Community development staff told the City Council on Jan. 13 that December is typically a slow month for building permits but the department still saw 59 submitted permits, about 103 permits issued but not completed, and 50 new applications in the month. "I was actually surprised to see how many the building department had in December," staff said.

Staff explained the variation in review time: simple over-the-counter permits can be closed in minutes or hours, while large commercial or subdivision approvals can take months and require multiple department reviews (public works, fire, building). Because big projects involve repeated permit submittals and civil-review cycles, staff said first permits for large subdivisions take the most time while subsequent house-by-house permits tend to move faster.

Council asked staff to provide clearer separation between residential and commercial permitting in future reports and to maintain an ongoing status field for large projects (notice of application, civil review, final plat). Staff listed several large projects: Olympic Heights (~199 lots) and Coffee Creek (~364 lots) among others and said they expect more residential activity this year, but emphasized that market timing can delay actual building even after approvals.

On code enforcement, staff reported 63 cases in the last reporting cycle, nine illegal-dumping reports and two recent property demolitions on 7th Street, with a third demolition expected soon after utilities are disconnected and abatement steps completed. Staff emphasized the notice-and-hearing process used before abatement actions.