Building boom

Growth bulking up Palmer revenue

January 17. 2006

DAWN DE BUSK\Frontiersman reporter

PALMER - It's become a cliché during the past five years, the answer to many of the problems and successes in the Mat-Su Borough and the root of current trends. It's the phrase on everyone's lips: ‘The incredible growth in the Valley.'

That growth is especially hot in Palmer, where the city's building department racked up $175,129 in permit fees - up considerably from the $108,729 it gathered in 2004, according to administrative assistant Joan Patterson's monthly report and year-to-date evaluations.

The extremely busy employees at the building permit department have seen not only the numbers but also the faces of people with blueprints and pages of plans written according to code. In fact, things got a little crowded and the department itself moved into a new building.

&#8220We were hanging people from the ceiling at city hall because there wasn't enough room,” Patterson said. &#8220We set a new record this year. The Nutrition Services Center was the largest permit that sent us over the top.”

While Patterson takes calls, answers questions and computes data, Palmer Building Inspector David Meneses has been out in the field reviewing structures from top to bottom.

&#8220It's been a busy year altogether. At this point, we haven't seen any slowdown,” Meneses said. &#8220Growth is not limited to any one place within Palmer's city limits, but is occurring all over. The nutrition services: They're still under inspection now. They just got their foundation in last year, and they're putting up the steel now.”

The cost of the residential and commercial structures as well as signs like the glitzy one at the Movie Gallery added up to $27.96 million in 2005, compared to $12.7 million in 2004, according to Patterson's report.

Meneses said construction within the city limits has been on the rise since 1998, but leveled out in 2000 and has experienced leaps since then.

Besides the nutrition service center, the Evergreen Center and a big remodel for the Palmer Pioneers' Home were other big projects, he said.

With the city of Palmer considering annexation of more land, Meneses' stomping ground could get even bigger.

&#8220I like everything about my job. I could be out doing an inspection tomorrow, contractors come in all the time with questions. It's an ever-changing position as it goes along. No day is the same,” Meneses said.

However helpful the city's building inspector may be to contractors, Meneses stops short of answering questions during the planning stages.

&#8220We don't design anyone's building. We review the plans they bring in. For example, the plans for nutrition center were 50 to 75 pages, full-size drawings, so they would meet all requirements,” Meneses said. &#8220Anytime we start designing someone's building, the city could be liable.”

Contact Dawn De Busk at 352-2252 or dawn.debusk@frontiersman.com.