Community Model Homes: Program Handbook

• Dwelling Unit: A building, or portion of a building, arranged, designed or used as living quarters, including bathroom and kitchen facilities, sleeping and living areas, for a family.
• Single-Family Unit: A building designed for occupancy by one (1) family.
• Two-Family (Duplex) Unit: A building designed for occupancy by two (2) families.
• Three-Family (Triplex) Unit: A building designed for occupancy by three (3) families.
• Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU): An attached or detached self-contained living unit that is on the same lot or parcel as a single-family dwelling of greater square footage than the accessory dwelling unit, that includes its own sleeping and sanitation facilities and that may include its own kitchen facilities.
• Designer: A design or construction professional (company, team, or individual) who is qualified to produce a design proposal and, upon approval, produce completed building plans.
• Design Proposal: A set of conceptual materials (narrative, images, renderings, etc.) for a Community Model Home. Design Proposals must be reviewed and approved by the Town before Building Plans can be submitted.
• Building Plans: A set of completed building plans for a Community Model Home, including mechanical, electrical, and plumbing details. Building Plans must be reviewed and approved by the Town before site planning can begin.
• Site Plan: A plan outlining the location of a proposed building on a property.
• Model Plan: A package of completed plans for a Community Model Home, based on an approved Design Proposal and Building Plans.
• Model Plan Library: The Town of Oro Valley's online repository for approved Community Model Homes. Each model listed in the Model Plan Library will provide preliminary renders, floor plans, estimated costs, and contact information of the designer. Interested residents and property owners can use the contact information provided to directly contact the designer for purchase.

* = Equivalent zoning districts in Planned Area Developments (PADs) apply.

Need help identifying your zoning district? Please use the Town's Find My Zoning page to find out which zoning district applies to your property.

Approved Community Model Homes will be published to the Town’s Model Plan Library, where interested residents can connect with the designer to purchase plans directly. Each Community Model Home will have its own page in the library, containing more information and previews for the model. The Model Plan Library will be updated as new models are reviewed and approved by the Town.

Model Plan Library

Online Application

To begin participating in the Community Model Homes program, you will need to submit a Design Proposal to the Town for review. Design Proposals must be submitted through the Town’s Customer Portal, using the following instructions:

1. Select "My Portal" on the Customer Portal homepage.
2. Select "Apply Online."
3. Select "Community Model Home for ADU/SFR/Duplex/Triplex" from the category dropdown.
4. Select "Step 1: Pre-submittal for proposed model" from the options that appear and click the blue "Next" button.
5. Enter Townwide in the "Address" line, Oro Valley in the "City" line, select AZ from the "State" dropdown, and click the blue "Next" button. Review the entered address and click the blue "Save and Continue" button.
6. Review the popup window and click the blue "Get Started" button.
7. Enter all required and applicable information in the application dropdowns.
8. Click "Submit Application" when the application is complete.

Customer Portal

Required Materials

A complete Design Proposal will include the following elements:

1. Descriptive narrative. This information will later be used to build a webpage for the model in the Model Plan Library.
   1. Designer name (individual or team) and contact information, including an email address, phone number, and place of employment.
   2. Project name and description.
2. Colored imagery or 3-D renderings of the design.
3. Color and materials palette. To best broaden resident appeal of your Design Proposal, the Town recommends submitting three (3) unique color and material palettes.

Optional Pre-application Meeting

Pre-application meetings are encouraged but not required. A pre-application meeting with the Town’s planning staff allows the designer to receive feedback on their Design Proposal before the submittal of building plans. Please visit the Town's Pre-Applications page for more information.

Pre-Applications

Application Results

Following a successful review of a Design Proposal, the designer will receive a follow up communication confirming entry into the program. Approved Design Proposals will be returned with a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to be signed, dated, and included in the designer’s Building Plans submittal. Design Proposals that are not approved will receive comments outlining where revisions are needed for a successful resubmittal. 

Online Application

After your Design Proposal is approved to participate in the Community Model Homes program, you will need to submit Building Plans to the Town for review. Building Plans must be submitted through the Town’s Customer Portal, using the following instructions:

1. Select "My Portal" on the Customer Portal homepage.
2. Select "Apply Online."
3. Select "Community Model Home for ADU/SFR/Duplex/Triplex" from the category dropdown.
4. Select "Step 2: Model home plans (full construction plans)" from the options that appear and click the blue "Next" button.
5. Enter Townwide in the "Address" line, Oro Valley in the "City" line, select AZ from the "State" dropdown, and click the blue "Next" button. Review the entered address and click the blue "Save and Continue" button.
6. Review the popup window and click the blue "Get Started" button.
7. Enter all required and applicable information in the application dropdowns.
8. Click "Submit Application" when the application is complete.

