How Pre-Approved Building Plans Can Unlock Housing Potential in Your City (Webinar)

Pre-approved building plans are gaining momentum in cities across the country. 

The concept sounds simple enough in theory, but what does a pre-approved building plan program look like in practice? And how can they help us respond to the housing shortage that continues to sweep the nation?

If you’re curious about the pre-approved building plan trend and want to know more, listen in to Pattern Zones CEO Matthew Petty as he shares the benefits of pre-approved plans along with how he has helped cities just like yours get started fast with minimal overhead. 

After this webinar, you’ll walk away understanding: 

• How pre-approved plans make infill projects that increase housing options the easiest projects for big developers AND everyday people.
  
  
• How offering high-quality architecture plans makes development more accessible and easier for amateurs and seasoned developers to build something great without spending a fortune on custom architectural drawings.
  
  
• How a small Oklahoma town introduced streamlined sensibility to their permit approval process, eased the burden on city hall staff, and cut the lead time for an infill development permit down to five days—or less—and how your city can do it too.
  
  
• Strong cities are built by many hands. Pre-approved plans create a simple, smooth, and repeatable process and make it easier for anyone interested in investing their love, capital, and sweat equity into their place.

To learn more, we suggest checking out the Pattern Zones website. You can contact Matthew Petty via email at mpetty@patternzones.com. A PDF version of the presentation slides are also available through this link. 

Additionally, you can check out relevant resources below: 

Read 

Unleash the Swarm: A New E-book on Reviving Small-Scale Development
This e-book explores what it would take to revive small-scale development as a force significant enough to shape and grow our cities.

Pre-Approved House Designs Jump-Start Infill Development in South Bend
“If you want to know what it looks like to bring small-scale development back as a force that can revitalize American neighborhoods, you need to be watching South Bend, Indiana.”

Florida City Prepares Pre-Approved Plans To Lower Barriers for Small Developers
This program makes incremental infill as “turnkey and easy as possible” by streamlining plan review and assisting incremental developers reduce the layers of risk and uncertainty.

South Bend Offers Small Developers Pre-Approved Housing Templates | Planetizen News
“The plans, developed with the help of incremental developers and design experts, are specifically crafted for South Bend’s existing neighborhoods, where they fit the current zoning rules, lot sizes and shapes, and market conditions, and nod to the city’s historic architectural vernacular.”

What’s Not to Like? – Pre-Approved Plans Offer Faster Permitting, Cheaper Housing, Quality Design 
“These plans can be reused in the future reducing the time to process to counter the standard array of zoning, building code, and utility requirements, generally overwhelming the non-professional. This approach reduces the frustration of homeowners or contractors investing in the city.” 

Pre-approved accessory units streamline small-scale infill | CNU 
“Seattle, which adopted one of the nation’s most progressive accessory dwelling unit (ADU) ordinances for cities, has taken this idea a step further by streamlining plans and designs that work. The city made it easier for homeowners to build these units by offering pre-approved plans that are inexpensive to purchase from different architects.”

Going Deeper on Pre-Approved Plans - by Kevin Klinkenberg
“Engaging the building community to understand the struggles they face when investing in the city and responding with code and procedural updates with city staff is a recipe for success if you want investment in your community.”

Watch

City Neighborhood Initiative will help build homes in South Bend
“One of the most exciting bits about this is to show families that they can build a smaller home that fits right into the neighborhood.”

Listen
A second tour through Pre-Approved Building Plans
"Conversations about zoning and building can get really wonky really quickly. That’s why it’s important to remember the goal: how do we create more of the kind of intimate, find-grained communities that humans obviously love? Matthew Petty and Matt Hoffman have teamed up to create their solution: Pattern Zones."