Saco City Council Meeting - March 10, 2026: Moratorium Repeal, Rent Stabilization, and Public Comments

The Saco City Council met on March 10, 2026 (meeting began March 9th at 6:30 p.m. and continued into March 10th) to address a range of issues including a special performance by the Twin City Theater Academy, public comments on sidewalk conditions and mobile home park rent increases, a vote to repeal the emergency moratorium on Blue Haven Park lot rent increases, and a discussion on potential rent stabilization ordinances for mobile home parks. The council also approved minutes, received administrative updates, and held an executive session on legal and real estate matters.

Consent Calendar

• Approval of the minutes from March 2, 2026, passed unanimously 6-0.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Trinity Miller (24 Garfield Street) expressed concerns about unsafe sidewalk snow removal, forcing pedestrians to walk in roadways. She requested the city use sand instead of salt.
• Reverend Robert Henry (24 Pheasant Road) thanked the council for supporting residents in the rent increase dispute, noting that residents' voices have made a difference.
• Rodney Champagne (17 Clayton Drive, Blue Haven community) spoke about the need for rent stabilization protections in manufactured home communities, citing steep lot rent increases that outpace wage growth. He noted that Blue Haven's majority owner is a California-based nonprofit and urged the council to schedule a workshop on rent stabilization.
• Sarah Gardner (17 Pinehaven Street) read a statement on behalf of her husband Gary and also spoke personally. She argued that the final agreement with Blue Haven ownership offers only short-term relief and requires residents to surrender rights, with no long-term rent protections beyond 2026. She urged passage of a rent stabilization ordinance.
• Lisa DeRocher (18 Pine Haven Street) supported keeping the emergency moratorium and called for a rent stabilization ordinance, noting that residents were coerced into signing agreements.
• Hope Lambert (14 Pheasant Road) described her lot rent increasing from $35 in January 2025 to an additional $145 in December 2025, a 37.5% increase. She expressed uncertainty about the agreement and its implications for those who did not sign.
• Barb Thomas (2 Meserve Circle) requested a citywide rent stabilization ordinance linked to property maintenance, with financial audit powers for arbitrators and a ban on gag orders. She cited the Old Orchard Beach 5% cap model and LD 1723.
• Sarah Belander (5 Sparrow Drive, formerly 31 Pheasant Road) reiterated concerns about out-of-state ownership extracting revenue without reinvesting locally, and urged the council to adopt protections.
• Karen James (60 Pheasant Road) stated she signed the agreement under pressure, as the alternative was a rent increase to $660. She supported a workshop for rent stabilization.
• Kathy Dobbins (28 Meserve Circle) described her role as an advocate, helping residents with basic needs like heating costs and repairs. She noted that residents are afraid to speak out and asked the council to keep the moratorium or adopt real measures.
• Richard Bryant (attorney for Blue Haven owner) supported rescinding the moratorium, stating that 173 households (80% of affected residents) signed the mediated agreement. He presented additional concessions: extension of the rescission date, full March credit, extending benefits to all residents, and agreement to engage in discussions for sale of the park. He argued that the agreement is binding and provides protections.
• Phil Hatch (19 Evergreen Drive, former councilor) commented on two executive session items: the Lucia Kimball Deering Trust governance and the construction loan agreement for the ecology school. He urged the council to implement recommendations from the Citizens' Grievance Committee and to terminate the construction loan agreement due to TESS's failure to meet contractual obligations.

Discussion Items

• Repeal of Emergency Ordinance for Temporary Moratorium on Blue Haven Park Lot Rent Increase: Councilor Johnston moved to repeal the ordinance, effective March 9, 2026. Councilors debated the merits: Councilor Doyle opposed repeal, arguing the emergency is community-wide and that the moratorium should remain until policy decisions are made; Councilor Gale expressed conflict, noting the mediation process was flawed and residents had little choice; Councilor Johnston supported repeal, stating the moratorium achieved its purpose of facilitating mediation and that 80% of residents signed the agreement. Councilor Hewitt, Edwards, and Ronan also spoke, with Ronan noting the need to address immediate needs and broader policy separately. The motion passed 4-2 (Edwards: yes, Doyle: no, Annan: yes, Gale: no, Hewitt: yes, Johnston: yes).
• Review of Mobile Home Park Lot Rent Stabilization Ordinance Options: Deputy Director Cole Prescott presented a sampling of ordinances from Old Orchard Beach, Waterville, and Westbrook, with a focus on Westbrook's long-standing model. Councilors discussed preferences for a workshop format and specific models: Councilor Johnston requested a workshop to understand the structure and burden on staff; Councilor Doyle favored Old Orchard Beach's concise model; Councilor Edwards wanted real-world examples and enforcement mechanisms; Councilor Gale preferred Waterville's straightforward language. The council agreed to schedule a workshop, with the city administrator noting that April may be difficult due to budget presentations. No formal vote was taken.

Key Outcomes

• The council voted 4-2 to repeal the emergency ordinance imposing a temporary moratorium on Blue Haven Park lot rent increases, effective March 9, 2026. The repeal was based on the mediated agreement between the owner and 173 residents (80% of affected households), which includes binding contractual protections through January 2028, a full March credit, and extension of benefits to all residents.
• The council will schedule a workshop to explore mobile home park lot rent stabilization ordinance options, using models from Westbrook, Old Orchard Beach, and Waterville as starting points. The workshop will include input from both mobile home park owners in the city.
• The council entered executive session at 8:05 p.m. to discuss real estate, economic development, legal matters, and commercial abatements, and exited at 10:00 p.m. with no further action reported.
• Administrative updates included lifeguard recruitment, the Saco Bay Symposium on March 23, the Harborfest Artwork Design Contest, and recognition of facilities maintenance staff who completed over 2,000 work orders in the past year.