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Preapproved Housing Plan Program
Preapproved Housing Plan Program
Tempe has established a Preapproved Housing Plan Program allowing vendors (architects, designers, etc.) to submit Standard Plans for preapproval without site specific information. Property owners may select a preapproved Standard Plan and contact the vendor to license the plan. Once licensed, a formal Building Permit submittal with site-specific details is required.
Residents may benefit from using a Standard Plan in many ways, including:
- No plan review fees, about 30% of total permitting cost (building permit fees still apply)
- Reduces the amount of time spent creating & reviewing plans
- Simplifies the process of finding a product design that works for you
Information regarding how this program can be utilized by both vendors and property owners is provided in the respective tabs above based on the housing type.
*Disclaimer*
These plans are offered by the City in accordance with State Law. The City assumes no liability for the accuracy of the plans or the suitability of the plans for a particular purpose. Users are advised that soil, topography, circulation, lot layouts, or other environmental conditions can vary depending on particular sites and care should be exercised to assure that a particular plan is suitable for individual circumstances.
The standard plans are only approved by the City as presented, any modification or alteration thereof may require additional review by the City.
Plans are offered by the City as required by State Law. The City’s posting of the plans should not be construed as an endorsement of any particular design professional and the City is not a party to, responsible for or otherwise involved in any agreement that you may make with private design professionals or contractors implementing such plans.
Use of standard plans is not intended as a substitute for City requirements for building permits. Users of City plans are still required to obtain any and all applicable building permits for each site location.
How to Apply for Preapproved Standard Plan [Vendors]
Step 1: Prepare Standard Plans
Create non-site-specific plans that include architectural plans, structural drawings, and calculations (See Residential Building Permit Checklist Here). Plans shall be designed to comply with development standards pursuant to Tempe Zoning & Development Code as well as adopted Building Codes. Please consider the following:
- Standard Plans can not be for attached ADUs.
- Development standards such as building height and footprint may be affected by different topography and property conditions.
Step 2: Submit Standard Plans with Supporting Documentation
- View the Electronic Submittal Guidelines for information on how to electronically submit the Standard Plans for review.
- Include “Standard Plan [ADU/Single Family/Duplex/Triplex]" at the beginning of the project description / scope of work on the building permit application as well as the title sheet.
- Plan review fees apply.
Step 3: Plan Review
Once Standard Plans have been submitted, the plans will go through the following typical review process:
- Administrative Review -- Plans will be reviewed for Administrative Completeness for up to 14 working days before being Accepted.
- Plan Review -- Once Accepted, the plans will be routed for plan check review to all applicable disciplines [Planning, Building, Structural, Fire, MEP, Environmental]. An auto-generated email will notify you regarding approval or if corrections are needed.
- If corrections are required, resubmit plans once all correction items have been resolved.
- Upon approval, instructions regarding payment of final Building Permit [BP] will be sent.
Step 4: Listing on City Webpage
- Upon approval and payment of fees, the Standard Plans will be assigned a unique tracking number for reference in future submittals.
- The name of the design along with your business name, contact information, a brief description, elevation/rending and floor plan of the design will be published on this webpage to allow property owners to contact you if they would like to inquire about using your preapproved plans.
How to Use a Preapproved Standard ADU Plan [Property Owners]
Step 1: Select a Preapproved Standard Plan
- Select a standard plan from the plan library. View the ADU and Single Family Standard Plan Library Here.
- Contact the vendor listed to inquire about cost and timelines for using their plans, as well as what their role in the process will be (e.g. confirm if they will be handling the building permit process).
- IMPORTANT: NO modifications to preapproved Standard ADU Plans are permitted.
When selecting a Standard Plan, the following should be considered:
- Confirm that the preapproved Standard Plan is suitable for your property. Development standards (e.g. setbacks, maximum height, lot coverage, etc.) vary by property based on the zoning district and whether the selected design is an ADU or single-family residence.
- Applicants submitting for Building Permit should ensure that the site plan and design conforms to the applicable development standards. Contact the Planning Division at planning@tempe.gov for information about the development standards for your property.
Step 2: Prepare Plans with Site-Specific Information and Supporting Documentation
- Update selected Standard Plan with site-specific information (e.g. site plan) and compile the necessary submittal materials (See Residential Building Permit Checklist Here).
- If you have any questions regarding the preparation of plans or submittal requirements, please contact the Permit Center at (480) 350-4311 or permitcenter@tempe.gov.
Step 3: Submit Plans and Supporting Documentation for Building Permit Review
- View the Electronic Submittal Guidelines for information on how to electronically submit for Building Permit review or contact the Permit Center.
- Include “per Standard Plan BPXXXXXX” at the beginning of the project description/scope of work on the building permit application and on the title block of the plans. The Standard Plan No. is the unique ID attributed to the preapproved plan you selected.
- Upload the completed set of plans, and any other supplemental material that is required.
Step 4: Plan Review
Once Final Plans have been submitted, the plans will go through the following expedited review process:
- Administrative Completeness Review. Plans will be reviewed for Administrative Completeness before being Accepted.
- Plan Review. Once Accepted, the plans will be routed for plan review to all applicable. An auto-generated email will notify you regarding approval or if corrections are needed. As you are using preapproved plans, corrections should be minimal.
- If corrections are issued, resubmittal of revised plans is required.
- Upon approval, instructions regarding payment of final fees will be sent.
- Once all fees are paid, Building Permit [BP] may be issued.