PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • December 11, 2023
A plan to build a 734-space parking lot at the Portland International Jetport is facing mounting criticism from residents who say it contradicts the city’s ongoing efforts to promote sustainable development, reduce surface parking and encourage tree growth. The controversy comes as newly elected Mayor Mark Dion has identified fighting climate change and expanding Portland’s tree canopy as priorities of his administration. The nearly 6-acre parking area would be built near the airport’s existing garage and would include about 3 acres of wooded wetlands that currently shield part of the Stroudwater neighborhood from noise, light and air pollution generated by the jetport.