Permitting bottlenecks and the unseen costs of delay

This story appears in the April 2026 issue of Utah Business. Subscribe.

When we were on schedule to open our first restaurant — Hearth and Hill Park City — by the start of the 2018 ski season, a last-minute issue arose. The building inspector informed us that the restroom partitions were barely too short and shallow, preventing us from receiving a permit and delaying the carefully timed grand opening we had planned.

That opened my eyes to the degree of detail you must pay attention to throughout the process to ensure your professional team of tradespeople, designers and architects utilize their knowledge to prevent delays. It showed how a single inspector can impact a project and how we often take the little details for granted.

When a business owner begins building brick-and-mortar locations and working through the construction process, they may not realize how vital the permit process is to their project’s success. I know I felt that way. Now, having built five restaurants, I’m much more knowledgeable than I was seven years ago about the complexities of obtaining permits and the frustrations that arise when a seemingly minor item causes significant, expensive delays.

For anyone in the middle of a project or at the beginning of one, my advice is to ask more questions than you think you need to. There is no stupid question. Inevitably, one of those questions will solve an issue before it reaches an inspector, thus preventing project delays.

Hard truths about permitting

Recently, we saw firsthand the impact that delayed projects and permits can have on businesses. In Sugar House, home to our two newest restaurants, Hearth and Hill and Hill’s Kitchen, many of you most likely experienced the extensive road construction that persisted for three years. Sadly, the delays caused multiple small businesses to struggle as locals had to change their commutes, habits and overall patronage of those businesses.

A hard truth of the permit process is that the average inspector or permit issuer is not truly aware of the impact their delays or lack of communication can have on a small business like ours. Every day we’re not open costs money — we’ve already hired staff and sunk expenses into the business. I encourage everyone to overcommunicate with inspectors and be proactive in asking questions and getting ahead of potential issues or scrutiny. Don’t wait until the inspector is on-site in anticipation of opening the next day. We are, of course, grateful for every city and county inspector and official who ensures every building, business and project is compliant and safe.

The gift of lessons learned

In the same vein of turning permitting bottlenecks into opportunities to learn, the everyday dynamics of running a business can present many challenges that lead to growth.

What a whirlwind it has been since opening Hearth and Hill Park City in December 2018. It feels like it was an entirely different world then. Today, we are humbled and grateful to operate five restaurants with over 300 employees, to be a proud community member and, most importantly, to be a locally owned Utah business.

Owning a business is not for the faint of heart and often comes with a new “gift” every day if you choose to see challenges as lessons and opportunities for growth.

So what have those gifts been for my businesses as of late?

1. Talent dynamics: The talent pool is different today than it ever has been. Staff want to know what’s in it for them, how the job will make them feel, and often, how quickly they can climb the ranks. That’s why clear expectations and job duties are more important today than ever before.
2. Accountability: In conjunction with the previous point, consistently hold all team members to those expectations. We have found that if you don’t, some are tempted to test limits, take the easy route, and not accomplish what truly needs to be done. As we say at Hearth and Hill, “trust, but verify.”
3. Adapting to change: Constantly up your game. The pandemic really highlighted this for businesses, where some tried to keep operating as they did before COVID-19 and realized they would go out of business if they didn’t adapt to customers’ expectations. Get out there and check out your competition. Don’t be afraid to travel and see what some of the best in the industry are doing. Be in line with the growth, not behind it.
4. Embracing technology: I think we can all agree that change can be daunting, especially when it comes to technology. We’ve had the experience of finally buying the new iPhone, only to get so frustrated with the enhancements that you want to throw it in the pool. I take the stance that, in the long run, technology is a means to increase efficiencies and accelerate growth. So dive headfirst into that pool, and do not be afraid.
5. Valuing feedback: While easier said than done, view feedback as a gift and not a curse. Boy, do people like to hide behind their keyboards these days, which makes it much harder to grow from their insights. What happened to the good ol’ days of having an in-person conversation? Create a culture within your business where any feedback is welcome and crucial to the upward progression of your operation.

At the end of the day, remember you are not alone in unwrapping these “gifts.” Don’t be afraid to reach out to others in your industry for support and advice. You’ve got this.