A spring influx of large commercial development in Orem has put much of the city's home construction behind schedule.

Ed Stout, director of development services, said the city has a backlog of about 80 building plans because the city's plans examiner is spending most of his time checking commercial and other large development plans. He said during the past two months the city has been flooded with plans for large and complicated projects, some of which are taking several days to examine."When he's examining those plans the regular plans sit there and are not getting done," Stout said.

This month the city has received 71 sets of building plans and only 58 of those plans have been examined. Senior Planner Jim Wilbur said it normally takes a builder five to 10 days to receive approval on building plans. But currently it is taking 30 to 40 days for a builder's plans to be approved.

"It's frustrating when you're trying to do a professional job and you've gone as far as the manpower will allow you to go," Wilbur said.

To help with the delay the city is issuing builders a temporary permit that allows them to pour footings and foundations. But Stout said the temporary permits are not solving the problem and many home builders are upset at the delay in plan approval.

"Based on the amount of concern that's being expressed to me, I'm assuming that we're holding builders up," Stout said.

In hopes of catching up, the City Council Tuesday transferred $10,000 from the council contingency fund to hire another plans examiner full time through the summer and another examiner to work about six hours a week. Before approving the transfer, however, the council asked if it was a temporary solution to a permanent problem.

Stout said possible development of Cascade Technology Park and other planned projects along 1300 South, Center Street and State Street may prevent the city from catching up. He said the city will continue to monitor building trends but said it would be premature to hire a permanent full-time person unless development continues at this pace.

"We have the possibility of several other very large projects coming on line in the next few months," Stout said. "If it continues beyond the summer then we'll have to consider asking the council for another plans-checker position."

During April and May 1989, the city only issued a building permit on one set of commercial plans and the total valuation of plans during those months was about $9 million. During April this year and through half of May, the city has issued four commercial building permits and the total valuation of all building plans is already more than $12 million _ and the city has several commercial plans yet to examine.

In years past, June has been one of the busiest months for issuing commercial building permits. If the number of commercial plans submitted this June is similar to past years, Stout said this year may have the highest plans valuation ever in Orem.

Last year total valuation exceeded $54 million. Plans valuation has already exceeded $50 million this year and could exceed $60 million, Stout said.

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(Chart)

Commercial projects

Major commercial developments and expansions in Orem during spring 1990

R.C. Willey Furniture

ShopKo

Smith's

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Signetics

Albertson's

Barber Brothers' Motor Co.

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