Associate Planner

*** DISCLAIMER:
The City reserves the right to accelerate or extend the “Closing Date” of open positions at any time, dependent upon the number of applications received.

The finalist must pass a pre-employment physical, drug screen, and background check.

Under direct or general supervision, performs various professional field and office work related to current and advance planning, including review of development and land use applications, zoning, site plans, and environmental documents; provides project management and administration; completes technical assessments and prepares written project analyses; provides environmental review and project analysis for Capital Improvement Projects (CIP) and special projects in advance planning;

provides professional advice and assistance to the public on planning, community development, zoning, permits, and environmental review; provides complex professional staff assistance to assigned management, other departments, and the public in areas of expertise; performs a variety of studies and prepares and presents staff reports; and performs related work as required.

Receives direct or general supervision from the Principal Planner. Exercises no supervision of staff. May exercise technical and functional direction over and provide training to lower-level staff.

This is the full journey-level class in the professional planning series. Incumbents are expected to perform the full range of professional and technical planning work in all of the following areas: current, advance, and/or environmental planning activities, and daily departmental operations, in addition to providing project management and administration. Positions at this level are distinguished from the Assistant level by the performance of the full range of duties as assigned, working independently and exercising judgment and initiative.

Positions at this level receive only occasional instruction or assistance as new or unusual situations arise and are fully aware of the operating procedures and policies of the work unit. This class is distinguished from the Senior Planner in that the latter is the advanced journey-level class in the series and is responsible for performing the more complex planning and project management activities in the department.

• Reviews routine to complex commercial, industrial, and residential development proposals, plans, and applications for issuance of zoning clearance and for compliance with appropriate codes, ordinances, standards, laws, rules, regulations, and policies.
• Prepares or assists in preparing and reviewing environmental impact reports; prepares written initial studies, negative declarations, and staff reports related to development projects or City projects.
• Assists the public at the front counter and on the phone, answering questions and providing information regarding zoning, land use, development standards, approved development proposals, and the City's entitlement process; performs plan check functions for various projects; receives and reviews applications for building permits for completeness; receives and records zoning and code compliance complaints, establishes appropriate files, performs inspections of document violations, coordinates actions with those of other agencies, and implements appropriate procedures to correct or resolve each complaint and violation.
• May serve as project manager on planning and development projects, which includes application and plan review, coordination with project applicants and other City departments, preparation and posting of legal notices, background research, environmental review; preparation of staff reports, scheduling meetings and hearings, monitoring…