Harwich, Massachusetts Development News
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Real Estate and Open Space Committee Meeting July 17, 2026
Published: Jul 17, 2026
Little Shaver Lane Property Prioritized for Potential Town Acquisition and Conservation
The committee reviewed the status of the Little Shaver Lane property, an approximately 19.76-acre parcel with owner's unknown status. The discussion focused on its current taxability, potential for conservation, and the process for the town to acquire it. It was noted that the parcel is now on the tax rolls and considered taxable, though the owner is unknown. The committee discussed the possibility of the town initiating an eminent domain taking to protect the property, particularly due to its proximity to wells, and recommended it as a high priority. The town has a significant amount of funds available from a 2023 town meeting allocation that could be used for such acquisitions, with only a small portion having been spent to date on research for Little Shaver Lane and another parcel.
Conservation Value Assessed for Multiple Harwich Parcels, with Key Areas Prioritized for Action
The discussion touched upon the conservation value of several parcels, including the Little Shaver Lane property, which is considered important for water quality protection due to its proximity to wells. The Jay-Z Drive sand pit area, while largely acquired by the Harwich Conservation Trust, still has the sand pit itself as owner's unknown and untaxable. The committee considered the land west of Copalis/Jay-Z Drive (south of Route 6) as the second highest priority for town action, encompassing owner's unknown parcels, regardless of tax status. The Hall's Path North area was deemed fragmented with limited conservation value but potentially of interest to the water department due to well field proximity. The area west of 124, north of Route 6, was discussed for its open space value and potential for recharge, with concerns about its location within the Herring River watershed and proximity to existing developments. The committee agreed that further research is needed on the conservation value of the yellow area near the proposed golf course, with HCT to assess this. Accreted beach land on the south shore, near the campground, was noted as owner's unknown on maps but likely belongs to adjacent property owners, and the maps have not been updated to reflect this [cite: 1489-1491, 1514-1525].
East Harwich Commons Parcels and Sand Pit Area Under Review; Jay-Z Drive Parcel Ranked Second Priority
The committee discussed several parcels in the East Harwich Commons area, identifying three red parcels with taxes due as potential acquisition targets for the town to gain influence in the area. One parcel belongs to Lewis Taylor, another to Charles Chase, and the third is owner's unknown. It was noted that these parcels are on the periphery and may not offer significant influence. The discussion shifted to the Jay-Z Drive sand pit area, where much of the land has been acquired by the Harwich Conservation Trust. However, the sand pit itself remains owner's unknown and untaxable. This parcel is next on Carly's list for research. The committee ranked the land west of Copalis/Jay-Z Drive (south of Route 6) as the second highest priority for town action, encompassing owner's unknown parcels, regardless of tax status. The Hall's Path North area was deemed fragmented with limited conservation value but potentially of interest to the affordable housing trust or water department due to proximity to a well field. Another area west of 124 North of Route 6, including the Davenport affordable housing development and nursing home, was discussed for its open space value and potential for recharge, but accessibility issues and existing development density were noted concerns. The committee concluded that further research is needed on some parcels, particularly the yellow area near the proposed golf course, and its conservation value should be assessed by HCT.
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The Harwich News archive
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