CUPERTINO, CA – The City of Cupertino has partnered with software applications company Gridics to bring simplicity, transparency, and efficiency to what can otherwise be a confusing and time-consuming development design process.
Residents who visit City Hall to discuss the redevelopment of their homes can now view their properties’ full building potential in an easily interpreted 3-D environment. The Gridics software tool takes into account the zoning codes for every property in Cupertino and creates a 3-D model of buildings using permitted property size, heights, and setbacks.
“While this tool isn’t capable of designing a home for our residents, it does allow our residents to walk away with a better visualization of what they can do with their property based on our City’s zoning code,” Mayor Steven Scharf said. “The City continues to try and simplify its processes, and this is a great step forward.”
The tool also benefits the City’s planning staff, who can instantaneously change the property’s building mass based on heights, setbacks, and inquiries from the property owner. Each step in the workflow has been minimized to seconds to create a more efficient plan review. Once the property has been evaluated, the City planner will be able to provide a report that summarizes the development while providing applicable code sections, visuals, and other pertinent information that they can then give to their architect.
“Taking the design process from pencil and paper to a 3-D world significantly improves communication and understanding between residents and staff,” said Associate Planner Erick Serrano.
The City worked with Gridics for months, integrating Cupertino’s GIS data, property records, and zoning code to ensure the best tool possible for residents.
“We’re excited to have partnered with Cupertino and assist them with building a more integrated Cupertino for the future,” said Jason Doyle CEO of Gridics. “Our team of software engineers, urban planners, and architects have been working side-by-side with the City of Cupertino to help them bridge the gap between text, map, and City staff in a single software platform; the first of its kind in the world.”
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