By DIANE SNOW | Cumberland, Maine
Biddeford Mayor Liam LaFountain’s recent op-ed regarding the city’s new Institutional Zone Review Committee (Biddeford Gazette, Feb. 28, 2026) is very interesting.
The mayor mentions that it is time to review the zone ordinance since it has not been updated in nearly 25 years. He refers to a need for clarity on “what is permitted, how impacts are evaluated, and how decisions are made.”
LaFountain adds that the “recently appointed institutional zone review committee will `review the ordinance, gather public input, and recommend whether revisions are warranted.”
The committee, according to the mayor’s piece, was formed through a “regular public appointment process” and describes the background of the appointees.
His column refers to the possible need to update the ordinance, based [upon] infrastructure influence, traffic patterns, public safety demands and neighborhood character.
While the above is interesting, of greater interest, is what was not mentioned.
Given that this committee Is largely composed of Hills Beach residents, what exactly has been the “regular public appointment process” by which they were nominated? This is not just between Hills Beach and the university; this involves the entire city.
The mayor suggests the need for a comprehensive update referring to infrastructure influence, traffic patterns, public safety demands, and neighborhood character.
Largely missing is mention of the services of a professional city planner with the necessary expertise to balance the needs of the residents, the university and the city at large.
Finally, since it is time to update ordinances to accommodate the needs of our citizens, isn’t it also time to review the accessibility of our beautiful beaches to the residents at large?
All city residents pay taxes not just Hills Beach. These taxes pay for streets and public areas and should be accessible to all.
Those with homes in the most desirable areas of public interest should accommodate the need to share reasonable accessibility with others. The deliberate exclusion of available parking for beach access is reprehensible. It is time to correct this.
[Editor’s Note The city of Biddeford has been working on and deliberating the need to expand public parking opportunities in the city’s coastal neighborhoods over the last several weeks.]
Remove the no parking signs. Provide more public parking for beach accessibility.
If our city government is truly representative of the city at large, this can be done. Do our politicians really represent us? – or is it heavily weighed in favor of a particular group?
Diane Snow, Cumberland, Maine
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