PORT ANGELES – Clallam County may soon adopt a new drive-by service to assist with property assessments in certain areas.
The county assessor’s office is proposing to hire Cyclomedia, a company specializing in Street Level Imagery and LIDAR surveys. Cyclomedia uses vehicles similar to Google mapping cars to capture imagery of properties. The data collected would then be utilized by the assessor’s office for annual property assessments.
The technology would be deployed in Port Angeles, Sequim, and Forks.
“Cyclomedia is like street view software on steroids. They have cameras that take pictures every 16 feet as they drive down the streets,” said County Assessor Pam Rushton. “It’s a new tool that complements our existing software, helping us conduct desktop reviews with street views, aerial views, and an updated mapping system, reducing the need for in-field assessments.”
If approved by county commissioners, a test run of the service will be conducted. Rushton noted that if successful, future use of the technology could be funded through a shared technology fund between the assessor and treasurer, as well as savings from unfilled staff positions.
“I believe fieldwork will become more obsolete, except perhaps for new construction,” Rushton added. “Being in the field is more dangerous than ever—we don’t carry guns or sprays, and our appraisers are facing the same threats as others. It’s a safety issue.”
County officials are still determining how to fund the initial contract. Commissioners are expected to decide soon, as Cyclomedia has advised conducting the surveys while weather conditions remain favorable.