Job Title: Planner 1

Location: City Hall - 3101 Goodman Road West

Department: Planning & Development

Hours: Full Time

Job Description:

Purpose of Position

The Planner 1 performs professional planning, zoning administration, development review, and permit review duties and assists the Planning Director with the administration of the City’s planning and development regulations. The position reviews permits and applications for compliance with zoning ordinances, subdivision regulations, design standards, adopted plans, and other applicable requirements; responds to zoning and development inquiries; processes assigned planning cases; and assists with public meetings, ordinance amendments, long-range planning, research, and special projects.

The Planner 1 serves as the department’s second level of review for permits, applications, and questions initially received by the Planning Clerk and Rental Housing Quality Control Coordinator. The Planner 1 provides technical guidance to front-line staff, resolves routine and moderately complex planning and zoning matters, and refers complex, sensitive, controversial, legal, or policy-level matters to the Planning Director.

The listed duties are illustrative and do not exclude related or logically assigned work.

Major Duties and Responsibilities

• Perform professional planning, zoning administration, development review, permit review, research, and related technical work under the direction of the Planning Director.
• Respond to routine and moderately complex inquiries from residents, applicants, contractors, property owners, developers, and other customers concerning zoning, development, subdivision regulations, design standards, permits, applications, and departmental procedures.
• Serve as the primary professional and technical resource for zoning and development questions that cannot be resolved by front-line staff using established procedures, forms, and checklists.
• Refer complex ordinance interpretations, sensitive disputes, controversial matters, legal concerns, and policy-level questions to the Planning Director.
• Review building permit applications forwarded by front-line staff for compliance with zoning, land-use, setback, dimensional, parking, landscaping, design, and other applicable planning requirements.
• Review sign permit applications for compliance with the zoning ordinance and other applicable City requirements.
• Document planning and zoning review comments, required revisions, approvals, and denials in Camino or other designated permit-management systems.
• Coordinate permit review with the Building Inspector and other City departments when additional technical review is required.
• Serve as the second level of departmental review for permits and applications initially received and administratively reviewed by the Planning Clerk or Rental Housing Quality Control Coordinator.
• Confirm that permits and applications have been properly categorized, documented, and routed before completing the required planning or zoning review.
• Identify missing information, incorrect application types, or routing errors and provide front-line staff with instructions for correction or follow-up.
• Review permit and application queues to identify submissions requiring additional planning review, interdepartmental coordination, or referral to the Planning Director.
• Review applications for rezonings, subdivisions, variances, conditional uses, site plans, design review, plat revisions, and other development matters after front-line staff complete the initial administrative intake and completeness review.
• Determine whether assigned applications contain the information necessary for technical review and identify required corrections, additional documentation, or related approvals.
• Process assigned planning and development cases in accordance with applicable ordinances, procedures, schedules, and public-hearing requirements.
• Conduct ordinance research, property research, site visits, field observations, mapping, photography, and interdepartmental coordination necessary to evaluate assigned cases.
• Prepare staff reports, maps, exhibits, findings, presentations, and recommendations for assigned cases presented to the Planning Commission, Board of Aldermen, or other public bodies.
• Prepare or verify the case descriptions, property information, hearing dates, and other technical information needed for public notices and coordinate notice preparation and distribution with administrative staff.
• Attend Planning Commission meetings, development-review meetings, and other meetings as assigned.
• Assist the Planning Director with the review of major development proposals, rezonings, planned developments, subdivisions, site plans, and other complex land-use matters.
• Coordinate assigned development reviews with applicants, property owners, developers, engineers, architects, consultants, the City Engineer, Fire Department, Public Works, utilities, and other relevant departments or agencies.
• Recommend revisions to assigned projects related to access, circulation, buffering, landscaping, parking, connectivity, building placement, site design, infrastructure, and compatibility with surrounding uses.
• Assist the Planning Director in researching, drafting, reviewing, and implementing amendments to zoning ordinances, subdivision regulations, development standards, procedures, forms, and related regulations.
• Assist with preparation, implementation, monitoring, and periodic update of the Comprehensive Plan, small-area plans, corridor plans, transportation plans, redevelopment plans, downtown planning initiatives, and other long-range planning efforts.
• Conduct research and prepare technical information, data, maps, reports, and recommendations for special projects assigned by the Planning Director, Mayor, City Administrator, Planning Commission, or Board of Aldermen.
• Collect and analyze statistical, demographic, development, land-use, housing, transportation, occupancy, tax-base, and related information and prepare reports or maps as requested.
• Assist with historic preservation, neighborhood planning, redevelopment, housing, transportation, stormwater, or other special planning programs as assigned.
• Provide technical guidance to the Planning Clerk and Rental Housing Quality Control Coordinator regarding zoning terminology, application requirements, permit classifications, property information, departmental procedures, and appropriate application routing.
• Assist front-line staff in determining whether a customer request requires a permit, license, planning application, zoning review, inspection, or referral to another department.
• Assist in developing and maintaining checklists, reference materials, standard responses, application instructions, and procedures used by front-line staff for intake and administrative completeness review.
• Use Camino and other departmental systems to review records, enter technical comments, document zoning determinations, track application status, maintain electronic files, and communicate required revisions.
• Identify recurring permit issues, ordinance conflicts, application delays, customer concerns, or workflow problems and advise the Planning Director of matters requiring procedural or policy attention.
• Maintain accurate and complete case files, review comments, correspondence, photographs, maps, approvals, denials, and supporting documents in accordance with departmental procedures and public-record requirements.
• Resolve routine and moderately complex zoning, permitting, and development-related concerns that cannot be resolved by front-line staff and refer sensitive, disputed, legal, or policy-level matters to the Planning Director.
• Provide technical assistance and occasional backup support for front-counter and telephone operations when necessary because of staffing needs, unusual workload, or questions requiring professional planning review.
• Perform other related duties as assigned by the Planning Director, Mayor, City Administrator, or Board of Aldermen.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

