• 34 -hour work week
• Full-time pay
• Real work-life balance

Sound like your kind of place?

SENIOR PLANNER

Under the general supervision of the Community Development Director, the Senior Planner manages, oversees, performs, and supervises complex professional land use and city planning projects, grants administration, and environmental analysis within the Community Development Department; performs other related duties as assigned.

Distinguishing Characteristics

The Senior Planner is the advanced journey-level classification in the planning series. The Senior Planner is expected to possess the full knowledge, abilities, and experience of all current and long-range planning areas. Work is performed with significant latitude for initiative and independent judgment under the supervision of the Community Development Director. The Senior Planner may supervise volunteers, interns, technical, clerical, contract, and other limited-term employees.

Examples of Duties

• Manage and coordinate the City's development review and land-use permitting functions, including receiving and processing a wide variety of applications such as minor and major subdivisions, lot line adjustments, rezones, General Plan amendments, housing, commercial and industrial developments, variances, design review, use permits, and business licenses from acceptance to issuance of the final permit.
• Meet with and provide technical assistance to prospective applicants, engineers, architects, developers, community groups, the general public, and staff from other departments, including interpreting and explaining applicable City, State, and Federal regulations and standards.
• Research, prepare, and interpret various California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA), and other environmental documents and special studies.
• Actively monitor State and Federal legislation for changes to planning and environmental laws and recommend changes to City plans, policies, and procedures to ensure compliance with applicable laws and regulations.
• Prepare reports and recommendations for decision-making bodies, including findings, recommended action, and conditions of approval; attend and provide staff support to assigned committees and boards; make frequent oral presentations to the Planning Commission, City Council, and other commissions, committees, and community groups.
• Plan, organize, and oversee the public information and customer service functions for the public counter; respond to public requests for information and inquiries from prospective applicants; develop and disseminate materials designed to market and/or explain City programs to the general public; directs the preparation of maps, charts, models and other graphic materials.
• Identify, apply for, administer, coordinate, and manage grants and grant opportunities, including preparing required monitoring and status reports.
• Participate in developing and implementing goals, objectives, policies, and procedures and recommend changes and improvements.
• Draft contracts for and coordinate the employment of planning consultants, environmental consultants, and other contract personnel.
• Participate in long-range planning projects and activities, including researching and drafting policy.
• As assigned, administer the City's housing programs; assume responsibility for updating the Housing Element of the General Plan; respond to Humboldt County Association of Government (HCAOG) Housing and California Department of Housing and Community Development requests and requirements.
• May provide technical and functional supervision of assigned staff.
• Communicate work progress, including present and potential work problems, and suggest new or improved ways of addressing such issues.
• Coordinate community outreach programs.
• Utilize and update computer software/applications to prepare and maintain professional reports, spreadsheets, maps, presentations, and permitting records.
• Manage consultant contracts, including determining the scope of work and budgets, tracking budgets, and approving contract payments.
• Conduct site inspections, including determining whether projects comply with laws, regulations, ordinances, and conditions of approval; make recommendations regarding changes.
• Provide excellent customer service to the public, decision-makers, and City staff.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

Requirements

Thorough knowledge of:

• Principles and practices of comprehensive city and environmental planning.
• Grants administration.
• Applicable Federal, State, and local laws, ordinances, and regulations, such as CEQA, NEPA, and the Subdivision Map Act.
• Statistical methods and research techniques applicable to prepare city planning and environmental studies.
• Modern office methods, practices, procedures, and equipment, including Microsoft Office software, Windows, and other job-specific programs.
• Project management, scheduling, and record-keeping methods and techniques.
• Report preparation and writing.
• Making effective public presentations.

Ability to:

• Interpret and apply pertinent planning and environmental laws, rules, and regulations.
• Write technical and administrative reports, procedural guidelines, standards, and correspondence clearly and accurately for the intended audience.
• Communicate clearly, accurately, and concisely, orally and in writing for the intended audience.
• Effectively and professionally represent the City during all stakeholder contacts.
• Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local policies and procedures.
• Read, analyze, and evaluate architectural and site plans and related technical reports.
• Read and understand Title reports, deeds and legal descriptions of real property, easements, and covenants, conditions, and restrictions.
• Define problems, collect data, establish facts, draw valid conclusions, and consider and suggest alternatives.
• Design, develop, and make effective presentations to governing bodies, community groups, and the general public.
• Supervise, train, and oversee assigned staff.
• Establish and maintain cooperative working relationships.
• Exercise ethical and sound judgment within the context of established guidelines.

Other Requirements

• Possess and maintain a valid Class C California Driver's License.
• Willing and able to work a flexible and varied work schedule determined by the needs of the Community Development Department. This may include evenings, weekends, holidays, and being on-call.

Physical Requirements

Must be able to perform all physical aspects of the job, including sitting or standing for periods of time; operating standard office equipment, including a computer; inspecting City development sites, including traversing uneven terrain; climbing ladders and stairs; operating a motor vehicle; lifting or carrying up to 20 pounds; and occasionally working outside in varying weather conditions.

Education and Experience

Any combination of education and experience that would provide the required knowledge, skills, and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to obtain the required qualifications would be:

• A Bachelor's Degree from an accredited four-year college or university with major coursework in urban planning, community development, or a closely related field, and
• At least three years of progressively responsible planning, zoning, and related community development activities, preferably in a municipal setting.
• Geographic Information Systems (GIS) experience is highly desirable.