Neighboring communities happy with end-of-year construction numbers
MILTON/FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. – Two neighboring communities are finishing the year in the black when it comes to residential construction permitting.
Forsyth County and city of Milton planning and development officials say their area has seen an overall positive outlook when it comes to new home permits.
"We will permit a few more homes, more homes than last year," said Tom Brown, director of Forsyth County Department of Planning and Community Development.
Commercial permits are a bit harder and a bit more misleading, Brown said.
"You could have a commercial permit for a Walmart and a commercial permit for someone doing a dumpster enclosure," Brown said. "A residential unit is pretty comparable."
In the case of a residential construction, one may be taking about a detached home, an apartment or a townhome.
"You're talking about a new household coming online," Brown said.
Percentage-wise, it may seem like a small increase, but it's still more than the previous year.
"The good sign is that people still find this area attractive, people want to move here," Brown said. "Compared to other counties, we are doing much more activity. Regardless of people's opinions, people want to be here."
In Milton the picture is a little different. While commercial numbers for building permits dropped off significantly from 2010 to this year, residential spiked. New homes got a small bump, but the real jump in construction came from additions and extensions of current homes, including pools and garages.
"Not a lot of commercial businesses are spending money right now [in Milton]," said Wade Greene, chief building inspector with Milton. "Instead we're finding people are adding on to their current homes. They decided they can live with their home for another couple years."
Green said the numbers are a far cry from the boom of 2007, but still not as bad as 2008 or 2009.
Labels: Forysth, Forysth County, milton, Milton Georgia, New Homes
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Brian Vanderhoff @ 10:48 AM