Knowledge

• Knowledge of principles and practices of urban planning, land-use planning, comprehensive planning, zoning administration, subdivision review, and development review.
• Knowledge of local zoning ordinances, subdivision regulations, design standards, development regulations, permit procedures, and other applicable City codes.
• Knowledge of site-plan and plat review, including land use, setbacks, lot coverage, parking, access, circulation, buffering, landscaping, signage, infrastructure, and compatibility between uses.
• Knowledge of public-notice, public-hearing, case-processing, recordkeeping, and municipal decision-making procedures.
• Knowledge of federal and state laws and constitutional principles affecting zoning, signs, land use, public hearings, public records, and municipal regulation.
• Knowledge of Comprehensive Plan implementation, ordinance development, long-range planning, transportation planning, redevelopment, housing, and community development.
• Knowledge of municipal government structure and the roles of the Mayor, City Administrator, Board of Aldermen, Planning Commission, and other boards, commissions, departments, and agencies.
• Knowledge of application intake, administrative completeness review, technical review, permit routing, and license-processing workflows.
• Knowledge of research methods, demographic and development trends, statistical analysis, GIS, mapping resources, aerial photography, and data used in municipal planning.
• Knowledge of interdepartmental coordination related to building inspection, engineering, transportation, drainage, stormwater, utilities, public safety, economic development, and community development.
• Knowledge of digital permitting, application-management, document-management, database, mapping, and office productivity systems.
• Knowledge of effective customer-service, public communication, conflict-resolution, and records-management practices.

