The 4,200-square-foot Huish secondis home being built on Half Moon Lake.

39% of ‘99 New Residence Permits in Sublette County Were for Second Homes
All were built in the northern end
by Rob Shaul

In a trend typical of resort communities in the Rocky Mountain west, 30 of the 78, or 39%, of the building permit applications for new homes in Sublette County submitted in 1999 were for second homes according to the Sublette County Planning and Zoning Office. All of the applications for second, seasonal homes were submitted for locations in the northern half of the county surrounding Pinedale.

Based on the applications, the average size of the second homes will be 1,878 square feet. The largest of these homes is being constructed by Salt Lake City detergent manufacturer Dan Huish on the southwestern shore of Half Moon Lake. According to his application, Mr. Huish is constructing a 4,200-square-foot dwelling. One other seasonal home will be over 4,000 square feet, according to the building permit applications.

County Planner Joanne Garnett cautions that the square footage identified on the building permits may not accurately represent what is eventually built. Sublette County doesn't have a building inspector or regulations restricting square footage.

Concerning those statistics, there were a total of 83 new residences built in Sublette County in 1999, according to County Assessor Janet Montgomery. All but eight of these new residences were constructed in the northern end of the county. Sixty were put up in communities and subdivisions surrounding Pinedale, twelve were built inside town boundaries, and three more were constructed in Hoback Ranches near Bondurant.

Just eight new residences were constructed in the southern end of the county. Four of these were manufactured homes erected in Marbleton.

Ms. Montgomery doesn't have square footage statistics, but does believe that "we're getting more of the higher end," homes built in Sublette County. Interestingly, Ms. Montgomery has also seen a surge of new manufactured homes in Sublette County. Twenty-two of the 83 new residences erected in the county in 1999 were manufactured homes. Ms. Montgomery says these manufactured homes are solid, quality homes, and they offer new owners "instant housing."

Photo credits:  Rob Shaul