San Luis Obispo County in is need of housing that is affordable to a wide range of individuals and families. Secondary Dwellings can help meet this need because they often utilize existing infrastructure, are energy efficient due to their size, and usually have little impact on existing neighborhood character. Many Secondary Dwellings can fit easily into the backyard area of existing lots. In order to encourage property owners to build Secondary Dwellings, especially in the urban areas, planning department staff sought to eliminate or reduce some barriers to building Secondary Dwellings, such as architectural design and engineering fees, permit fees, and the time it normally takes to process a building permit by offering free building plans for Secondary Dwellings.

Planning staff then worked with the local chapter of the American Institute of Architects, the Workforce Housing Coalition and the Builders Exchange to put on a design competition among local licensed architects to come up with well- designed Secondary Dwellings. Ten winning home designs were chosen from twenty-nine submittals. Plans were then reviewed by structural engineers and energy consultants for compliance with codes, and then processed through the Building Department for plan check. Stock plans for Secondary Dwellings will have a reduced building permit fee as well.

The winning house plans will soon be available to the public at no charge (other than copying costs) for properties that qualify for a secondary dwelling. Free house plans must be used for Secondary Dwellings only. At the present time, this program is available to property owners in the unincorporated areas of San Luis Obispo County. In the future, cities within the county may elect to undertake a similar program but that decision would be at the discretion of those jurisdictions.

Congratulations to the following architects or architecture firms for designing the winning stock plans:  Bryce Engstrom, Architect; Caron Architecture; Craig Smith, Architect; LGA; R2L Architects; and San Luis Sustainability Group.

Thanks also to other local architects who participated in the design competition: Jeff Schneidereit, Architect; James Maul, Architect; Duke Johnson, Architect; Steven Soenke, Architect; Laura Joines and Tom DiSanto, M:OME.

To learn more about this program, read the following steps that are needed to get the free Secondary Dwelling house plans:

Secondary Dwelling Stock Plans - Learn More About The Process

View Plans Here

There are eleven plans to choose from.  The plans range from 360 to 800 square feet.  To view the floor plans and elevations check out the links below: 

Plan 01 - 360 square foot house   The 360 House - Compact studio with a sleeping loft that includes a deck.

Plan 02 - 436 square foot house   The Envelope House - Modern, small design that incorporates a deck and large windows.

Plan 03 - 480 square foot house   One bedroom, small design that includes a compact kitchen and nook.  This plan is an affordable way to build a small unit. 

Plan 04 - 539 square foot house   One bedroom, classic design that incorporates a covered entry porch and is an economical plan to build. 

Plan 05 - 575 square foot house   Living Green - One bedroom plan incorporates a large master bedroom and great room.  Also provides a passive solar floor plan and vaulted ceilings. 

Plan 06 - 704 square foot house   One bedroom, attractive plan that includes a covered patio and separate living and dining areas.  Plan allows for several  roof plans and exterior material choices. 

Plan 07 - 734 square foot house   The Grid House  - One-bedroom plan allows for extensive daylighting and a deck, creating a fluid relationship to the outside.

Plan 08 - 768 square foot house   Two-bedroom, spacious plan that allows for separate living and dining areas.  Plan allows for several  roof plans and exterior material choices. 

Plan 09 - 773 square foot house   Varietal - One bedroom, spacious plan allows an optional carport or garage.  This plan is simple, user friendly, and attractive, allowing several styles such as craftsman/bungalow, spanish/mission, country farmhouse, or modern/deco.

Plan 10 - 790 square foot house   Two Story Plan - Two story, two-bedroom plan with a garage allows privacy between the first and second stories. 

Plan 11 - 790 square foot house   Barn House - One-bedroom, spacious plan with a loft includes barn design features and storage closets.

Architects: Bryce Engstrom, Architect; Caron Architecture; Craig Smith, Architect; LGA; R2L Architects; and San Luis Sustainability Group

Engineers: Taylor Syfan Consulting Engineers, Lampman & Smith, Walter Cerny, C.E., adVance Engineering, James Adams, S.E.

Energy Consultants: Pacific Energy, Melinda E. Keller, Carstairs Energy Calculations

Does your property qualify?

To find out if your property qualifies for a secondary dwelling, view:

Secondary Dwelling (Excerpts from Title 22 - Land Use Ordinance)