Construction permits increasing in county

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Much like the rest of the region, Lincoln County is seeing heavy demand for building permits and construction services.

According to Melissa Free, the administrative assistant at the building and planning department, there have been a lot of planning requests made since the beginning of the year. In 2019, there were 61 permits requested from January to December. In 2020, despite the COVID crisis and the limitations it imposed on the community, there were still 54 permits issued. In just the first five months of 2021, there have been 33 permits requested, which is far more than usual. Free says many of the permits are not just housing; some are requests to build barns, storage units and other buildings on already developed property. While the planning and building department’s phone has been ringing off the hook, Free says a lot of the interest is coming from people who want to know what they’re allowed to do with their own property.

Dave Maxwell – Framework for the new Green Valley Grocery at Ash Springs, a little south of the current facility. It is expected to be over twice the size of the present building. The county has seen an increase in building projects in recent months.

On the construction side of things, business is booming. Pearson and Sons Construction owner Keith Pearson says their backlog of work has gotten so long that they don’t know what to do with it. Major projects they have planned include a spillway for the high school and a project involving the dump just outside of Panaca. Many of their projects are small in scale, involving a lot of concrete and labor, but a few houses are also on their radar. One particular 8,000 square foot house is already under construction, with a few more in the planning process. Pearson has also fielded quite a few calls from people expressing interest in moving to the county and building a home.

In nearby communities, like St. George, published reports indicate housing supply has been unable to keep up with demand. 

St. George News reported that, according to realtor.com, the median list price for a house in Washington County is up 33 percent since 2018, and that potential home buyers better prepare for a bidding war when making an offer on a home.

Construction prices are also skyrocketing. Reuters reported lumber prices are up nearly 90 percent year-over-year.