Decoding complex city laws.

We build AI-based solutions for the modern city.


What's the problem? See our solution

The Problem

We live in a digital world, but our cities still operate on analog infrastructure such as antiquated zoning codes. The result is a massive disconnect between the rules published on PDFs and color-coded maps and the reality of building. Most zoning codes exist as thousands of pages of static text and basic color-coded maps. Searching them for answers is tedious, prone to error, time-consuming, and varies city to city. Permitting and entitlements take even longer, often nullifying potential development that create jobs and housing. Let's streamline how our cities operate and unlock the full potential of our built environment.

What We Do

Our passion is bringing cities along for the AI revolution and into the 21st century.

Zoning Decoder


The Zoning Decoder is our AI-powered planning agent trained on your city's specific municipal zoning code. It empowers users to navigate complex and layered development standards in seconds. The zoning decoder agent is easily overlayed on your city's current planning page, providing fast implementation with immediate results.





Try the Demo
  • Instant Answers
    Ask questions about specific parcels, development standards, and usage rights.
  • Better Guidance
    Automatically directs users to the correct applications and contacts.
  • Improved services
    Improve your city staff's response times, providing greater customer citizen service.
  • Now Deploying
    Available for pilot programs with city planning departments nationwide.

AI Agent
Chat with Planning Agent
  1. Hi! I'm Hill Valley's planning agent, and I can help you with any zoning related questions you may have. Is there a specific address you had a question on or a general question?
  2. Hi. I live on 1640 Riverside Drive. I want to convert my garage into a new apartment. Is that possible?
  3. I see you live on 1640 Riverside Dr. in Hill Valley. The parcel is approximately 12,188 square feet and zoned R1-1, meaning it is designated for single family residential use only.
  4. You cannot build an apartment on your lot, however the garage you mentioned can be converted into an ADU, or "accessory dwelling unit."
  5. Would you like more information on how to do so?
  6. Yes
  7. Great! I have a question first. Is this garage attached to your main house or detached from it?
  8. It's detached.
  9. Ok. For a detached garage conversion, you can...

Permit Decoder

This is your step-by-step guide to navigating the unique permit process of your city. We provide clear, actionable guidance tailored to specific requirements.

  • Transparent, step-by-step roadmaps for applicants.
  • Visual workflows to simplify process understanding.
  • Auto-fill for PDF and digital forms to reduce errors.
Permit Decoder

Civic Platform

We can go behind the counter and revamp the way cities process entitlements and permitting, thereby bridging the gap between technology and process. It's a digital backend that handles inquiries, applications, and more, speeding up and simplifying the civic process for citizens and staff alike.

Public Counter Decoder

Plan Check Decoder

Future Product

Automated pre-screening of architectural plans against local codes to accelerate the approval timeline.

Plan Check Decoder

Building Decoder

Future Product

Gain AI-powered access to your local building codes on job sites for instant verification with building inspectors.

Building Decoder

Why It Matters

Our Mission

Our goal is simple: bringing cities into the 21st century. Whether it is using the latest AI technology to do an end run around complex zoning codes or providing visual guides for the permitting process, we believe municipal governments have a civic duty to work for the average citizen.


For Cities

Cities and planners need to be empowered with tools that make navigating zoning codes and development standards easier and more efficient particularly so that the high cost of housing can be reduced. They have a duty to serve their citizens and make their processes more transparent and accessible.

  • Administrative Overload: Talented planners and city staff spend hours every day answering the same repetitive questions at the counter or over the phone.
  • Backlog Bottlenecks: A flood of incomplete or incorrect applications clogs the pipeline, slowing down approval times for everyone.
  • Disconnected Data: Critical information is often siloed across different departments (Planning, Building, Fire), making coordination difficult and slow.

The housing shortages and economic backlog mean we need to build faster, smarter, and easier. Municipal governments should start using modern tools and AI to revolutionize the way they operate.

For Citizens

The current planning process is broken for everyone involved. Building in our cities shouldn't be this hard. Yet the gap between having an idea and getting a permit is widening, creating friction that stalls progress particularly in building new housing and frustrates communities.

  • The "Black Box" of Zoning: Navigating zoning codes and development standards feels like entering a maze without a map. Codes are complex, localized, and often written in dense legalese.
  • Costly Uncertainty: Without clear answers, projects suffer from expensive delays, rejected applications, and unpredictable timelines.
  • High Barrier to Entry: The complexity scares away homeowners and small business owners, leaving development only to those with deep pockets and specialized consultants.

Municipal governments are there to serve the public, but their processes aren't accessible to the everyday citizen.

How It Works

Our zoning decoder and other AI-powered tools work in a similar step-by-step fashion.

1. Decode

We investigate the current state of your city's zoning code, training our custom AI agent to understand and interpret the rules as they are written in the official municipal code. We make sure to include all relevant zoning layers including but not limited to various state laws like density bonuses and ADUs.

Document decoded

2. Geocode

We tie in your city's GIS data with our AI models to ensure accurate spatial interpretation. If your city doesn't have an interactive map, we can help set one up.



Geocode Map

3. Encode

We implement clean, visual solutions on your city's own websites. From a simple chat agent to a complete revamp of your community development services, we use common sense principles to reform processes and empower your citizens.


Encode Process

Who We Are

The team behind the code.

Engineers

Our team of AI specialists and data scientists are building the digital infrastructure that powers our cities. They are dedicated to turning complex, unstructured municipal data into reliable, secure, and intuitive tools that function seamlessly in the real world.

Leaders

Sitting at the intersection of modern technology and civic service, our leadership team drives the vision of a frictionless development process. We are industry veterans committed to modernizing municipal operations without losing the human touch required for city planning.

Shawn Kahen

Shawn Kahen

Founder & CEO

Advisors

We are guided by a strategic council of former city officials, urban planners, and real estate executives. Their regulatory expertise and real-world experience ensure that our solutions aren't just technologically advanced, but practically useful for the cities we serve.

Where to Find Us?

Let's start the conversation to bring your city into the 21st century.

Call Us 310-361-2345 Email Us
Los Angeles HQ



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When can we start?

For Cities

If you're a part of a government agency or a municipality looking to modernize your systems, we're ready to help launch a pilot program.

Sign up now

For Citizens

If you're a citizen wanting your city to finally be decoded and would like to see what steps you can take to do so, let us know below!

Request your city to join