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Hernando County development services: inspections surge, AI and drones speed reviews
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Summary
Development Services Director Omar De Pablo told the joint meeting Hernando County handled more than 20,000 permits and roughly 85,000 inspections in 2025, highlighted operational streamlining, increased use of video inspections, AI tools to speed subdivision reviews, and ongoing Tyler and GIS implementations to keep pace with rapid housing growth.
Hernando County’s Development Services Department described a large and growing workload on April 22 as officials mapped how technology and process changes are being used to keep permits and inspections moving.
Omar De Pablo, the county’s Development Services Director, told the joint meeting the department recorded 75 rezonings and three comprehensive plan amendments in 2025, and processed roughly 20,228 permits and about 85,545 inspections. "If you add third‑party video inspections we’re encroaching on 100,000 inspections," De Pablo said, noting that private providers and video processes speed reviews for builders.
De Pablo described a shift from code enforcement to a code compliance philosophy using a tiered program that helped avoid an estimated $160,000 enforcement cleanup on Sunshine Grove Road by bringing an owner into compliance. He also highlighted operational reforms: removing redundant review steps and handling more administrative matters without board appeals.
On technology, De Pablo said the county is deep into a Tyler software implementation and also improving GIS layers for public use. He said the county has piloted AI tools to review subdivision checklists and is expanding AI for vertical construction reviews to reduce a 20–30 man‑hour task to a matter of minutes, while retaining human technical review. "The AI flags missing plan elements and helps create consistency across reviews," he said.
Planning Manager Michelle Miller followed with spatial detail on three growth corridors — Royal Highlands, the I‑75/State Route 50 plan development district, and County Line Road — and described draft initiatives to ensure nonresidential capacity, transportation mitigation and school land set‑asides as rooftops come online.
County staff said storm recovery remains active: roughly 1,200 homes still need work following prior storm damage, and the building division is reviewing properties for demolition where structures are abandoned and unsafe. Officials said storm‑recovery best practices were even of interest to Miami‑Dade officials.
The department recommended continued investments in staffing, cross‑training, AI tools, GIS improvements and coordination with the school district and utilities to address growth pressures.
