What's New

The Department of Public Works (DPW) Parks & Greenery Division is in full springtime operation. The annual planting of 100 new trees is complete, and the Division now turns its attention to pruning, mowing, and garden maintenance, paying special attention to the lawns in City parks.

Specifically, the Division plans to reseed the grass in Goodwin and Haven Parks starting May 13, 2024 (weather-permitting). DPW asks that dog owners pay close attention to that effort and work to keep their pets off the newly seeded lawns. 

The public is invited to attend a City Council Work Session for the Community Policing Facility with City staff and consultants on Monday, May 20, 2024 at 6 pm in Council Chambers at City Hall and via Zoom. City staff will be on hand starting at 5:30 pm to discuss the history of the project efforts to date and answer questions from the public.

Starting Monday, May 13, 2024, the Department of Public Works will perform final paving on the section of Market Street between Deer Street and Hanover Street. The work will require the closure of the street to all vehicular traffic and no parking between 7 am and 6 pm, Monday, May 13 through Friday, May 17, 2024.

For over twenty years, the Arbor Day Foundation has recognized Portsmouth with its Tree City USA Award. For the past five years, the Foundation has also awarded its Tree Growth Award to the City’s Department of Public Works urban forestry crew. City Arborist Supervisor Max Wiater with the City’s Parks and Greenery Division, led by Parks and Greeneries Foreman, Corin Hallowell and the Trees & Public Greenery Committee, have helped Portsmouth achieve this distinction and plan to honor the outgoing Trees & Greenery Committee Co-Chair with this year’s Arbor Day commemorations.

The City’s Public Art Review Committee (PARC) has issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) from artists interested in submitting designs for a work of art on Peirce Island to be funded through the City’s Percent-for-Art program. In preparation for the RFP, PARC held three community input sessions to discuss the Committee’s role, the history of Peirce Island, and the process for determining a location for the Peirce Island Art Project.

The Planning & Sustainability Department is hosting the first Market Square Master Plan Public Workshop in City Council Chambers on April 24, 2024 at 5:30 pm.

This extensive project will explore and document proposed changes for Market Square with vigorous community input and professional design assistance, to create a plan that forms a foundation for the design of necessary infrastructure upgrades and enhancements to Market Square. The planning process will continue throughout 2024 and inform the upcoming Citywide Master Plan.

In a unanimous vote on March 18, 2024, the Portsmouth City Council adopted the recommendation of the City’s Parking Division to change the 2012 Parking Ordinance which sets all on street and City parking lot rates to the same price. The change will go into effect on Monday, April 15. The new ordinance does not affect rates in the Foundry or Hanover garages.

In September 2023, the City of Portsmouth was notified that it had received $965,333 in Congressionally Directed Spending from the Federal Pre-Disaster Mitigation Grant Program through the NH Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management for the Peirce Island Road Resiliency Project. Work on the project is scheduled to start the week of April 15, 2024 and is anticipated to be completed by mid-June 202

The City of Portsmouth declared itself an Eco-Municipality in 2007. Since then, it has taken steps to improve the environment in areas under the City’s direct control. In addition, it has encourag

As required by State law, all dogs residing in the City of Portsmouth must be licensed annually. Before the license can be issued, the dog must be properly vaccinated against rabies.

The fees for new or annual renewals are: