Memorandum

City of Lawrence

Planning & Development Services

 

TO:

Diane Stoddard, Interim City Manager

FROM:

Barry Walthall, Building Codes Administrator

CC:

Scott McCullough, Planning & Development Services Director

Kurt Schroeder, Asst. Director, Development Services

Date:

September 9, 2015

RE:

August 2015 Monthly Permit Reports

 

The Building Safety Division issued 217 building permits in August, with total construction for the month valued at $20,132,481.  Total permit fees assessed for the month were $110,677.  Permits were issued for twenty-one (21) new residential projects, including twelve (12) single-family dwellings, six (6) duplexes, two (2) triplexes, and one (1) mixed use building with thirty (30) assisted living dwelling units.  Comparisons to previous years will be tracked throughout 2015 in the following table:

 

 

One- & Two-Family Permits

Multi-Family Permits

(New Units)

Total Number of Permits

Total Valuation

Permit Fees

Year

Month

YTD

Month

YTD

Month

YTD

Month

YTD

Month

YTD

2015

18

170

3(36)

7(467)

217

1563

$20,132,481

$187,809,254

$110,677

$773,742

2014

6

66

3(83)

3(83)

186

1242

$10,972,475

$61,405,793

$67,333

$403,997

2013

14

121

0(0)

23(374)

193

1397

$33,086,659

$148,017,161

$113,859

$667,981

2012

8

79

0(0)

22(184)

237

1697

$8,224,905

$68,835,335

$69,563

$506,566

2011

14

76

0(0)

10(63)

259

1458

$9,214,404

$62,062,983

$60,949

$400,591

2010

9

97

0(0)

5(96)

251

1521

$4,615,227

$64,287,785

$37,533

$405,244

2009

15

78

0(0)

15(172)

204

1320

$5,052,532

$51,449,481

$48,705

$404,190

 

Permits were issued for twenty-eight (28) City projects in August, including a remodel of the CNO office at Lawrence Memorial Hospital, 325 Maine Street, valued at $15,000; three (3) temporary banners promoting the “Farm Fresh Challenge” displayed by a coalition of the Douglas County Sustainability Department and the Lawrence/Douglas County Health Department, valued at $450; and a water heater replacement for the Lawrence/Douglas County Housing Authority at 428 Mississippi Street, valued at $500; and twenty-three (23) plumbing permits for inflow and infiltration program projects by the Utilities Department at various locations with valuation totaling $80,738.

 

The largest projects for the month were the Americare Assisted Living Campus at 3901 Peterson Road with total valuation of $12,538,300, and a single-family dwelling at 3642 Buck Brush Court valued at $1,000,000.  The Americare Assisted Living campus project includes eleven (11) buildings:

 

·         Assisted living center (16 private and semi-private rooms) - $8,400,000

·         Multi-family independent living building (30 dwelling units) - $2,572,100

·         Clubhouse - $185,000

·         Two (2) triplexes - $200,000 each

·         Four (4) duplexes - $204,300 each

·         Two (2) carports w/ 4 bays each - $82,000 each

 

These statistics are of interest in tracking construction activity in the community, but only partially tell the story for staff workload and performance.  Staff has established performance goals of completing “initial” reviews for residential permits within 5 business days and for commercial permits within 15 business days of the application date.  An initial review is a comprehensive first review of an application and plans for a building project, and may include review work performed by staff from Planning and Development Services, Fire and Medical, Utilities and Public Works Departments, as well as other relevant review agencies (depending on the nature and scope of the project).  Initial and subsequent reviews and comments are tracked in the Innoprise permit tracking system from which reports may be extracted.  Development Services staff is responsible for coordinating review work and disseminating review comments to applicants.

 

During the 2014 calendar year, staff achieved these goals for 95.5% of all residential permits with an average review time of 2.5 days; and 96% of all commercial permits with an average review time of 6.2 days.

 

In August, staff completed 130 of 131 residential reviews within 5 business days (99.2%), and 122 of 128 commercial reviews within 15 business days (95.3%).  The following table tracks performance in meeting these objectives.

 

 

Residential Permits

Commercial Permits

 

Total Number of Reviews

Number of Reviews Completed within 5 Business Days

Average Review Time

Percent of Reviews Completed within 5 Business Days

Total Number of Reviews

Number of Reviews Completed within 15 Business Days

Average Review Time

Percent of Reviews Completed within 15 Business Days

Jan

90

71

3.4

78.8%

111

90

9.5

81.0%

Feb

99

79

3.8

79.8%

97

85

10.0

87.6%

Mar

147

136

2.8

92.5%

94

85

7.8

90.4%

Apr

275

270

2.2

98.1%

113

112

6.7

99.1%

May

167

158

2.6

94.6%

118

117

6.1

99.1%

June

124

122

2.6

98.3%

122

115

6.4

94.2%

July

137

133

2.3

97.0%

134

132

4.9

98.5%

Aug

131

130

2.0

99.2%

128

122

5.7

95.3%

Sept

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Oct

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nov

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dec

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

YTD

1,172

1,101

2.6

93.9%

917

858

7.0

93.5%

 

Permit reports for August are attached.

 

 

Top Projects for 2015:

 

Rank

Construction Valuation

Project Description

1

$45,000,000

HERE @ Kansas Mixed Use Building

2

$18,756,680

100 E 9th Mixed Use Building

3

$13,300,000

Wakarusa River Wastewater Treatment Plant Complex

4

$12,538,300

Americare Assisted Living Campus

5

$12,000,000

Pioneer Ridge Independent Living

6

$7,500,000

Wakarusa Conveyance Pump Station No. 10

7

$6,290,534

Hutton Farms West No. 2 Residential Development

8

$3,810,549

LMH 4th Floor Renovation

9

$2,776,000

116 N Wilderness Way Single-Family Dwelling

10

$2,600,000

Phi Delta Theta Renovation

11

$2,025,000

Phi Gamma Delta Addition

12

$1,900,000

Kansas River Wastewater Treatment Plant Addition

13

$1,045,000

Dwayne Peaslee Technical Career Center Renovation

14

$1,000,000

3642 Buck Brush Court Single-Family Dwelling