3 Pre-Approved ADU Designs for the City of Everett
The City of Everett is launching a new gallery of pre-approved accessory dwelling units (ADU), making it faster, simpler and more affordable for homeowners to add housing on their property.
The program is the most recent step in Everett’s broader effort to increase housing choices, expand homeownership opportunities and make Everett the easiest place in Washington state to build housing.
“Mayor Franklin and the City of Everett team are proving that innovation and public-private partnerships can help government deliver better results for the people it serves,” said Former Washington Governor Chris Gregoire, CEO of Challenge Seattle.
The City’s new pre-approved plan library will initially include three ADU designs:
- The Rose I – 820 sq. ft., 2 bedrooms, 1 ½ bathrooms (Plutus Development)
- The Schooner – 1,000 sq. ft., 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms (Fivedot Architects)
- The Si – 999 sq. ft., 3 bedrooms, 2 ½ bathrooms (Drift Interiors & Architecture)
The designs are available for a licensing fee of approximately $1,500, helping homeowners reduce design costs, shorten timelines and navigate the permitting process more efficiently.
The Rose I 820 Square Foot ADU
The Rose I ADU Plan:
Description: The Rose Cottage is a compact, light-filled DADU designed for small families, or renters seeking an efficient and dignified home. Its simple rectangular form keeps construction predictable while allowing the building to adapt to a wide range of Snohomish County lots. Large windows provide natural daylight and cross-ventilation, and the open main level creates a sense of spaciousness within a modest footprint.
Key Features
- Efficient footprint that fits comfortably on narrow or sloped lots
- Open living/kitchen area
- Optional loft or second bedroom for flexible living arrangements
- Large windows for daylight and passive ventilation
- Simple roof form for cost-effective construction
- Slab-on-grade or stem-wall foundation options
The Shooner 1,000 Square Foot ADU
The Schooner ADU Plan:
Description: A compact, family-friendly 1,000 square foot DADU designed for efficient and affordable living. This 2 bedroom, 1 1/2 bath home comfortably accommodates a small family, expanding housing options in a growing region. Its simple rectangular form maximizes interior efficiency, reduces the building envelope, and streamlines construction, resulting in a cost-effective, easy-to-build home.
Key Features
- Low cost through simple building systems
- Green building and design
- Common building materials
- Privacy
- Simple rectangle blends in with many house environments
The Si 999 Square Foot ADU
The Si ADU Plan:
Description: A full 3 bedroom, 2 1/2 bath home thoughtfully designed within the 1,000 square foot DADU maximum, complete with an attached garage. The floor plan lives larger than its footprint, bright, comfortable, and family-friendly, with private bedrooms and open shared spaces. Shown in a transitional exterior style, the design adapts easily to modern, craftsman, farmhouse, or PNW-contemporary treatments to suit any lot or primary residence.
In honor of the new program, Mayor Cassie Franklin, Council Vice President Paula Rhyne, Deputy Mayor Michael Fong and City staff recently toured a cottage housing project under construction by local builder – Plutus Development. The project highlights an ADU by one of the pre-approved designers and shows how communities can add housing in ways that complement existing neighborhoods.
“When people hear the word density, they often picture large apartment buildings or high-rises, but some of the most important housing solutions are smaller in scale,” said Everett Mayor Cassie Franklin. “Cottage housing, ADUs and other middle housing options create opportunities for families while fitting naturally into existing neighborhoods. We’re proving that small and mid-sized cities can take meaningful action to address housing challenges.”
ADUs can play a vital role in giving residents flexible options for housing – whether they need space for an aging relative, a rental unit or making room for changing household needs. Everett’s pilot gallery of preapproved ADU designs will simplify the overall construction process and help homeowners start building sooner. These preapproved designs will give residents predictable, high-quality options.
“By offering pre-approved designs, we’re making it easier to add DADUs in Everett and also reducing workloads for our permitting department,” said Council Vice President Rhyne.
“Pre-approved plans are a great option for families to add a unit on their lot for multi-generational living or for first time homebuyers to have opportunities for homeownership right here in Everett. I’m excited for this program and proud to support these efforts.”
The City is also implementing process improvements focused around ADU permit review, with a goal of reducing review timelines and providing greater certainty for homeowners and builders.
Advancing housing, economic development and opportunity in Everett
Recognizing that housing and economic development go hand in hand, Mayor Franklin hired Michael Fong as the City’s deputy mayor and senior executive director of economic development.
Since joining the team earlier this year, Fong has played a key role in driving implementation of the City’s housing and growth strategies, coordinating efforts across departments and advancing initiatives that make it easier than ever to build housing, attract investment and create vibrant, livable neighborhoods.
“Housing challenges aren’t limited to large cities,” said Deputy Mayor Fong.
“Communities across the country are growing, and local governments have powerful tools available to them right now. Everett is building a practical playbook that other small and mid-sized cities can adapt: one that creates more housing choices, supports homeownership and helps guide the growth ahead.”
What’s next
The City is exploring additional strategies to support housing production, including simplifying lot division processes and updating the Multifamily Tax Exemption program to allow smaller projects to qualify. They have also been selected to receive a $130,000 grant from Challenge Seattle to pilot an AI-assisted permit application assistance.
“I am proud to lead a city that is fiercely pro-housing,” Franklin said.
“Housing impacts everything — affordability, workforce development, economic growth and quality of life – so as we make decisions, we ask ourselves: does this policy help us create more housing opportunities and become the easiest place in Washington to build housing?”
In the future, the City is considering expanding the pre-approved plan library to include middle housing options, like duplexes and townhouses. Small scale projects like this can help strategically increasing housing availability with additions that fit in with the existing neighborhood.
Background
Since 2018, Everett has added thousands of housing units, with many more in the development pipeline. The City’s housing strategy includes:
- Adoption of the Everett 2044 Comprehensive Plan and aligned development regulations to create capacity for future growth.
- Expanded opportunities for middle housing and neighborhood-scale housing options.
- Streamlined permitting processes and modernization of the City’s permit system.
- Fee reductions and incentives to support affordable housing development.
- Preservation of homeownership opportunities through programs such as CHIP and manufactured housing protections.
- Continued investments in infrastructure, transportation, parks, public safety and placemaking that support livable neighborhoods.
To view the pre-approved plans, please visit: everettwa.gov/3390/Gallery-of-