By RANDY SEAVER, Editor

One by one, more than a dozen area residents approached the podium to offer comments and concerns about development at the University of New England’s Biddeford campus during a public hearing held by members of the newly created Institutional Zone Review Committee.

The committee, which includes UNE President Dr. James Herbert, listened carefully to some often-heated public testimony during the hour-long hearing.

Several residents said they were not there to “bash the university,” but rather to urge the committee for a more thoughtful and deliberate review process when it comes to the city’s Institutional Zone residents.

Many residents expressed anger, frustration and concerns about recent development projects planned by the university.

Gary McMullen of Biddeford told the committee that he hopes they can “do something to improve the process” regarding how development at UNE’s campus is approved.

“I don’t have anything against UNE,” McMullen said. “It’s about the process.”

McMullen talked about how Paul Lariviere – the city’s harbormaster – was removed from the review process of a controversial, large-scale research pier the university is hoping to soon construct on the Saco River.

McMullen cautioned the committee from accepting a false narrative that Lariviere was opposed to the project, saying the harbormaster was only opposed to the exact location being proposed by UNE.

Bunny Wermenchuk of Biddeford told the committee that her family’s property – which they first purchased in the mid-1970s – was then located near the former St. Francis College.

Over the years – Wermenchuk said – her family’s home became surrounded by sprawling growth, after St. Francis College became the University of New England.

“I’m not here to bash the university,” Wermenchuk said. “I’m here to talk about our ordinances for development at the university.”

Wermenchuk remined the committee that it has been more than 25 years since the university’s master development plan has been updated and approved by the Biddeford Planning Board.

“Over the last 24 years, there has been a lot of growth at UNE,” she said. “I support that growth, but I want to make sure it is happening the right way.”

Wermenchuk said UNE’s waterfront location impacts many things that affect the community – from the environment and fisheries to the concerns of mooring owners in proximity to the campus.

Kelly Mourmouras told the committee that there is a long history of UNE doing things differently than what was told to Hills Beach residents.

Mourmouras — who graduated from UNE — said her husband served as vice president of the Hills Beach Neighborhood Association when the city’s first Institutional Zone Review Committee was formed in the mid-1990s.

“I want to thank Mayor [Liam] LaFountain for establishing this committee,” she said. “The transparency and honesty in the process are important. We had numerous meetings with the university, and it was always very challenging.”

Diane Doyle, a Saco resident, told the committee she was concerned about UNE’s plans to purchase the former St. Joseph’s convent property, which is located on the shores of the Saco River, roughly two miles west of UNE’s main campus.

Doyle said she and her neighbors across the river have now noticed many “bright lights” being erected on what was once a relatively quiet and hidden property.

“We are concerned about how UNE is going to develop that particular property,’” Doyle told the committee.

City Councilor Pat Boston – the committee’s chair – reminded the audience that the convent property is not located within the city’s Institutional Zone, and thus concerns about that specific property are not relevant to the committee’s work.

Does UNE benefit Biddeford?

Over the last few weeks, the Biddeford Gazette has received and published several letters to the editor and guest columns related to the University of New England and its numerous benefits to the community.

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But Biddeford resident Joe Emmons challenged many of those positive assumptions.

“How, exactly, do Biddeford residents benefit from what is happening at UNE?” Emmons asked rhetorically.

Lori Nerbonne described herself as a newer Biddeford resident and raised concerns about a property that the university recently purchased near her Red Oak Lane neighborhood.

“There has always been a buffer between the university and our residential neighborhood via UNE’s access road’ (to the beach),” Nerbonne told the committee. “Now, there is no buffer because the property they purchased is a home inside the residential zone in our very small neighborhood.”

Shawn Tibbetts – one of seven mooring owners who could be impacted by the university’s pier – blasted the city for a lack of communication about ongoing development at the university campus.

Tibbetts, a commercial fisherman, said no one from the city or the university would even return his calls and emails about how the proposed pier could impact his livelihood.

“At no point, were local harbormasters involved in the review of the pier UNE wants to build, and that was a huge mistake,” Tibbetts told the committee. “This is the stuff UNE doesn’t want to talk about.”

Tom Hatch, another Biddeford mooring owner, said his concerns and questions last year about UNE’s proposed pier project were ignored by the city.

“I reached out to the former mayor, the former city manager and even Senator [Susan] Collins.” Hatch told the committee. “I got a grand total of zero response.

“As a taxpayer and a stakeholder, you expect—at least – to get some kind of response.”

Hatch told the committee he hopes to see a “dramatic improvement” in how the city and the university communicate with residents.

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“As a taxpayer and a stakeholder, you expect—at least – to get some kind of response.”

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Resident Paul Brady – a waterfront property owner – told the committee that “the city needs a watchdog to watch all of us on the river.”

Following the hour-long public hearing, the committee opted to immediately go back to its ongoing review and examination of development issues within the Institutional Zone.

Boston reminded the audience and those watching online that additional comments and concerns can be sent to the committee via a group email at InstitutionalZoneReview@biddefordmaine.org

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR |  Randy Seaver is the editor and founder of the Biddeford Gazette. He has been covering Biddeford news and politics for nearly three decades. He may be reached by email: randy@randyseaver.com

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