Ottawa County housing staff on Nov. 6 showed commissioners a near-final website and registration form for an open-source small-footprint home pilot, targeting a public launch around the first housing commission meeting in January. The online package would let visitors preview four home sizes and four exterior “skins” and then register for direct downloads of the plan files.

Staff said the download process will ask for ZIP code or municipality and other optional contact details to help the county track demand and direct inquiries to local planning officials. Commissioners asked for a municipality dropdown, an “other” field, and the ability to notify township planning staff when residents in their jurisdiction request plans, so local officials can follow up with interested builders or property owners.

Commissioners and staff stressed that downloaded plan sets will not be complete construction documents. The commission agreed the site must display a plain-language disclaimer and watermark on plan pages saying the files are intended for use within Ottawa County and that builders or contractors must verify code compliance, energy calculations, and permit-ready construction documents before building. Staff said the plans will require jurisdiction-specific adjustments (for example, Manual J/energy calculations) and that the county does not intend to represent the files as permit-ready construction documents.

Commissioners discussed early township outreach and a zoning “stress test” with a volunteer township that has expressed interest in accommodating smaller lots and homes. Staff proposed an interactive county map on the site to show municipalities that have endorsed the pilot and to highlight communities open to small-home projects. Commissioners supported linking the map to local planning contacts to make it easier for potential builders and residents to reach the appropriate officials.

Next steps described at the meeting included finalizing form language and the disclaimer, finishing the plan-set PDFs and page mockups, and preparing a press release to coincide with the target launch in early January. Staff asked commissioners for feedback on the draft wording and said they will circulate updates in the coming days.