Skills and Abilities

• Interpreting and applying zoning ordinances, subdivision regulations, adopted plans, design standards, permit requirements, and related policies.
• Reviewing building permits, sign permits, site plans, plats, subdivisions, rezonings, variances, conditional uses, and other development applications.
• Identifying zoning, land-use, design, transportation, infrastructure, stormwater, and compatibility issues associated with proposed development.
• Distinguishing administrative intake and completeness review from professional planning, zoning, building, engineering, fire, and legal review.
• Communicating effectively, both orally and in writing, with residents, applicants, developers, contractors, elected officials, appointed boards, City staff, consultants, and outside agencies.
• Explaining zoning, permit, application, and development requirements in a clear and understandable manner.
• Resolving routine and moderately complex customer concerns and recognizing matters that require escalation to the Planning Director.
• Coordinating reviews and consolidating comments from multiple City departments, consultants, and outside agencies.
• Managing multiple permits, cases, projects, deadlines, meetings, and assignments.
• Using Camino, GIS, mapping resources, databases, document-preparation software, spreadsheets, and other departmental technology.
• Conducting field observations, documenting existing conditions, and reading and interpreting plans, maps, plats, surveys, photographs, and technical documents.
• Conducting research, collecting and analyzing data, and identifying trends or issues affecting land use and development.
• Making sound technical recommendations based on adopted plans, ordinances, professional planning principles, and established departmental procedures.
• Maintaining accurate records, documenting decisions, protecting confidential information, and handling sensitive matters appropriately.
• Maintaining professional composure and exercising sound judgment during difficult, controversial, or stressful interactions.
• Working independently while functioning effectively as part of the Planning Department.
• Developing, implementing, and following departmental procedures, checklists, and workflows that support consistent and timely service.

Job Context

The Planner 1 is a full-time, permanent position in the Planning Department. The immediate supervisor for this position is the Planning Director.

The Planner 1 does not exercise formal personnel supervision. The position provides technical guidance to the Planning Clerk and Rental Housing Quality Control Coordinator, reviews permits and applications forwarded by those employees, identifies missing or inaccurate information, and provides direction concerning application routing and technical review requirements. Employee evaluations, leave approval, discipline, work schedules, and other personnel matters remain the responsibility of the Planning Director.

The Planner 1 works regularly scheduled hours year-round. Attendance at evening Planning Commission meetings and other meetings may be required. Occasional additional hours may be necessary because of meeting schedules, application deadlines, emergencies, or other City needs.

The majority of work is performed in an office setting. The position also requires periodic field work, including site visits, field review of proposed development areas, documentation of existing conditions, photography, review of posted notices, and attendance at meetings or events.

Field work may require walking on uneven or muddy terrain, walking around construction or development sites, climbing stairs, and working outdoors in varying weather conditions.

The position is responsible for conducting accurate and timely planning and zoning reviews, applying adopted ordinances and procedures consistently, maintaining complete records, recognizing matters involving potential legal or policy concerns, and referring those matters through appropriate channels.

The Planner 1 is expected to exercise sound professional judgment, maintain confidentiality, communicate clearly and professionally, and represent the City in a manner consistent with adopted policies, ordinances, and departmental procedures.

The position may involve competing deadlines, frequent interruptions, complex development issues, public meetings, and interaction with residents, applicants, contractors, developers, elected officials, appointed boards, and outside agencies. The Planner 1 is expected to maintain professional composure and sound judgment in these situations.

There is generally no regular exposure to hazardous chemicals or materials. The position may require occasional work in or around active construction sites, drainage areas, roadways, vacant property, or other field conditions associated with development review and planning-related work.

The person in this position must possess and maintain a valid driver’s license.

A bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in urban planning, public administration, geography, architecture, landscape architecture, civil engineering, or a closely related field, or relevant professional experience in municipal planning, zoning administration, development review, permitting, code enforcement, public administration, or closely related work, is required. A combination of education and relevant experience may be considered. Experience in municipal planning or local government is preferred.

Physical work involved with this position includes sitting, standing, typing, reviewing plans and documents, attending meetings, conducting site visits, walking around project sites, and climbing stairs as needed.

FLSA:                  Non-Exempt

REPORTS TO:    Planning Director

SUPERVISES:    None

This job description does not constitute an employment agreement and may be changed as the needs of the City and the requirements of the position change. The characteristics described are representative of those an employee may encounter while performing this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.