Pre-Approved Housing Design Plans Now Available

Building Plan Sets for Accessory Dwelling Units Offered by County at No Cost

As part of its efforts to support and encourage the creation of additional affordable housing stock, Inyo County is now making available pre-approved building sets to Inyo County homeowners at no charge.
The plan sets apply specifically to what are known as Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) – more commonly known as granny flats, in-law units, backyard cottages, etc. – and comprise a series of 12 pre-reviewed, pre-approved, code-compliant construction plans that can be obtained online for free at Inyo County Pre-Approved Building Plan Sets | Inyo County California.

ADUs are hailed by the California Department of Housing and Community Development as an innovative and effective option for adding much-needed housing in California as they: 1) do not require paying for land, major new infrastructure, or structured parking; 2) are typically built with more cost-effective materials than new multifamily buildings; and 3) can provide as much living space as many newly-built apartments and condominiums, and they’re suited well for couples, small families, friends, young people, and seniors.

The State has required local municipalities to adopt ordinances allowing for ADUs in their jurisdictions, but Inyo County has gone above and beyond the mandate by offering the free, pre-approved building designs to cut even more costs for homeowners and expedite the construction process.

“This program can be a great benefit to homeowners across the county in terms of affordability and efficiency,” said CAO Nate Greenberg. “Inyo County is committed to supporting and encouraging efforts that increase affordable housing options in our area, and this is an exciting step forward in that mission.”

The County selected the architectural firm Design Path Studio to prepare the Pre-Approved Building Sets. Design Path Studio was tasked with preparing floor plan options for:

Two studios
Two one-bedrooms
Two two-bedrooms
Two three-bedroom homes
Two over-one-car-garage options
Two over-two-car garage options

Each set of floor plans provides three architectural styles – ranch, Spanish, and traditional – with a variety of materials, door, and window placement/design to express individual homeowners’ tastes while respecting community character.

These pre-designed plans provide for a more expedited process and reduced plan-check fees when compared to the typical building permit process. An approved plan and a building permit are both required before building. If one of the pre-designed plans does not work for a homeowner’s needs, homeowners can choose to commission their own customized plans and go through the usual process of plan review to obtain a building permit.

It’s recommended that property owners (or contractors hired by the property owner) consult with the County’s Planning Department before beginning the final preparation of the plans and filing for a building permit.
General information on building ADUs and the requirements for ADUs are available at the companion page here: Building an ADU | Inyo County California
To navigate to this page and the plan sets pages on the website, hover over “Residents,” then “Your Home” then “Housing Assistance,” where both the guidepage and plan sets can be found in the dropdown menu.

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