Council approves Yavapai County "Home of My Own" plan use to speed small-home construction

The Prescott City Council approved a contract Sept. 9 permitting the city to use Yavapai County’s Home of My Own pre-drawn house plans to support small, lower-cost single-family construction. Chelsea Walton, Community Development Director, summarized the program and said the contract allows Prescott residents to use the county’s architect-stamped plans for one-, two- and three-bedroom homes at no plan-licensing cost. Walton said the plans are slab-on-grade designs, sealed for the 2018 building-code cycle, and that the city will return to council to update the agreement when Prescott adopts more recent codes. Walton and county representatives explained the program’s purpose: to reduce drafting and architectural costs, shorten permitting review when plans are used on uncomplicated graded parcels, and provide simple elevations and options for garages or carports. Walton said the plans are not free of permitting costs; site-specific reviews, geotechnical reports, grading, utility connections and contractor selection remain the responsibility of the homeowner. Jeremy Dye, director of Yavapai County Development Services, said the county originally rolled out the plans in 2020 and later added a second set of floor-plan options after public feedback. “Development services won an award from the Department of Housing last year for our Home of My Own program,” Dye said, and staff reported about 39 certificates of final occupancy had issued under the program to date. Council members asked about time and cost savings. City staff estimated reduced plan-review turnaround when plans are used on ordinary graded lots (approvals in about five days in some cases) and Walton said homeowners could save on architectural fees that often run several thousand dollars. Council approved the contract by a 5–0 vote.