Edmonds launches pre-approved design program for ADUs

Published 12:14 pm Friday, July 31, 2026

EVERETT — Edmonds launched a program Monday in hopes of speeding up the permitting process for detached accessory dwelling units, or DADUs.

DADUs are small homes built on extra space in existing residential lots. Through the new program, people looking to build a DADU will be able to choose from pre-approved designs in a catalog, streamlining the permitting process.

Designers and architects will submit their designs to city staff, who will review them before adding them to the catalog. People looking to apply for a DADU can choose a plan from the catalog and purchase it directly from the architect or designer at a set rate at a maximum of $1,000.

“The fact that it can facilitate a permit process in general and potentially provide a different revenue stream for the designers is a big deal and a win-win for all parties involved,” said Ted Corey, the building official for the city of Edmonds.

In Edmonds, a large driver of ADU development is the ability for seniors to age in place near family, according to the city’s website. According to 2025 census data, 24% of Edmonds residents are 65 years of age or older. Other reasons people may build an ADU are for an additional source of income or to help increase the affordability of housing, the city website says. Depending on zoning, DADUs in Edmonds can be a maximum of 1,000 or 1,200 square feet.

In 2024, Edmonds changed its code to allow for two ADUs on a single lot, consistent with a change in state law. That year, the city saw three applications for DADUs. In 2025, it saw 40.

“Regionally, there’s a push to remove barriers that are in place in order to facilitate the addition of housing units within cities,” Corey said.

The pre-approved design program was listed as a top housing priority in the city’s most recent comprehensive plan adopted in 2024. According to the plan, the city aims to build nearly 2,000 ADUs by 2044.

Nearly all of the city’s development review committee meetings involve residents inquiring about placing DADUs on their lots, Corey said.

Many of the 40 applications the city saw in 2025 included the same designs, Corey said. Pre-approved plans would have saved days of review time, he added.

“You’re eliminating the duplicate review of that same structure for various construction permits, and that’s basically eliminating a regulatory barrier and passing it off to the architect or designer initially, and then the general public can benefit from that initial review,” he said.

The city has received inquiries for pre-approved design submissions but does not yet have any designs published in the catalog. Corey said he hopes to have designs published in the coming months.

In June, Everett launched a similar program along with three already pre-approved designs. The county is also in the process of developing a pre-approved DADU design program. In Seattle, permitting timelines for pre-approved designs have averaged 40% faster than designs without pre-approval, according to a 2023 report.

At a July 14 City Council meeting, council members approved an agreement to further streamline the process by giving the mayor the authority to approve contract agreements with designers and architects. All council members expressed their support for the pre-approved design program.

“I’m very excited for our residents to be able to have an easier path forward,” council member Vivian Olson said.

Jenna Peterson: 425-339-3486; jenna.peterson@heraldnet.com; X: @jennarpetersonn.