The planning director for the city of Auburn left his position last month for a job with the state’s Land Use Planning Commission.

David Hediger’s move comes less than a year after taking the post in Auburn. He previously spent 25 years on the code enforcement staff in neighboring Lewiston, where his contract was not renewed following public criticism when his department temporarily closed a popular restaurant.

Hedinger, whose last day in Auburn was Dec. 19, said he left the city for personal reasons and on good terms.

“I appreciated the opportunity Auburn provided me,” he said. “I wish the city the best moving forward.”

Hediger is a senior planner at the LUPC, which serves as the planning and zoning authority for the unorganized and deorganized areas of the state, including townships and plantations.

Hediger began working for Lewiston in 1998 and was promoted to deputy director of planning and code enforcement in 2002. He moved up to director of codes and planning in 2018.

The city placed him on administrative leave and declined to renew his contract in early 2024 following complaints from businesses who said the department was not cooperative. The controversy also led to the departure of City Administrator Heather Hunter.

Also during his time in Lewiston, Hediger either oversaw or worked on several lauded planning efforts, including the Riverfront Island Master Plan and Legacy Lewiston Comprehensive Plan. 

Eric Cousens, executive director of public services for the city of Auburn, did not respond before publication to questions about how the city will fill the position.