The pre-approved building plans in Parkersburg’s Neighborhood Infill Supported Development program includes this accessory dwelling unit with a single bedroom, bath and full kitchen. It could be built as an addition to existing housing to provide an additional income or on-site housing for family members, the description says. (Photo provided by the City of Parkersburg)

PARKERSBURG — A new initiative by the City of Parkersburg’s Planning & Development Department aims to make it easier for people to build houses on vacant lots.

The Neighborhood Infill Supported Development program offers five pre-approved building plans and additional support to streamline the approval process and “encourage small-scale, community-focused housing development,” according to a release from the department.

“Revitalizing our neighborhoods requires practical, incremental steps,” said Ryan Barber, development director. “This initiative makes it easier for builders, investors and homebuyers to take part in that transformation, helping to expand housing options and breathe new life into underutilized spaces.”

The program includes a catalog of five “modest, high-quality home designs,” including four single-family dwellings and one two-family structure, the release said. Because the city has already reviewed and approved the plans, it speeds up the permitting and inspection process, Barber said.

“We know these plans are high quality. They meet code compliance; they meet our engineering specs,” he said. When code enforcement personnel perform on-site inspections, “now we know exactly what they’re building.”

While homebuilders can build and submit any plans they want, there is no charge for the pre-approved plans. Barber said this could save a builder $1,000 to $5,000 to pay for a set of plans. They also come with a complete list of building materials.

“It’ll tell you every single nut, bolt, two-by-four you need to build it,” Barber said.

The plans could be used by someone wanting to build on a lot owned by the city’s Urban Renewal Authority, though they are not limited to those sites.

The initiative aims to fill vacant lots and reduce blight while expanding the city’s housing stock, the release said.

Barber noted a 2022 housing study of Wood County said the county needed over 2,500 units “in the next five years at every price point.”

City Planner Calaya Rake said the goal of the program is to give “our neighborhoods the tools they need to grow from within.

“By lowering barriers to investment and making the process easier, we’re opening the door for more people to help shape Parkersburg’s future,” she said.

More information on the program is available by calling the Planning and Development Department at 304-424-8519 or online at www.parkersburgwv.gov/residents/pre-approved_building_plans.php

Evan Bevins can be reached at ebevins@newsandsentinel.com.