What's in Store for 2026

The start of the year is a fundamental time for preparing for the months ahead in the Town of Scarborough. The Town Council meets to establish clear goals to focus on, informed by both ongoing projects/issues as well as community sentiment from the well-timed survey responses received in early January. This theme continues into the spring as the proposed budget is developed for the year ahead. Based on the FY2026 budget, ongoing issues, and defined council goals, here are some anticipated areas we can expect to hear more about in 2026.

Traffic Improvement Projects

The Town will continue to make road improvements according to what was budgeted this year, with projects to enhance both pedestrian and motor vehicle transportation. The final phase of Spurwink Road, from Pleasant Hill Road to the Cape Elizabeth town line, is intended to be completed (Phase I occurred in 2024). The Town will also resume its design work on East Grand Avenue, a complete streets project focused on safety for all users (motorists, cyclists, pedestrians, transit). Another resiliency project anticipated to occur this year is an engineering design for the resiliency of lower Payne Road. The area currently floods during coastal storm events and is identified as a high priority road in Scarborough’s Vulnerability Assessment. An engineering study of Payne Road is needed to determine how to upgrade the road to address this.

Growth and Development

LD 1829, a housing law set to go into effect in July, will promote higher density residential development and reduce a municipality’s ability to limit it. Given the current capacity and effect on infrastructure/services, as well as concern expressed by the community, the Town Council is advocating for legislative changes. This is expected to be an ongoing public process for the next several months. Meanwhile, the council will also have further discussions about the Town’s Rate of Growth ordinance, impact fees (paid by developers), the use of moratoriums and other measures to address the impacts of development in Scarborough.

Scottow Hill Road

Scottow Hill Road remains closed since late May 2025, when unexpected culvert failures left the road impassable. Due to the road’s proximity to a protected tidal stream, state regulations prohibit construction outside of a November-April period. With the regulatory delay in performing the repairs, Town staff has used this time as an opportunity to explore several options. In an effort to consider all options, the Town applied for a grant for potential road closure due to its vulnerable status (identified in the 2025 Vulnerability Assessment) as well as grants for replacement of the culverts. The repair estimates and grant funding will be fully reviewed by the Town Council at a workshop scheduled for February 4. Depending on the direction the Town Council chooses, there likely will be considerations in the FY27 budget.

Short Term Rentals

The Ordinance committee spent several months of 2025 reviewing the potential creation of a Short Term Rental (STR) ordinance. Scarborough is one of few municipalities in the area that does not currently have one. In October 2025, the council voted against a new ordinance that would require the annual registration of STRs as a means of monitoring neighborhood impacts. STRs continue to be an issue of concern heard from residents, so the council has set a goal of adopting an ordinance in 2026. 

Climate Action Plan

The Town is working on an initiative called Sustaining Scarborough to ensure our landscape, infrastructure, and neighborhoods remain resilient into the future. In 2026, a staff advisory group will work with consultants to develop a Climate Action and Adaptation Plan. The plan will identify targeted goals, strategies, and actions so the Town and community as a whole can collectively reduce greenhouse gas emissions and further prepare for the impacts of climate change already being experienced. There will be several public engagement activities this year as it comes together.

Trails and Sidewalks Master Plan

Residents have continued to voice support for pedestrian connectivity and sidewalks. Approved in the FY2026 budget, work will begin on a Trails and Sidewalks Master Plan to identify new trails and trail networks, as well as incorporate new sidewalks and shared use paths throughout Town. The plan will also include strategies for maintenance and managing usage to avoid user conflicts and ensuring critical habitat and wildlife areas are protected in and around trails. 

K-8 School Solution

A $139.8 million project to renovate, add to, and rebuild facilities for Scarborough K-8 schools was approved by voters in November 2025. The design work and construction documents will be the main focus of moving the project forward in 2026, guided by a new Post-Referendum Building Committee.

Municipal Budget

The municipal budget is presented, reviewed, and approved by the Town Council each spring from March-June. The school budget process follows a similar timeline, starting earlier in March and concluding with voter approval in the June election. The FY2027 aims to address ways of sustaining the quality of Scarborough and will be largely driven by council goals and resident concerns expressed in the community survey results.

Communication

The Town makes it an ongoing effort to ensure residents have clear and transparent access to what’s happening in our local government. While we currently use the website, email newsletter, and social media and major communication channels, the Communications Committee (made up of councilors and staff) will continue to find opportunities for improvement in broadening access. This comes after nearly a year of the Scarborough Leader weekly newspaper going out of print and resident feedback seeking a non-digital source of town information.