the registration page to provide remote public comment: https://bangormaine.gov/504/Meeting-Participation

The City's updated Remote Participation Policy was adopted by the Council on Dec. 22, 2025. The Council sought to update the policy after contending with offensive remarks made remotely.

The registration requirement is separate from, and has no bearing on, those who attend a municipal meeting and wish to provide an in-person comment. There is no change for those wanting to offer in-person commentary. 

Those participating in a public meeting are asked to keep all comments civil and respectful.

###

The City of Bangor, Maine, is a service center community of 31,753 residents and is the county seat of Penobscot County. Bangor is the major commercial and cultural center for much of northern and eastern Maine. The City is an equal opportunity employer and service provider. For information on City projects and news, see www.bangormaine.gov.

BANGOR, Maine -- State public health officials are warning about exposure to measles in Penobscot County after a person in Bangor tested positive for the virus, the first such case reported in Maine since 2019, according to the Maine Center for Disease Control & Prevention.

The person is an adult who contracted measles after visiting a state with measles cases, and was infectious from Jan. 28 to Feb. 5. The state CDC notified facilities where potential exposure occurred and is working with them to inform those who were potentially exposed.

Those who may have been exposed include people who were at the Emergency Department of St. Joseph Hospital in Bangor on Tuesday, Feb. 3, from 8:30 to 11 a.m. Exposure also may have occurred to those visiting Hill View Mini Barns in Etna on either Jan. 28 or 29, the CDC said in an advisory. 

Bangor Public Health & Community Services is hoping this is an isolated case but encourages anyone wishing to receive the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine to visit the Bangor Public Health Clinic at 103 Texas Ave. An appointment can be made by calling 207-992-4547 Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Walks-ins are welcome and are accepted on Mondays and Wednesdays from 9 a.m. to noon, and Thursdays from 1 to 3:30 p.m.

The MMR vaccine also is available from several other providers in Bangor, including the Bangor Drug Company, Concentra, Convenient MD, CVS Pharmacy, Hannaford Pharmacy, Shaw’s Pharmacy, Walgreens Pharmacy and Walmart Pharmacy. 

Please remember, the best protection against measles is vaccination. Those who are not immunized or do not know their measles immunization status should get vaccinated with at least one dose of MMR vaccine to protect from subsequent exposure.

Measles is a highly contagious disease that is particularly dangerous to children 5 and under, according to the CDC. Symptoms include fever, malaise, cough, conjunctivitis, followed by a rash. The incubation period – the time it takes symptoms to appear after exposure – is typically 10 to 14 days, but can be as long as 21 days. 

Rash most commonly appears about 14 days after exposure and spreads from the head to the trunk to the lower extremities, according to the CDC. It can cause severe complications including pneumonia, encephalitis and death. 

The virus spreads to others through the airborne transmission of droplets when an infected person coughs or sneezes. The virus can live for up to two hours in an airspace or on surfaces after the infected person coughs or sneezes. Measles is so contagious that if one person has it, 90% of the people close to that person who are not immune will become infected. 

Cases of measles have been increasing nationally with over 700 cases in 2026. Measles has been detected in some wastewater surveillance sites in the Northeast. 

###

The City of Bangor, Maine, is a service center community of 31,753 residents and is the county seat of Penobscot County. Bangor is the major commercial and cultural center for much of northern and eastern Maine. The City is an equal opportunity employer and service provider. For information on City projects and news, see www.bangormaine.gov

BANGOR, Maine -- With winter upon us, the City wants to provide a list of warming centers for those people in need of shelter or a place to warm up. Hours and availability vary by location, with both daytime and overnight options offered.

Warming centers include the Brick Church, The Sanctuary at Together Place, Mansion Church, and The Well/Jericho Road. Additional resources such as shelters, day centers and meal programs are also available for those seeking support during cold weather.

