Permit-Ready House Plans Program

In 2025 the Arizona State Legislature passed SB 1529 which was signed into law by Governor Hobbs.   This bill amended ARS 9-461.19 and requires municipalities to adopt a program to either:

• Hire an architect to prepare plan sets for a variety of housing options as listed in the statute, or
• Create a program that allows architects to submit plans that become part of a library of plans available within the municipality.  

The Town of Fountain Hills has chosen to create a program to allow individual architects to submit plans.

Who may apply:

Registered architects in the state of Arizona.

Types of plans:

As stated in ARS 9-461.19 A 1-4, plans may be submitted and included in the Town’s Permit-ready House Program for the following types of homes:

• Plans for single-family homes, which range in size from eight hundred square feet to two thousand square feet.
• Plans for duplex homes which range in size from four hundred square feet to one thousand square feet.
• Plans for triplexes which range in size from four hundred square feet to one thousand square feet.
• Plans for accessory dwelling units which range in size from two hundred square feet to one thousand square feet.

How to apply:

• Schedule a pre-application meeting with the Fountain Hills Building Official to review the program requirements.
• Prior to having any specific clients, submit generic (non-lot specific) plans for review and approval by the Town using the Town’s on-line permit system.

Plan approval process:

• The Town will review the plans and work with the applicant on revisions.  When approved, the applicant pays the plan review fee.
• Once approved and paid for, the plans are placed in the Town’s on-line library of approved plans and are available for use.
• The library will include contact information on the architect who created the plans.

Use of the approved plans:

• When a property owner desires to use an approved set of plans from the library, they will contact the architect to obtain the right to use the plan set.
• The property owner/applicant submits a building permit application for the lot using the approved plans and providing a site plan showing:
• How the house fits on the lot,
• All grading work needed to prepare the lot,
• Utility connections, and
• Other information as needed to have a complete set of building plans for construction.
• Staff will review the submittal and issue approval when all codes and ordinance are met.
• Owner/applicant will pay all the required fees associated with issuance of a building permit.