Revelstoke saw a 28 per cent increase in development activity in 2016, based on the value of building permits handed out, according to a new report by the city’s planning department.
“The development services data for 2016 shows a significant increase in development activity,” states a report by Dean Strachan, the city’s former manager of development services. “Year-end data also shows that building permit values for 2016 were higher than 2015 due to a significant increase in residential construction.”
The number of building permits issued was down in 2016, but their value was up. According to the report, the city issued 180 building permits worth $19,343,000 in 2016, compared to 209 building permits worth $15,042,000 in 2015.
The increase was driven by a 73 per cent spike in the value of residential home construction, which went up to $15.5 million in 2016 from $9 million in 2015.
The high number of building permits in 2015 is attributed in part to a program that incentivized people to renew outstanding permits.
Meanwhile, the value of commercial and industrial building permits took a slide to $3.8 million in 2016 from $5.9 million in 2015.
“However, several commercial projects are scheduled to start construction in 2017 that would result in a significant increase to commercial construction values this year,” the report states.
The number of development permits processed was also up. The report says the development department processed 133 development applications in 2016, compared to 75 in 2015.
It says to expect the flurry of activity to continue in 2017. “With several commercial and multi-family projects scheduled to proceed this year along with an anticipated further increase in the number of single family dwellings to be constructed, development services is anticipated to have a further increase in activity in 2017.”
The news in the report was applauded by council on Tuesday.
“This is something to celebrate. Revelstoke is open for building, certainly, and open for business,” said Linda Nixon. “Our young builders are so busy that there weren’t enough builders to go around to complete the projects that were coming into city hall.”
“28 per cent, by any measure for any business is a nice increase,” said Scott Duke.
