The University of New England wants to build a research pier on the Saco River at its Biddeford campus.

But over the past few years, the proposed project has generated significant backlash from members of the Biddeford city government and the community.

Complaints have included the location UNE wants to build on, a decision to bar the city harbormaster from commenting on the proposal, and a perceived lack of communication from the city and the university. 

Here’s what you should know — so far — about the project. 

This article will continue to be updated as the project proceeds.

What is the pier project, and why does UNE want it? 

The college wants to build a pier on the Saco River adjacent to the Arthur P. Girard Marine Science Center on UNE’s Biddeford campus.

The pier would be used for year-round research and aquaculture projects and has been included in the university’s master plan since 2009. 

University officials say the location, directly across the river from the Camp Ellis town pier, was chosen because it is outside the navigation channel and has the least impact on moorings.

When could the project be completed? 

The construction timeline is unclear. UNE spokesperson Sarah Delage said the question of when the pier will be ready is “tough to answer” because the construction schedule depends on when UNE can initiate the project. 

As of late March, the project could be completed by summer of 2027, Delage said, though that’s subject to change.

Why is the project controversial? 

The project is controversial largely because of Biddeford residents’ concerns, including its proposed location on the Saco River. 

Mooring holders, who are typically commercial fishermen, have said the project would cause seven moorings to be displaced, affecting their livelihoods. 

During a General Meeting of the Citizens last year, Biddeford commercial fisherman Shawn Tibbetts said his mooring would be directly affected by the pier.

“There’s no way they can use these docks,” Tibbetts said. “The tides change, and there are times I can’t get my boat on my mooring. That tide turns sometimes every 15 minutes in that eddy.”

Will mooring permits affect the pier development? 

UNE said mooring permits, which are issued by the city and are valid through 2027, will not affect pier development. 

Some mooring holders have argued that their permits mean the project cannot proceed. But Delage says the city has told UNE that moorings can be moved at any time. 

According to Delage, there are just two moorings that would need to be moved to complete the project, and UNE would cover the cost of relocating them. The moorings would only need to be moved about 100 feet, she said.

Delage also said the university has reached out to mooring owners to discuss the project and how it may affect them.

What did the General Meeting of the Citizens entail? 

In September, Biddeford residents called for a special meeting to air grievances about the controversial pier project. An organizer submitted a petition to Biddeford City Hall that called for the rarely invoked “General Meeting of the Citizens.” 

The meeting, which took place in October, was allowed by the city charter because the organizer had gathered over 100 signatures. 

Throughout the meeting, dozens of Biddeford residents shared concerns about the proposed pier project. Comments primarily focused on the location of the pier and a perceived lack of communication from the university. 

What is the 2001 buffer zone, and how does it relate to the Saco River Corridor Commission’s 2024 decision? 

In 2001, the university and the Saco River Corridor Commission agreed to establish a 250-foot vegetative buffer zone along UNE’s section of the Saco River. In 2024, the commission decided to permit UNE to continue with the pier project, despite the buffer zone. The city of Biddeford has argued that those two decisions contradict each other.

In December, Biddeford filed a complaint for review that called on the York County Superior Court to overturn the commission’s 2024 decision.

The complaint was dismissed by the court in March, with the judge saying the city had no legal standing because of timing and procedural issues.

The city missed a 30-day window to petition the commission to reconsider the permit, Justice James Martemucci wrote, meaning the court had no jurisdiction to rule on the situation.

And even if the city had received a final decision from the commission after petitioning for a review, the complaint for review was not filed quickly enough for the court to legally consider it, Martemucci wrote.

The dismissal means the project remains “legal and valid.” The city has said it may consider other legal options to halt the project.

Why was the former Biddeford harbormaster barred from commenting or voting on the project? 

In 2024, then-Biddeford city manager James Bennett barred harbormaster Paul Lariviere and assistant harbormaster Randy Desmaris from commenting or voting on the project. 

Bennett said he made that decision because it was “necessary to ensure the application was reviewed in an unbiased process” that did not violate UNE’s due process rights. 

Part of Lariviere’s role as harbormaster includes reviewing applications like the pier project, but Bennett said Lariviere made comments suggesting there is “absolutely no way he is going to consider that application.” 

Lariviere disagreed, saying he would not comply with Bennett’s directive, which he called unconstitutional. 

Bennett left office in early 2025, while Lariviere and Desmaris still hold their respective roles.

What is the Institutional Zone Review Committee, and why was it revived? 

The Institutional Zone Review Committee was created late last year amid residents’ concerns over some UNE proposals. Its first meeting was held in February.

According to the city, part of the committee’s goal is to review the city’s definition of an institutional zone, which covers the majority of UNE’s Biddeford campus.

The committee consists of City Councilors Patricia Boston and Marc Lessard, UNE President James Herbert, and three Biddeford residents. The city expects to receive the committee’s recommendations in July. 

Why did Biddeford halt the permitting process for the pier, and when? What does that mean for the project? 

The Biddeford City Council voted unanimously on Nov. 6 to halt the permitting process for the pier so it could consult the Maine Attorney General’s Office. 

According to the city, the attorney general needed to clarify whether the 2001 SRCC buffer zone permit was relevant to the proposal. 

The decision meant that pier development was paused from Nov. 6 to March 23. 

What’s next?

The IZR Committee will continue to review the city’s Institutional Zone Ordinance language through the spring and is expected propose recommendations to the City Council this summer.

If the city chooses not to pursue other legal options to halt the pier project, it will continue as expected, with a current proposed completion in 2027.