BIDDEFORD, Maine — Some former city leaders in Biddeford are highlighting concerns over a potential pier project after controversy over where it should be built stalled plans.
For more than a decade, leaders at The University of New England have outlined plans to build a year-round Marine Research Pier as a part of its Master Plan.
Starting in 2015, leaders at UNE said they consulted a marine engineering firm to conduct a feasibility study to determine the best place to build the pier.
"We reviewed nine different sites along the shore, taking into account limited environmental impact, no impacts to the navigation channel, and more," UNE Vice President of Operations Al Thibeault said.
Thibeault said one site, commonly called 'Site 7,' was what marine engineers and the university landed on as their preferred location. In a letter sent by UNE leaders, they said the Biddeford Harbormaster Paul Lariviere initially agreed, until recently.
Now, some city leaders including former Harbor Commission Chair John Schafer said a spot adjacent to Site 7 would be better according to factors like water depth, location, and more.
"To me, there's a whole number of contradicting facts in all of this; the primary one being this location versus that location," Schafer said. "It's all about science and it's all about the data, and the data says that this is a superior location."
According to a city ordinance, the Biddeford Harbormaster is required to approve the construction of any new pier or wharf.
Despite the Harbormaster's recommendations, UNE continued to advocate for Site 7 as a location to build the pier.
After several public comments were made against UNE's preferred pier location by the Harbormaster, even before the university submitted its application, Biddeford City Manager Jim Bennett said he decided to remove him and others from the approval process due to a potential "bias."
"The most important thing from my perspective is to make sure that the process is unbiased and objective," Bennett said. "My concern is the process...end of story."
While UNE leaders say litigation is its last resort, others like Schafer say they believe the city is acting out of fear of legal trouble, something Bennett says is not the case, and the opinions of those familiar with the area should have more weight to the discussion.
"I was sidelined, the Harbor Commission was sidelined, the Harbormaster was sidelined, the Assistant Harbormaster was sidelined and we were taken out of it," Schafer said.
According to a recent press release from the City of Biddeford, leaders plan to hire a private consulting firm to review UNE's application moving forward.
The proposed pier plan will still need approval from the Maine Department of Environmental Protection and the Army Corps of Engineers.