FLAGSTAFF — We want your designs! The City of Flagstaff Sustainability Office is seeking design proposals for detached Accessory Dwelling Units to be turned into pre-approved model plans. ADUs are important to the City’s adopted carbon neutrality and housing goals because they are generally smaller housing units that have the potential to offer lower rent and monthly utility costs, and could increase available housing stock.
Up to 10 designs will be selected. Selected designers will be invited to submit construction plans that will go through the City building plan review process. Once each design is approved as a model plan, the selected designs will receive a $3,000 award. Additionally, the public will have the opportunity to vote for a “Community Choice Award” via City social media channels. The winning proposal will receive $1,000, the second-place proposal $800, and the third-place proposal $600.
Previews of the model plans will be publicly viewable on an ADU Model Plans Library. Anyone interested in building a model plan from the Library will be able to contact the designer and pay the designer’s plan reuse fee to gain access to the full plans, work with the designer to draft a site plan, and go through the building permit review process.
Model plans are intended to lower the barriers to construct an ADU in Flagstaff by reducing the cost to design an ADU, making it easier to find an ADU designer, making the design and permitting process simpler and easier to navigate, and providing access to lower City permitting fees for model plans (compared to City fees for custom plans).
How to Participate
Designs will be accepted through a Request for Informal Proposals (RFIP) that will close on Feb. 10, 2025. Designers interested in responding to the RFIP are encouraged to review the RFIP, visit www.flagstaff.az.gov/ADUs, and attend the optional virtual pre-application meetings scheduled for Thursday, Dec. 19, 2024, at 2 – 3 p.m. and Friday, Jan. 17, 2025, at 9- 10 a.m. Information on how to join the meetings can be found on the RFIP.
For questions about the RFIP, please contact City of Flagstaff Procurement Specialist Teddy Callan at least three days before the RFIP closing date at (928) 213-2275 or email at teddy.callan@flagstaff.gov.