Building activity up in July

While year-to-date building activity is down in the township, numbers were up in July and figures are within the five-year range for the municipality, says Chief building official Patty Wright.

A report presented by Wright at the Aug. 23 Mapleton council meeting  shows the building department issued 39 permits for construction valued at nearly $5.4 million in July.

That’s up from about $3.5 million generated through 49 permits in July of 2015.

Year to date, the township has issued 209 permits for slightly more than $23 million worth of construction, compared to 224 permits for construction valued at nearly $42 million during the same period in 2015. “The five-year average of fees collected by the building department for the month of July is $33,294, therefore the current month is above the five-year average,” states the report. “Year-to-date numbers range from $153,215 to $273,867 over the past five years and the average of fees collected to date from 2011 to 2015 is $198,564.”

The current year to date is within the five-year range but below the five-year average, the report states. “We’re just running right on par with where we should be. We’re in the black and I have no concerns.”