About this Event
Where: GPCOG Casco Bay Conference Room
970 Baxter Blvd, second flood
Portland, ME 04103
When: Tuesday, November 17, 2026 from 5:30 - 8:30pm
Dinner provided
Details
Greater Portland Council of Governments (GPCOG) is partnering with the state’s Municipal Planning Assistance Program and the Maine Coastal Program to host a workshop on nature-based planning strategies that encourage resilient shorelines in coastal communities. Coastal geologists, scientists, state agency staff, local practitioners, and other experts will help attendees understand pathways to incorporate nature-based strategies (NBS) into land use planning practices and municipal operations and how those integrate into local implementation and enforcement. Also hear about the draft Municipal Coastal Bluff Model Ordinance in development.
Dinner will be provided and attendees will have the option to stay for coffee, dessert, and office hours after the event to speak directly with experts and local practitioners about specific projects.
Code enforcement officers will receive a continuing education credit from the Division of Building Codes and Standards within the Maine Office of Community Affairs. This is also an opportunity for municipal officials and code enforcement to connect and network.
Outcomes
Participants in this workshop will learn planning and management strategies for building coastal resilience to hazards and pathways for incorporating nature-based design principles. Through expert presentation, discussion of local scenarios, and open forum Q&A, participants will leave with an understanding of nature-based management, regulatory, and enforcement strategies at the watershed and municipal scale for maintaining long-term hazard resilience and habitat stewardship.
Who Should Attend
All are welcome! Key audiences are municipal staff, volunteer commissions, town and regional planners, resilience planners, code enforcement officers, and local practitioners. Individual property owners are welcome but this content is geared toward municipal staff, local commissions, and stakeholders in planning and enforcement.
Questions? Contact Senior Sustainability Program Manager Kelly Rehberg at [email protected]
Event venue & nearby stays
Greater Portland Council of Governments, 970 Baxter Blvd., Portland, United States
Concerts, fests, parties, meetups — all the happenings, one place.