ADU tools for cities and counties
Residents want to know whether an ADU fits their lot before they call the counter. A resident portal set up with your adopted ADU code, parcel data and next steps answers the basic questions the same way every time, with sources, and sends people to your office better prepared. Staff keep authority over every interpretation, approval and permit.
Resident ADU portal demoHow we build it for planning departments
Your code, cited section by section
Every rule shown to a resident comes from your adopted ordinance, with the section, an excerpt and the date it was checked. Nothing is invented or inferred.
Staff stay the authority
Results are preliminary and educational. They are never a permit, a survey, a zoning determination or a binding quote, and they say so on every screen and report.
Review dates, not stale answers
Each rule set carries a review date. When it lapses the portal warns, and when it is overdue it stops drawing conclusions until staff confirm the rules.
Neutral by design
No builder names, ads or rankings, and no lead capture by default. The next step on every result is your office.
Accessible and private
Designed toward WCAG 2.1 AA, with a data-use notice before the first lookup and retention set by the city.
Start with a pilot
Set it up for one program or district, let staff test it against real counter questions, then decide.
Articles
- Turning Your Adopted ADU Code Into a Resident Self-Service PortalHow an ADU portal for planning departments is set up: your adopted code cited section by section, your GIS data and plans, your next steps, and staff review before launch.
- How an ADU Portal Helps a Planning Department Save Time and Improve ApplicationsADU program software answers basic eligibility questions from your sourced rules, so residents arrive with a preliminary site plan. Neutral, accessible, and staff stay in charge.
- How Cities Can Use a Free ADU Lot Check to Answer Resident QuestionsCities can link residents to a free ADU lot check showing lot lines, buildable area and sourced rules. It is preliminary, never a permit, and staff remain the authority.