Biddeford withdraws opposition to UNE’s proposed research pier

In a reversal, the city of Biddeford says it will not stand in the way of the University of New England's proposal to build a pier on the Saco River to be used for research. The pier is designed to be a year-round resource and would replace a seasonal dock. The city's decision follows years of disputes. The pier has already gotten approvals from the Army Corps of Engineers, Saco River Corridor Commission, Maine Department of Environmental Protection and the Biddeford Planning Board. “UNE appreciates the city of Biddeford's decision to dismiss its appeal and welcomes the clarity provided through the Saco River Corridor Commission. The SRCC's recent vote reaffirmed the validity of UNE's permit and confirmed that activities within the 250-foot vegetative buffer remain subject to the commission's oversight and approval," the university said in a statement this week. “After years of environmental review, public hearings and regulatory scrutiny, UNE remains confident that the project can move forward while protecting the Saco River and its surrounding environment. We are hopeful we can return to a strong and collaborative relationship with the mayor and city council for the benefit of Biddeford residents and UNE students alike." Town-gown tension The city's original position was that the pier would violate guidelines laid out in 2001 by the Saco River Corridor Commission, which called for a 250-foot vegetative buffer zone that would prohibit development. Separately, earlier this year the city put in place a moratorium on any development by UNE, including an already approved renovation of Decary Hall, to be used by the school’s College of Business. In May, the university sued the city in York County Superior Court to have the moratorium declared invalid. That case is still pending. This past August, the Saco River Corridor Commission voted to extend UNE’s permit for the project by two years. Looking forward Sarah Delage, associate vice president of communications, told Mainebiz that UNE is now awaiting permits from the city to proceed with tree removal on the access road to the pier site — necessary before construction can begin. “As for next steps, there should be no reason for the city to further delay issuing UNE permits on approved projects like the pier," Delage said. "The city has stated that the Institutional Zone Review Committee’s recommendations are for future projects and won’t apply to the pier or the Decary Hall renovation project.” The university is an economic driver UNE also released this week the results of an independent study that finds the university annually generates more than $53 million in economic activity for Biddeford, including $3 million in indirect municipal revenues. The study, by FXM Associates of Mattapoisett, Mass., found that UNE employs more than 925 staff, 245 of whom are Biddeford residents, and that students spend an estimated $37.4 million annually at local businesses. Visitors attending university events, the study noted, contribute nearly $2 million annually to the local economy.