Planning Board debates peer‑review engineering fees and next steps on the local comprehensive plan

Harwich Planning Board members spent a sizable portion of the June 23 meeting discussing a forthcoming policy to recover costs for outside engineering peer reviews and how to begin implementing the town’s local comprehensive plan (LCP).

Staff said the town is working with VHB to develop a scale‑and‑scope for peer‑review fees so the Planning Department can pass reasonable costs to applicants for large or complex projects. "We are still working with VHB to come up with a scale in scope for fees," staff said, adding that outside engineers’ reports are provided in full to applicants.

Board members raised questions about whether the town will be doing more than past town engineers and whether fees must be set by the select board with hearings. Members emphasized the town cannot profit from pass‑through fees: "We can't upcharge them. We're not a business," one board member said. Staff said fee tiers tied to project size and complexity are being drafted and noted some projects have incurred unusually high review costs.

Separately, members urged early implementation steps for the LCP now that Cape Cod Commission staff has recommended the plan is consistent with the regional policy plan. The board asked staff and the new town administrator to convene cross‑departmental forums to phase LCP implementation and to bring zoning or bylaw proposals for review in coming months.