After June's unusually high valuation of building permits issued by Mesquite City Hall, the numbers returned to what has become somewhat normal levels in July.

In June the total valuation of the 54 permits issued hit $4.7 million with. In July, only 26 permits were issued with a value of $1,582,436.

The number of permits issued set a new low for the calendar year with just one less permit granted than those in May. Only February had a lower valuation than July's total.

Single Family Residences

In June, Pulte Homes took out 26 permits for new single family residences. In July, the company that builds homes only in Sun City Mesquite took out five more permits for new home construction. LHSC, Inc., and NRC Construction took out two permits each in this category and Maves Construction pulled one permit. The permits for those three homebuilders were for new homes in the Canyon Crest area.

Residential Modifications

Of the five permits issued in this category in July, two of them accounted for the bulk of the total dollar valuation; one for $11,870 and one for $10,080. The remaining three were valued at $5,100 or less. Southwest Awnings which usually accounts for most of the modification permits only took out two this month.

Commercial Modifications

The only two permits in the commercial modification category issued in July both went for work at the Smith's gas station on N. Sandhill Blvd. One permit was valued at $12,000 and the other was for $300. The small number of permits matches the calendar year low set in March.

Monthly Comparisons

One permit was issued for a new sign located at the gas station renovation on N. Sandhill Blvd where the old Arby's was located. The building has gone under an extensive makeover since January and appears set to reopen soon.

The total number of permits issued in July are down sharply from last July when 42 permits were issued with a value of $2,213,545.

Most of the drop occurred in categories other than single family residences which just about matched last year's number.

For the year, the total number of permits issued is far below this time last year. From January to July 2011, 314 permits were issued. For the same time period this year, only 265 permits have been issued.

The good news is that the total valuation of permits issued year-to-date, $16,679,918, is running higher than last year's valuation of $15,078,830.

Business Licenses

Only eight new business licenses were issued in July with five of them going to out-of-town businesses. That compares to 31 business licenses that were revoked in July. Of that number, 18 licenses were revoked because of non-payment. Eight licenses were cancelled at the customer request because the business closed or it was no longer conducting business in Mesquite.

July's license revocation number was the highest this year while the number of new licenses issued was the lowest so far.