Building permits booming in 2017
LOREN BENOIT/PressConstruction crews work to complete houses in a development off of Meyer Road in Rathdrum as rain approaches Thursday afternoon. Rathdrum is on pace to break its record for the number of single-family home building permits issued in a year.
LOREN BENOIT/PressMatthew Benjamin levels the approach of a driveway before a truck pours cement Thursday afternoon. Rathdrum is on pace to break its record for the number of single-family home building permits issued in a year.
By BRIAN WALKER
Staff Writer
Area cities are on pace to hammer records for building permits on new homes.
This year's early sizzling construction activity comes despite the long winter of heavy snowfall.
Rathdrum and Post Falls — cities that share the Rathdrum Prairie — are on pace for building records after a bustling 2016.
Rathdrum has issued 46 single-family home permits this year — a fast start toward the record of 149 set last year.
"We're definitely on track to beat last year," Rathdrum city administrator Leon Duce said.
To plan for future growth, Rathdrum is expected to approve a contract on April 12 of nearly $1.2 million with ACI Northwest to extend sewer and water north of Lancaster Road between Greensferry Road and Highway 41. The project, which will start this spring, will be funded with capitalization fees the city has collected from new growth.
"This will be a huge project that will help open up development on the west side of Highway 41," Duce said. "This is Step 1 in the planning process."
An easement allowing for the infrastructure was approved eight years ago.
"That easement has a 10-year window, so we're running close to the end of that," Duce said.
The 160-acre site owned by George Thayer and Don Arestad will also include a future sewer lift station off Greensferry Road estimated to cost $1 million to $1.5 million. Land for the lift station was donated by Arestad.
Duce said it's unclear when the lift station will be built, but hopefully within a few years.
"If developers want to help contribute to that, we could get it done sooner," he said.
Duce said the city has about 400 residential lots to build on, but the infrastructure project will help it stay ahead of the growth curve.
"We're not running out of lots, but we need to stay ahead of the planning cycle so we don't lose the opportunity for growth in the future," he said.
Post Falls could also flirt with a record-breaking building year on all types of residences, building official Justin Miller said.
"Right now our count for total dwelling units is already higher than last year after three months," he said.
Post Falls has issued 67 single-family permits this year. Last year at this time it had issued 77.
Last year a total of 338 were issued and 265 in 2015.
Miller said Post Falls is seeking applications for a new commercial plan review and building inspector position because the department is so busy.
Coeur d'Alene, through the end of February, the most recent statistic available, had issued 32 single-family permits compared to 43 last year at that time. In 2016 it issued a total of 243 — a busy year but a far cry from 609 in 2005.
Hayden has issued 22 single-family permits this year compared to 15 last year at this time. It issued 97 total last year.
"Hayden is experiencing growth in commercial, industrial and single-family residential permit volumes and has found little slowdown in permitting and construction activity over the winter, despite the weather conditions we have experienced," said Connie Krueger, Hayden's director of community and economic development.
"We have also experienced an increase in residential platting activity over the winter and anticipate this will continue throughout the remainder of 2017. This land development activity appears to be in response to the diminishing inventory of single-family homes and lots within the region and increasing market demands."