Embracing AI for Smarter Governance: How MuniCollab Is Transforming Planning and Zoning

Recently, I had the opportunity to present at a panel discussion about AI in the planning process. The Planning and Zoning Workshop was hosted by the Capital District Regional Planning Commission. In the long run, there is no question about whether AI will become part of the municipal planning landscape. For the forward-thinking municipalities, it’s already here. The real question is how we can harness it responsibly to support better decision-making while maintaining the human judgment that’s essential to planning and zoning work.

At MuniCollab, we’ve been working to develop AI tools specifically designed for the unique challenges of the planning and zoning process. Our new AI features aren’t about replacing the expertise of board members, planners, and municipal staff. Instead, they’re about amplifying that expertise, giving you more time to focus on the nuanced, context-dependent decisions that require human insight.

Maintaining Human-in-the-Loop

Throughout my presentation, I emphasized a principle that guides everything we do at MuniCollab: human review is essential. AI should be viewed as an assistant, not a replacement. Our tools are designed with this philosophy at their core.

AI is a continuous learning model, which means results can vary over time as the model improves. While the model will tend to improve over time, it also means that you should never assume that an input will produce the same output every time. That’s why MuniCollab’s AI features always include verification steps. AI suggestions must be checked, verified, and human-endorsed. The ultimate responsibility for review resides with the humans involved – our goal is to provide them with the best possible tools to do so.

We also believe in transparency. Public confidence about AI usage varies considerably, as does public awareness of AI tools generally. Being transparent about your use of AI—especially if it’s integrated programmatically into your review process—will enhance public trust. Having clear standard operating procedures for use of AI is critical in maintaining that trust.

Getting Started with AI in Your Municipality

Land-use Review represents a great opportunity to implement AI with powerful tools that accelerate staff workflows and strong guardrails to protect the public and the municipality. The future of planning and zoning isn’t about choosing between human expertise and artificial intelligence—it’s about combining both to achieve outcomes neither could accomplish alone. That’s the vision driving our work at MuniCollab, and we’re excited to see how municipalities across the country use these tools to serve their communities more effectively.

AI for Workflow Efficiency

One of AI’s greatest strengths is its ability to streamline repetitive tasks. When documents are uploaded to MuniCollab, our AI assesses document types, extracts key information like generation dates, provides concise summaries, and even recommends the appropriate destination folder based on your municipality’s digital filing system.

Imagine receiving 20 documents as part of a site plan revision an hour before a submission deadline. Instead of staff spending hours sorting, categorizing, and doing initial reviews, our AI handles the menial, repetitive tasks. It identifies that Document A is a zoning determination memo, Document B is a revised EAF, and Document C is a SWPPP. It extracts the critical details from each and routes them to the correct review queue. Your staff can then focus their expertise where it matters most: the substantive review and decision-making.

The Heavy Lift: Context Shaping

One of the most critical concepts I discussed during my presentation was “context shaping.” AI is only as powerful as the context you provide. Here is a good way of thinking about it: the prompt is the question you ask AI, and the context is the source material that an AI model reviews before providing a response. While AI models will have a basic understanding of a site plan review process, each community has its own specific processes and municipal code that must be applied. 

This is where MuniCollab’s AI features shine. We’ve built our tools to work within a consistent workflow, so that AI-powered first-pass reviews are always queried against an up-to-date body of context that you manage directly. Whether you’re reviewing site plans, checking zoning compliance, or analyzing public comments, our AI works with your municipal code, your file destinations, and your established procedures. This consistency is what makes AI reliable and trustworthy for municipal use.

First-Pass Code Review: Finding Your Starting Point

Another powerful application of AI in planning is what I call “first-pass code review.” MuniCollab’s AI can quickly surface specific sections of municipal code that are relevant to an application, identify potential issues that require further human analysis, and flag topics that might need additional expertise.

The time savings here are substantial. Instead of a planner spending 30 minutes searching through code to find the relevant setback requirements, stormwater regulations, and parking standards, AI does this in seconds. It doesn’t make the final determination—that’s still your job—but it points you in the right direction and ensures nothing gets overlooked. Our AI can even identify which issues might require deeper review or specialized expertise, helping you allocate your resources more effectively.

Ready to Get Started?

The future of planning and zoning isn’t about choosing between human expertise and artificial intelligence. Both ingredients are essential for your municipality to be successful with AI. That’s the vision driving our work at MuniCollab, and we’re excited to see how municipalities across the country use these tools to serve their communities more effectively.

Ready to see how AI can transform your planning and zoning workflows? Contact us to schedule a demo and learn how MuniCollab can support your municipality’s land-use review needs.