City Planner

The City of Crest Hill (population 20,837) a progressive, growing community in the north central region of Will County, seeks a dynamic professional to become the City's full-time City Planner. This position is responsible for the City of Crest Hill's planning, zoning and economic development functions within the Community Development Department and reports to the Community and Economic Development Director. The selected candidate will play a pivotal role in shaping the future of the community as hundreds of acres of land are primed for residential and commercial growth. This position will also assist with recruiting and retaining businesses as well as updating plans, studies, codes, and policies and procedures related to the Community Development Department. The City has 64 full-time employees and approximately 36 part-time employees which includes a police department, three collective bargaining agreements and a Civil Service Commission.

Starting Salary $65,000-$85,000 +/- DOQ

Qualifications

• Two to five years relevant urban planning experience, preferably at a municipality or similar organization.
• Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in Urban Planning, or closely related field preferred. Master's degree in Urban or Regional Planning strongly preferred. Having a Master's degree can count as two years of experience.
• American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP), or Certified Urban Designer (CUD) preferred.
• Valid Driver's license.

Persons interested in this position should submit a cover letter, resume, and three professional references to HR@cityofcresthill.com. Position open until filled. Application review will begin May 30, 2025. For the full job description, please visit www.cityofcresthill.com.

General Role and Duties:

The City Planner is a highly responsible professional position that promotes business development and retention and applies planning knowledge to coordinate projects, land use development and design, and infrastructure and transportation accessibility. The City Planner performs urban planning duties in support of the City's development and planning programs in compliance with the City Codes and Ordinances, professional standards, and regulations.

Supervision Received:

The City Planner works under the immediate supervision of the Community and Economic Development Director and collaborates with the Plan Commission, Community Development Department, and other City departments.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities:

• Interprets and applies applicable codes, ordinances, and regulations
• Responds to questions from other agencies, developers, other professionals, and the public regarding projects under review, code interpretations and other planning issues
• Initiates actions necessary to correct deficiencies or violations of regulations
• Assists with updates and maintenance of the Zoning Ordinances, Subdivision Regulations and other land development plans and regulations
• Prepares and administers plan and zoning codes with the consent of the Plan Commission and City Council, confer with engineering consultants, and propose new policies and operating guidelines.
• Participates in community development meetings and maintains a comprehensive inventory of building and sites, in and adjacent to the City for development purposes while maintaining communication with landowners, brokers, developers and Chambers of Commerce regarding available properties suitable for development.
• Assists in preparing ordinances and regulations relating to planning and development controls
• Conducts review of various development petitions including subdivision plats, annexations, permits, site plans, variation of use and variance requests, special use permits and rezoning
• Conducts site visits collects field data, verifies site conditions and notes onsite problems
• Conducts extensive research in specific or general project areas
• Formulate and implement short and long range community development goals for the City.
• Seeks information about new regulations, pending legislation and trends in planning that impact planning programs and processes.
• Writes and presents formal and technical reports, working papers, and correspondence as related to various zoning and land use petitions
• Identifies community problems, issues, and opportunities that could be mitigated through better community planning
• Initiates and carries out complex planning studies relating to economic base, employment, population, land use, public facilities, transportation, etc.
• Provides technical and professional analysis to resolve current planning problems and guide future development
• Responds to and/or engages Federal, State, and local agencies regarding planning, research, surveys, and grants
• Develops and manages service contract, drafts requests for qualifications, request for proposals, contracts, and scope of services
• Establishes and maintains necessary files pertaining to planning records, reports, plans, maps, and related materials
• Attends City Council meetings and work sessions as necessary and serves as a liaison to the Plan Commission.
• Performs other duties as assigned and required.

Desired Minimum Qualifications

Education & Experience:

• Two to five years relevant urban planning experience, preferably at a municipality or similar organization.
• Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in Urban Planning, or closely related field preferred. Master's degree in Urban or Regional Planning strongly preferred. Having a Master's degree can count towards two years of experience.
• American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP), or Certified Urban Designer (CUD) preferred.
• Valid Driver's license.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Ability to enforce regulations with firmness, tact, and impartiality in field inspection work.
• Read, clearly speak, and legibly write the English language.
• Excellent customer service skills.
• Ability to apply critical attention to detail to ensure accuracy in recording and reporting data.
• Ability to prepare reports and properly maintain and organize office files and records.
• Ability to prepare and operate within the constraints of a budget.
• Ability to respond to email requests in a timely manner.
• Knowledge of Microsoft Word, Excel, Access, and Outlook as well as Adobe Acrobat, and the ability to learn other software as needed.
• Ability to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing, using complex sentences, proper punctuation, spelling and grammar.
• Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out detailed instructions, make responsible decisions, prioritize multiple tasks, and work independently to meet deadlines.
• Ability to perform basic math skills, use decimals to compute ratios and percentages, and tabulate data to create spreadsheets.
• Ability to enhance relations with coworkers and the public with a professional demeanor, sensitivity, and tactfulness.
• Ability to acquire and apply thorough knowledge of City and department policies and procedures.