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Coventry planning staff warns commissioners about rise of AI‑generated public comments
Summary
Planning staff warned the Coventry Planning Commission that anonymous or AI‑generated public comments are increasingly appearing in project records, urged reliance on staff reports to identify substantive issues and said staff will flag legitimate concerns rather than the commission having to debunk every letter.
During the director's report on Oct. 27, Planning Department staff told commissioners they are seeing more public-comment letters that appear to have been generated by artificial intelligence and that some of those submissions cite non-existent or irrelevant code sections.
The Planning Director said the staff examined one such letter and "debunked pretty much the entire letter," noting that AI can produce a well‑organized, compelling argument that may be factually inaccurate. "AI is capable of ... presenting compelling, well written, well presented, well organized arguments that on the surface look like they're very damning," the director said, adding that staff will flag issues they deem legitimate in the staff report so commissioners can focus on substantive concerns. The director told the board: "If it's worth your time and attention, you'll see it addressed in the staff report."
Commissioners discussed whether to require contact information or signatures on letters; several members cautioned against excluding unsigned submissions because doing so could disenfranchise legitimate commenters. The commission agreed not to institute a formal rule excluding unsigned or anonymous comments but to use staff reports to prioritize and surface legitimate technical or legal issues for the board's consideration.
Separately, staff also presented and the commission approved the proposed 2026 meeting schedule and noted plans to hold a large‑project hearing at Coventry High School on Nov. 19 and a related meeting on Dec. 18.
What happens next: Staff will continue to record all public comments, review and highlight substantive issues in staff reports, and notify applicants when comments raise technical points that require a response.
Sources: Transcript of the Coventry Planning Commission meeting, Oct. 27, 2025.
