Biddeford has selected a senior planner from Portland to become its next city planner.

Matthew Grooms, 32, has been with Portland’s department of planning and urban development for the past five and a half years, and its senior planner for the past three. He said he heard about the position in Biddeford and thought it was a good fit.

“I was looking for an opportunity to grow within my career,” he said.

Grooms said he’s excited to work in Biddeford, given the ongoing development work, particularly in the downtown area.

“As a planner, it really appealed to me,” he said.

City officials said in a statement that Grooms would start on June 13. A native of Webster, Mass., Grooms holds a bachelor’s degree in history and Spanish from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, and a master’s degree in community planning from the University of Maryland. He has worked as a city planner in Holyoke, Mass. and League City, Texas. He said he also worked on Martha’s Vineyard before coming to Portland. 

Grooms said strong leadership is necessary to guide Biddeford’s ongoing transition from its blue-collar mill town roots. 

“There is just so much change that has happened,” he said. “It’s really been fascinating to me to see this transition.”

With most of Biddeford’s mill buildings now renovated, Grooms said the surrounding downtown area is poised for development. He is also closely looking at the city’s growing need for housing at all price levels. 

“I see that as one of, if not, the most important thing to focus on going forward,” he said.

Grooms said the city will need to support a wide range of housing, and he expects to help guide officials toward zoning laws that encourage the production of housing that appeals to everyone.

“That is really going to shape what direction the city goes in,” he said.