For full details on dates, hours, capacity and services, visit the City’s Warming Centers page at www.bangormaine.gov/820/Warming-Centers

Please keep in mind that some warming centers have modified their hours for the weekend of Jan. 24 and 25, 2026, due to dangerously cold temperatures that are expected. Those modified hours include: 

• Bangor Area Recovery Network (BARN), 142 Center St. in Brewer, will be open Saturday at 9 p.m. to Sunday at 9 a.m. 
• Brick Church, 126 Union St. in Bangor, will be open all weekend with no limit on number of guests and no time‑of‑day restrictions.
• Mansion Church, 96 Center St. in Bangor, will be open Saturday at 6 p.m. to Sunday at 7 a.m., and Sunday at 3 p.m. until Monday at 7 a.m.
• Needlepoint Sanctuary will operate a shelter at the Unitarian Universalist Society at 120 Park St. in Bangor, from 7 p.m. Saturday until 4 p.m. Sunday.
• Together Place, 2 Second St. in Bangor, has a night shelter with hours from 6 p.m. to 7 a.m.

A few other things to keep in mind as temperatures remain frigid into the week of Jan. 26, 2026: 

• Make sure you have enough propane or heating oil. It's also a good idea to stock up on food and water to avoid having to go out in the cold.
• If using a space heater, make sure you are operating it according to manufacturer guidelines and keeping it away from flammable objects. 
• Be sure to check on neighbors. 

###

The City of Bangor, Maine, is a service center community of 31,753 residents and is the county seat of Penobscot County. Bangor is the major commercial and cultural center for much of northern and eastern Maine. The City is an equal opportunity employer and service provider. For information on City projects and news, see www.bangormaine.gov

BANGOR, Maine -- Following a successful trial period during the 2024–2025 winter season, the City Council earlier this year authorized that City policy be updated to allow overnight on-street parking during the 2025-2026 winter season. 

For many years the City had prohibited overnight on-street parking during the winter to support snow removal operations by the Public Works Department. However, a change to the City’s zoning ordinance reduced the number of off-street parking spaces required for certain dwellings, prompting a review of winter parking regulations.

As a result, the updated winter parking policy now aligns with on-street parking rules in place throughout the rest of the year -- on even-numbered days, motorists must park on the side of the road with even-numbered addresses, and on odd-numbered days motorists must park on the odd side of the street. 

When a heavy snowfall occurs, Public Works is busy clearing and sanding roads, and a parking ban can be necessary to assist in that effort. Here's what is required when a parking ban is declared: 

• City-wide Parking Ban ("Snow Clearing Order"): All vehicles must be moved to off-street parking.
• Downtown Parking Management District Parking Ban: Only vehicles within the management district must be moved to off-street parking.

When a City-wide Parking Ban is declared, the following municipal lots will be available for overnight parking from 5 p.m. to 7 a.m.:

• Cameron Stadium (Mt. Hope Avenue parking lot)
• Columbia Street Parking Deck (lower deck only)
• Cross Insurance Center (section of Lot C only)
• Essex Street Dog Park
• Gateway Park
• Hayford Park
• Pickering Square Parking Garage (back section of lower deck only)
• Union Street Recreation Center
• Upper Abbott Parking Lot (back section only, 6 p.m. to 6 a.m., due to metered parking schedule)

Signs at the entrance to each of these lots indicate that they are available for parking during parking bans.

When Public Works needs to clear accumulated snow from areas outside the Downtown Parking Management District, a no-parking notice will be issued through the City of Bangor mass alert system. Additionally, temporary no-parking signs will be placed on the edges of the road where Public Works will be removing snow. Residents are encouraged to use the mass alert system to sign up for parking notifications and traffic alerts.

###

The City of Bangor, Maine, is a service center community of 31,753 residents and is the county seat of Penobscot County. Bangor is the major commercial and cultural center for much of northern and eastern Maine. The City is an equal opportunity employer and service provider. For information on City projects and news, see www.bangormaine.gov.