Episode 4 of Groundwork Spotlights Laurel Bevans of Gordon Milar Construction, Unpacking Permitting Nuances, Land Economics, and How to Navigate City Codes Across Northern Utah
Welcome to Groundwork: The Art and Craft of Utah Custom Homes, where we demystify the custom homebuilding journey along Utah’s Wasatch Front. In this episode, host Pete Codella sits down with one of Gordon Milar Construction’s own team members, Laurel Bevans. Serving in regulatory compliance, government relations, and project estimating, Laurel brings a multifaceted background spanning municipal planning commissions, architectural review boards, and corporate compliance to custom residential builds.
Pete and Laurel unpack why building requirements feel so different across neighboring Wasatch Front jurisdictions, how to properly vet a lot before signing a contract, the mechanics of multi-department city reviews, and the demographic forces shaping Utah housing.
Vetting the Homesite: Slope, Utilities, and Zoning Constraints
Before breaking ground or falling in love with a set of blueprints, prospective custom homeowners must evaluate what a specific parcel can accommodate.
Evaluating the Dirt and Slope: A buildable lot involves reviewing subdivision plats, slope, topography, easements, and the designated building envelope. In foothill areas like Draper or the East Bench, steep slopes often require extensive geotechnical soil testing, deep stabilization, or over-excavation to protect the home from long-term movement.
The High Cost of Utilities: Building in an established subdivision with curb, gutter, and stubbed utilities is straightforward. In contrast, raw acreage or rural parcels may require private wells, months of power extension coordination, and costly infrastructure before foundation work can start.
Setbacks and Height Limits: While a 35-foot maximum building height is standard across most Utah residential zones, corner lots, irregular parcels, and specific foothill zones can enforce tighter 25-foot caps or ban two-story elevations altogether. Knowing whether height is measured from native grade, finished grade, or average slope is critical during drafting.
The Regulatory Roadmap: State Mandates to Local Municipalities
Navigating modern building codes requires understanding the hierarchy between state law and municipal enforcement.
Code Adoption: The process begins with the Uniform Building Code developed by the International Code Council (ICC). Once the State of Utah adopts a code cycle, the Utah State Legislature crafts statutory frameworks, which local cities and municipalities then integrate into their respective city codes and zoning ordinances.
The Rise of ADUs: Accessory dwelling units (ADUs) illustrate this interplay. As Utah addressed housing supply, state legislation established internal and external ADUs as a "by-right" option on lots over designated square-footage thresholds, removing the barrier of discretionary conditional use permits across local jurisdictions.
Concurrent City Plan Reviews: Submitting a permit application sets off concurrent reviews across planning and zoning, civil engineering, public works (stormwater and SWPPP compliance), architectural/structural plan checks, and fire safety. While cities generally maintain a 15-business-day window for residential review cycles, missing documents or outside regulatory agency sign-offs (such as separate sewer districts) can stretch the permitting window across multiple review rounds.
Why Utah Custom Homes Are Built Differently
Utah’s demographic realities and geographical borders create a residential building environment distinct from anywhere else in the country.
Large Footprints and Young Families: Utah leads the nation with the youngest average population (median age 31) and the largest average household size. Consequently, Utah homes average 20% more square footage than the national average, often requiring minimum municipal footprint baselines of 2,000 to 2,400 square feet.
The Building Science of Basements: While basements are uncommon in many regions, they are standard along the Wasatch Front. High-altitude frost lines require concrete footings to sit deep underground, making an unfinished or finished basement an economical way to double usable interior space.
Land Scarcity and Infill Logistics: With approximately 65% of Utah land owned by the federal government, 80% to 90% of the state's population lives within the narrow corridor between the Wasatch Mountains and the western lakes. With quarter-acre infill parcels commanding substantial investments, proper elevation planning is vital to ensure basement gravity drains meet shallow municipal sewer mains without needing mechanical pumps.
The Value of Pre-Construction Legwork
Navigating municipal red tape requires proactive planning, complete initial documentation, and professional patience.
Mitigating Construction Delays: Extensive custom amenities, including suspended-slab sports courts, detached garages, resort-style swimming pools, and fire sprinkler systems, require independent structural engineering and separate permit approvals.
Managing Late Changes: Requesting structural changes mid-build triggers plan re-checks that can stall job-site momentum for weeks and incur significant city fees. Bringing the builder, drafting team, and regulatory specialists into the conversation early protects both schedule and budget.
Advocacy Through Relationships: Established relationships with city planners, building officials, and public works inspectors help custom builders resolve complex footing or setback questions quickly, keeping projects on track.
Connect with Gordon Milar Construction
To explore our custom build process, review available home lots, or plan your custom estate along the Wasatch Front:
Consultations & Inquiries: Call or text our team at (801) 406-1002 or contact us online.
Explore Portfolios: Visit gmilar.com to view recent custom builds, floor plans, and company news.
Listen & Subscribe: Stream Groundwork: The Art and Craft of Utah Custom Homes on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen