At Tuesday’s Port Angeles City Council meeting, council approved the City’s plan to expand the Permit-Ready Plan Program, designed to help reduce costs for housing builders and streamline the permit review process.
Originally adopted in 2023, the City offers pre-approved and thoughtfully designed construction documents for various housing types and configurations at no cost to community members building within the city limits. The Permit-Ready Plans are also eligible for fee waivers.
On Tuesday, the City recommended implementing procedures to expand this program by accepting new donated Permit-Ready Plans for the online library, bringing even more options to home builders.
Community and Economic Development Manager Shannen Cartmel told the council that the program is producing very real results in Port Angeles.
“To put this program into perspective it is helpful to look at what has already been built. Four permit-ready plan units have been fully constructed, including ADUs and primary residences across multiple neighborhoods in the city. These multiple projects demonstrate that the program is not theoretical, it is actively producing more housing choices. In addition, 7 permit-ready plans have received building permits and are currently under construction or awaiting completion. We are optimistic that the programs like the permit-ready plan and multi-family housing pilot will continue to expand housing choices in the years to come.”
The new resolution establishes formal procedures for accepting donated engineered plan sets into the City’s Permit-Ready Plan Program, at no cost to the City, while ensuring consistency with current codes, design standards, and community housing goals.
In an email statement to KONP, Straits wrote, “We anticipate launching the expanded program in the next month or so. Builders and developers interested in donating plans should reach out to Housing Administrator Jalyn Boado.”