South Portland has passed a new rule requiring developers to consider electric vehicle charging infrastructure when building new parking areas.
The new ordinance applies to new or reconstructed parking lots with at least five parking spaces.
For large housing developments, at least 10% of spaces will need to have EV chargers installed.
For lodging and employee parking, at least 40% of spaces must be "EV-capable" — meaning electric wiring can be easily routed to each space, and there's enough electrical capacity to handle the added load. Exemptions can be made for affordable housing projects.
The new rule will go into effect on Dec. 5.
