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Assistant county administrator: 2024 building-permits, inspections remain high in unincorporated Beaufort County
Summary
Assistant County Administrator Atkinson told the Natural Resources Committee that building-services activity in 2024 included 4,389 commercial/residential permits in unincorporated Beaufort County, $1.735 million in permit fees collected, and 16,350 inspections; staff said they do not have an inspection backlog and will bring the building codes department in for a deeper briefing.
Assistant County Administrator Atkinson presented a year-end look at building-services activity in unincorporated Beaufort County during the Jan. 12 Natural Resources Committee meeting.
Atkinson said the department recorded 4,389 miscellaneous commercial and residential permits during calendar year 2024 and collected $1,735,000 in permit fees on those permits. He also reported that staff completed 1,069 plan reviews, nearly 1,100 mechanical permits for trade work, and about 16,350 individual inspections, which included 12,805 site visits. The department logged nearly 100,000 miles on inspection runs and employs six full-time inspectors plus a deputy director who serves as the fire marshal.
On new-construction counts, Atkinson said 485 new-residential permits were issued and 2,614 other residential permits (additions, renovations) were recorded. Mobile-home registrations numbered 374; he said state law limits registration fees to $5 each. On enforcement, Atkinson said the department issued 669 notices of violation in 2024, 6 citations and 50 stop-work orders; he emphasized the department prioritizes education and works with property owners to avoid court cases.
Committee members asked whether the department separates data for incorporated municipalities; Atkinson said the presented metrics were for unincorporated Beaufort County only and that municipalities produce similar reports for their jurisdictions. He also agreed to bring building-codes staff back for a deeper briefing about plan-review and inspection procedures.
Next steps: Atkinson said staff will return with more detailed breakdowns if requested and that the department will continue outreach to coordinate stormwater, drainage and code-enforcement work across municipal boundaries.
