Fate of UNE pier project to be considered at Saco River Corridor Commission meeting
The question of whether the University of New England’s pier proposal can proceed will be up for debate Wednesday night at a public hearing of the Saco River Corridor Commission.
The SRCC’s hearing is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. Wednesday at the Saco Community Center.
The pier would be located on the Saco River, adjacent to the Arthur P. Girard Marine Science building, and would be used for year-round research and aquaculture projects, the university has said.
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The proposal was initially approved by the SRCC in September 2024, and the university was given two years to complete the project.
Since then, though, the project has been repeatedly delayed. In several discussions before the Biddeford Planning Board and City Council, some city officials and residents have raised concerns that the project contradicts a previous SRCC decision and could harm residents who hold moorings on the river.
Residents called into question a 2001 SRCC decision that established a 250-foot buffer zone along UNE’s section of the riverfront, arguing that the university ignored the buffer zone in order to continue with pier construction.
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In December 2025, Biddeford filed a complaint for review that called on the York County Superior Court to overturn the SRCC’s decision to allow UNE to proceed with the project.
That complaint was thrown out in March, but the City Council then enacted a moratorium that would keep UNE from doing any work on the pier proposal.
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The moratorium was extended while the Institutional Zoning Review Committee completes its work, UNE spokesperson Sarah Delage said. But UNE’s two-year period in which the SRCC originally said it must complete the project is up.
Now, it is up to the SRCC to decide whether the university can continue the project. UNE has filed an extension request that seeks to extend its deadline to complete its work by Sept. 13, 2028.
Wednesday night’s meeting is open to the public.
Editor’s note: This story was updated on Aug. 11 to update the status of the city of Biddeford’s moratorium and correct information about mooring holders on the Saco River.
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Tagged: biddeford city council, construction, Planning Board, Saco River, University of New England
Sydney is a community reporter for Biddeford, Saco, Old Orchard Beach, Kennebunk, Kennebunkport and Arundel and previously reporter for the Courier and Post. Sydney grew up in Kennebunk and is a graduate. More by Sydney Richelieu
