Building permits increased in 2016

by Dennis Dalman

editor@thenewsleaders.com

A year-end report by the City of Sartell presented to a recent city-council meeting showed there were 73 permits for single-family homes issued in 2016, for a total value of $18,785,700.

That was the highest number in the past four years. In 2015 there were 62 permits with a total value of $13,850,350; in 2014, 73 permits with a $17,215,700 valuation; and in 2013, 71 permits with a $16,172,540 valuation.

Also last year, there were four new-multi-family housing permits issued ($15,295,829). That was up from 2013 and 2014, but down from 2015 when two such permits were issued but with a valuation of $28,394,900.

Last year, there were nine new commercial permits ($10,295,800), dramatically up from the three previous years. For instance, in 2015 there was only one new commercial permit issued with a valuation of $250,000.

The total valuation for all types of building permits issued in 2016 was $51,932,408, and the average valuation for construction of a single-family home was $257,338, up from $223,392 in 2015. The total valuation for all types of building in the city in 2015 was $46,378,340.

There were a total of 4,758 city inspections for buildings in 2016. They included building-and-zoning inspections, existing-building safety inspections and rental inspections. That number has steadily increased since 2011 when there were a total of 4,725 inspections. In 2015, there were 4,633 inspections.

City staff who work directly in this area include the following: Kyle Christensen, Sartell chief building official, Jill Hollenkamp, Sartell permit technician; and Butch Rieland, Sartell fire marshall/fire-code official.