UNE lawsuit against Biddeford over development moratorium heads to Maine Supreme Court

Added: 2026-05-28

[00:00:00]A legal battle between the University of New England and the city of Baiver is now headed to the main Supreme Judicial Court.

[00:00:05]>> UNE is suing the city after leaders approved a 180day moratorum on university development earlier this year.

[00:00:13]>> CBS 13's Max Williams explains why the university says its long-standing relationship with the city is now changing.

[00:00:21]>> A dispute between the University of New England and the city of Bifford has made its way to Maine's highest courts.

[00:00:27]>> Litigation wasn't our first choice. UNE is suing the city for disrupting approved projects through a development moratorum the city established in January.

[00:00:37]>> And the city hasn't given any straightforward explanation as to why they're placing this moratorium.

[00:00:43]>> No, not one that makes sense. Ron Schneider, vice president for legal affairs for the University of New England, says while they believe there was no straightforward reason for the moratoria, they think it was sparked by the university's push to replace this existing pier with a new one along the Sako River.

[00:01:00]>> The full year round permanent pier will allow students to engage in research and work on the water year round. A project first initiated in 2009 is still being debated by city leaders. According to the city's website, the project violates a long-standing permit that requires new developments to retain and maintain a 250 foot wide vegetative buffer along the entire shoreline. The pier's proposed access road would violate that permit.

[00:01:33]However, the project has already been approved by the city planning board. But now politics seems to have taken over.

[00:01:40]>> The city held a meeting just for public comment on the pier in October with many opposed to the location of it and at least one other saying it could affect boat moorings.

[00:01:50]>> There's at least seven that have to move so that UA can even use this pier.

[00:01:56]>> Meanwhile, the university disagrees and um in many respects it's a false narrative. uh a narrative that says this pier is going to go out into the federal channel into the middle of the river.

[00:02:09]>> Now, we did reach out to the city of Bifford for an interview today, but they said they don't comment on ongoing litigation. When we asked the University of New England if this has affected their relationship at all with the city, they said just with city leaders, not the city itself. in Bifford. Max Williams, CBS 13 News.