Portland council refers median strip ordinance to committee after tense debate

The Portland City Council voted 7-1 to refer a proposed median strip ordinance to its Sustainability and Transportation Committee, over objections from Councilor Wesley Pelletier, who called it an effort to criminalize panhandling. The council also postponed a Brown Street restaurant license application over a legal question, accepted federal brownfields grants, and approved new CDBG priorities. Councilor Anna Bullett asked the Rules Committee to review how special Wednesday meetings are scheduled and align the council's holiday calendar with Portland public schools.

Key points

• The council voted 7-1 to refer the median strip ordinance to the Sustainability and Transportation Committee, with Councilor Wesley Pelletier opposed.
• Pelletier said the referral was sparked by the death of Jason Ayers and accused supporters of using it to stymie panhandling; Councilor Regina Phillips said she felt disrespected and noted the council has discussed medians for a decade.
• The council unanimously postponed Order 43-26-27, a Class 11 restaurant lounge license with outdoor dining for Che Biso at 11 Brown Street, to its October 5 meeting after the city manager said a legal problem with the license type surfaced that afternoon.
• The council unanimously approved a $500,000 EPA brownfields assessment cooperative agreement and a $1 million brownfields revolving loan fund amendment, with staff saying the cleanup funding is lower than in past years.
• The council unanimously adopted the 2026 CDBG Priority Setting Task Force recommendations and 2027-2031 consolidated plan priorities; Councilor Kate Sykes said past reports show the city meets service targets but lags on prevention goals like affordable housing and homelessness prevention.
• Public comment included Falmouth resident Paul Rudenberg asking the city to require private parking operators to post rates and stop using "public parking" signs on private lots, and advocates urging the council not to refer the median ordinance to committee.

Next steps

• The Brown Street license application (Order 43-26-27) returns to the council on October 5 while Corporation Counsel works with the applicants on the legal question.
• The median strip ordinance goes to the Sustainability and Transportation Committee, which meets the second Wednesday of each month at 5 p.m.
• Councilor Anna Bullett asked the Rules Committee to take up how and when special Wednesday meetings are scheduled and to align the council holiday calendar with Portland public schools' closures for Yom Kippur and Eid.
• City staff said a past Chamber of Commerce and city jobs program for people panhandling on medians may be revived next spring.

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