The city of Biddeford is reviewing its options after the Saco River Corridor Commission approved an extension on the University of New England’s pier proposal Wednesday night. 

The proposal has faced significant backlash over the last year, primarily because of a 250-foot buffer zone the commission enacted in 2001.

Some residents have also spoken out against the project because of the impact it could have on mooring holders on the Saco River, but it’s unclear how many moorings would actually have to move.

The university says only one would be affected, while the city says it could be anywhere from two to six. The commission says it doesn’t know. 

Biddeford harbor master Paul Lariviere did not respond to multiple phone calls and emails over the past few weeks seeking comment on the moorings.

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.

Biddeford Mayor Liam LaFountain said the city is looking at the implications of the commission’s decision, and that legal counsel will provide the City Council with an update following a review. 

LaFountain said Thursday that he did not want to “get ahead of” that analysis or speculate further at this time. 

In January, the Biddeford City Council passed a moratorium pausing development by UNE, including the project.

Both Biddeford and UNE have also appealed to the courts to intervene on their behalf. The city asked the state’s highest court in April to determine whether the commission acted within its authority in 2024; that came after a lower court judge declined to consider the matter, citing timing and jurisdictional issues.

And in May, UNE sued the city over its refusal to issue a permit for tree removal near the proposed pier site. In addition to asking for the denial to be reversed, the university wants a York County Superior Court judge to declare that the moratorium violates Maine law.

John Schafer, a resident of the Hills Beach community and former chair of Biddeford’s Harbor Commission who has been critical of the current proposal, said the Saco River Corridor Commission’s decision to extend UNE’s permit “hurts their reputation very badly.” 

“The commissioners committed reputational suicide last night,” Schafer said Thursday. “The SRCC is criticized for being capricious and arbitrary. Last night, they proved that.” 

The commissioners cited several reasons for approving the university’s pier project permit extension Wednesday. 

Commissioner Peter Larabee, of Limerick, said buffer zones are “almost a category of suggestion.”

“It’s situational, and situations change,” he said. “We have to decide what makes the most sense at any given time.” 

Biddeford City Attorney Harry Center said the city’s planning board and commission members were not aware of the buffer zone when they initially approved the project in 2024.

“It seems shocking that we missed it, and Biddeford missed it in planning and zoning,” commission member Donna Hanson said Wednesday. “In my opinion, three wrongs don’t make a right, but none of us were intentionally ignoring that.”

Commissioner David Robinson, of Standish, said the SRCC asked UNE to follow the rules, which the university did. The commission doesn’t have to follow the rules set in 2001, he said. 

“We approved it once with our eyes wide open. They met our standards,” Robinson said. “They’re working with us to make the river better.” 

The university expressed appreciation for the commission’s decision in a written statement Wednesday. 

Sarah Delage, a spokesperson for UNE, said the decision marks an important step forward for a project that has undergone years of planning, environmental review, regulatory oversight and public discussion. 

“The research pier will support UNE’s educational and scientific mission by expanding opportunities for marine science research, student learning and partnerships that contribute to a greater understanding of Maine’s coastal environment,” Delage wrote. 

The university is also committed to being a responsible steward of the Saco River and a constructive partner in the Biddeford community, Delage wrote. 

So far, minimal work has been done on the site. The university is waiting for Biddeford’s Institutional Zone Review Committee to lift the moratorium, which Delage expects to happen soon.

Once it gets the green light to do so, UNE plans to begin work by clearing trees on the site, Delage said.