Customer Portal

Required Materials

Complete Building Plans must include the following items:

1. Building plans. Additional requirements for model homes can be found under the “Model Homes” tab on the Town’s Residential Permits page.
   1. Floor plan
   2. Foundations plan
   3. Framing plan
   4. Elevation views
   5. Section views
   6. Mechanical plan
   7. Plumbing plan
   8. Electrical plan
2. Architectural documents.
   1. Colored elevations of the model clearly depicting overall building composition, façade design elements, and dimensions. Ensure building height is shown. 3-dimensional renderings are strongly encouraged but are not required.
   2. Dimensioned floor plans with all proposed options.
   3. A color and materials palette for all elevations including roof material, accents, wainscot, etc. Note that photographs or images of the proposed building materials are required, actual materials (i.e., materials boards) will not be accepted.
   4. Ensure the light reflectivity values are identified and meet the Town’s Design Standards (Zoning Code, Addendum A) where applicable.
3. Signed Memorandum of Understanding.

Residential Permits   Zoning Code, Addendum A

Building Plan Options

Building Plans with multiple footprints (options) should be submitted as one plan set. For example, Building Plans for a model that includes a studio, 1-bedroom, and 2-bedroom option will be reviewed together.

What to Expect for Review

• Review Criteria: Building Plans will be reviewed for compliance with current Building Codes and Local Amendments, including current International Building Codes and National Electric Code. The Town’s Design Standards (Zoning Code, Addendum A) will be used to review proposed architecture and elevations for code-compliance where applicable.

• Review Times: 20 working days are required for staff to review the Building Plans for code-compliance. Additional review cycles may be required to reach code-compliance, depending on first submittal quality.

Building Codes and Local Amendments   Zoning Code, Addendum A

After Building Plans are Approved

• Renewing Building Plans: Plans approved and published to the Model Plan Library will remain available so long as current building codes remain.

• Revising Approved Plans: Revisions made to Building Plans published to the Model Plan Library must be submitted by the designer to the Town for review and approval. A “Pending Revisions” notice will be added on the model's webpage until the revision is approved.

Interested residents must purchase Building Plans for their Community Model Home of choice directly from the designer, using contact information provided found in the Model Plan Library. The Town of Oro Valley is not involved in any purchase of Building Plans and any communications between the designer and resident.

Model Plan Library

Online Application

After purchasing Building Plans from the designer, the applicant (either the property owner or a representative of the property owner) must submit a Site Plan to the Town for review through the Town’s Customer Portal, using the following instructions:

1. Select "My Portal" on the Customer Portal homepage.
2. Select "Apply Online."
3. Select "Community Model Home for ADU/SFR/Duplex/Triplex" from the category dropdown.
4. Select "Step 3: Site plan to build approved model on a lot" from the options that appear and click the blue "Next" button.
5. Enter the address of your property and click the blue "Next" button. Review the entered address and click the blue "Save and Continue" button.
6. Review the popup window and click the blue "Get Started" button.
7. Enter all required and applicable information in the application dropdowns.
8. Click "Submit Application" when the application is complete.

Customer Portal

Required Materials

• For a Site Plan on a Mass Graded Lot
  • Elements specifically required when planning on a mass graded lot include:
  • Finished floor and finished pad elevations
  • Site setbacks
  • All easements as shown on the final plat
  • Drainage slope arrows and minimum slopes
  • Sewer backwater valve (Must be indicated when required)
• For a Site Plan on a Custom Graded Lot
  • See "Grading Permit" on the Town’s Residential Permits page for the full list of plan requirements. Some elements specifically required when planning on a custom graded lot include:
  • Existing and proposed topography
  • Delineated grading limits
  • Town of Oro Valley standard grading notes
  • Soil report: Must relate to foundation design. If the report is over 1 year old, please provide a sealed statement from an engineer confirming that conditions have not changed.
• Mechanical Equipment Screening: Site plans must show how the equipment is screened from view per the Oro Valley Zoning Code, section 23.6.A.6.
• Special Inspection Certificates (if applicable)
  • Post-tensioned slab, Concrete >2500 psi, Slender Masonry
  • Some ICFs, Field Welding, High-Strength Bolts, Misc.

What to Expect for Review

• Review Criteria: Submitted model plans will be reviewed for compliance with current Building Codes and Local Amendments, including the 2024 International Building Codes and the 2023 National Electric Code.
• Review Times: 10 working days are required for staff to review the submittal for code-compliance. Additional review cycles may be required to reach code-compliance, depending on first submittal quality.

Building Codes and Local Amendments

Before Issuance: Prior to construction, the following documents must be submitted to the Town:

1. Proof of sewer connections fees paid to Pima County may be required if applicable
2. Valuation of project cost breakdown
3. Payment of all permit fees (Staff will contact you when the fees have been determined)

After Issuance: Please note that all permits are issued electronically. The person responsible for the permit (applicant, contractor or homeowner), must print one full size set of:

1. Approved permit
2. Stamped approved construction plans in color
3. Supporting documents such as Calculations, Soils Reports, Special Inspector Reports, Energy Reports, etc.

All of the above listed documents must be on the construction site in paper format and available for the building inspectors. Failure to provide the approved paper documents on the job site for the inspector may result in a failure of inspections.

Additional fees for the following may apply, based on site-specific conditions:

• Special inspections by third party
• Pima county sewer connect receipt
• Potential new water meters due to size increase
• Grading permit fees. For 1000 sf or more of grading ($470 fee)
• Deferred submittals ($120 fee)

More information can be found under the “Model Homes” tab on the Town’s Residential Permits page.

Residential Permits