Coconino County, AZ

Tiny-house code pathway for rural homesteads

Problem

Outdated regulations block innovation. Fear of failure keeps officials cautious. Communities and institutions can't experiment without risking penalties or political backlash.

Solution

Coconino County Community Development defines a tiny house as a dwelling of 600 square feet or less (lofts excluded) that can be site-built, factory-built, built off-site or on an approved trailer; its building code applies 2018 IRC Appendix Q modified to 600 square feet. A one-page 'Single Family Housing Types (including Tiny Houses)' matrix, a one-page Permitting Regulations for Tiny Houses sheet (policy dated 11/18/2020) and an April 2023 tiny-house-on-wheels scenario sheet set out the permit paths by foundation type and origin, require county design criteria (115 mph ultimate wind, Seismic Design Category C, elevation-based ground snow loads), and state wastewater rules (system sized to fixture count, ADEQ-listed composting toilets, self-contained units in RV parks). Ordinance 2019-10 adopted the 2018 I-Codes and was replaced by Ordinance 2026-03 (2024 codes) effective June 2, 2026.

Patterns used: Rural Policy Sandbox

Read more success stories