Saco Planning Board Denies Ecology Education Inc.’s Extension Request Amid Concerns Over Missed Deadlines and Payments

The Saco Planning Board on Feb. 3 denied Ecology Education Inc.’s request to amend Condition 9 of a 2018 site-plan approval — an amendment that would have extended the project completion deadline to June 3, 2027. The board’s vote to deny was 4 in favor, 1 opposed and 1 abstention.

The ruling followed a lengthy public hearing that drew a steady stream of residents and experts who questioned both the school’s financial health and whether required contract milestones had been met. Board member Jeff Brochu, who moved to deny the amendment, said the record shows missed deadlines and delayed payments under the construction loan agreement the city executed with the applicant in May 2024. "They didn't pay for the design until the whole project was supposed to be completed," Brochu said in explaining his motion.

Why it matters: The contested condition requires coordination to build an off-site left-turn lane at Simpson Road that is linked to an MDOT Business Partnership Initiative (BPI) grant. If the BPI deadline is missed, the…