Hernando County, Florida, is piloting artificial intelligence in zoning and permitting approvals. Early results show a significant increase in efficiencies.
Hernando County, Florida, is testing artificial intelligence to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of its local permitting processing. Using an AI platform called SwiftGov (from SwiftBuild.ai), the county has automated parts of its zoning and building review for single-family homes and subdivisions. The system cross-checks submitted plans against local zoning codes, identifies missing information, and flags potential violations—reducing review times from about 30 days to as little as two. County officials estimate the move has already saved roughly $1 million in administrative costs while keeping final approvals firmly in the hands of staff reviewers.
For Maryland counties, Hernando’s pilot highlights both the potential and the caution of adopting AI in local land-use management. Automated review could ease workloads, speed project approvals, and help meet housing-supply or disaster-recovery needs—but successful implementation depends on strong guardrails. Key considerations include ensuring data security for applicant information, maintaining staff oversight to prevent overreliance on algorithms, and verifying accuracy and transparency in how zoning codes are applied.