The Cleveland Township board is considering letting an artificial intelligence (AI) answer residents’ zoning questions following a presentation by the zoning administrator during Tuesday’s monthly meeting.
The proposed system, called “Zoning OS,” would be embedded on the township website and allow users to type in zoning related questions and receive immediate answers pulled directly from township ordinances. The tool was developed by zoning administrator Scott Sheehan and his business partner, Travis Kemp, through their company, Blue Water Intelligence. Board members approved moving forward with a limited test of the system on the township website, after a legal review of the contract.
“You go looking for my name (on the township website) because you have a question. When you get there, you’re gonna see at the bottom, a little pill-shaped button that says ‘Ask Scotty the Zoning Assistant’,” explained Sheehan.
