Several commissioners raised concerns about the county’s current practice of requiring applicants to hire licensed engineers for stormwater and site plans and then paying an additional county-contracted engineer to review those plans.

Commissioners said the requirement amounts to “double engineering,” increases permit review times and costs applicants an extra $400–$600 in common cases, and questioned whether the process is necessary for small projects. One commissioner suggested the practice discourages development and imposes unnecessary delays.

Kenny Cook, planning director, explained why the county conducts third‑party reviews: Miami County no longer has a full‑time staff engineer and relies on contracted, independent engineers to provide a disinterested review of assumptions, hydraulic calculations and design details. Cook said the cost for that contracted review is passed through to applicants rather than borne by county taxpayers, and that the contracted review flags technical issues that staff (who are planners rather than licensed engineers) cannot authoritatively determine. Staff noted a recent example where an outside review identified items the applicant’s engineer had missed, requiring corrections before final approval.

Commissioners and staff discussed alternatives such as building the cost into application fees or restoring a staffed engineering position; several commissioners said they would raise the topic with the Board of County Commissioners, which sets the fee schedule. No formal action or change in policy occurred at the meeting; commissioners asked staff to convey the concern to the county commission for consideration of whether the review process or fee structure should be adjusted.