PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • January 5, 2026
Scarborough residents are largely satisfied with life in town, but they’re worried about the pace and scale and rapid pace of growth, according to results of a community survey released late last month. Scarborough is one of Maine’s fastest growing towns, and pushback against growth is a common refrain among some residents. They share concerns about increased property taxes, difficulties accommodating a growing student population, impact to public infrastructure and increased traffic. The majority of survey respondents who had an opinion said that multifamily and single-family residential development was happening too fast. A new state law signed in June exacerbated the community’s concerns about growth. In an attempt to address Maine’s affordable housing shortage, the law limits zoning restrictions and municipalities’ ability to regulate development.