Senior Planner

The Senior Planner position in the Community Development Department is a full‑time position. The Community Development Department is comprised of five divisions and functional areas:
Planning, Building, Code Enforcement, Housing, and Economic Development.

Under general supervision, leads and performs a variety of professional planning work related to current and advanced planning; may be assigned full responsibility for development projects, and various phases of planning work at all levels of the planning process; serves as staff liaison to various committee/subcommittee working groups; and performs related work as assigned.

Senior Planner is the advanced, lead‑level in the Planner class series. Incumbents perform a broad range of the most complex planning functions, including current and advanced planning. This class is distinguished from the Associate Planner by the level and scope of work performed, as well as the exercise of lead responsibilities using sound judgement, logical reasoning, and working independently.

Receives general supervision from the Planning Manager or Community Development Director. Exercises project direction over consultants and lower‑level staff.

The duties listed below are illustrative only and are not meant to be a full and exhaustive listing of all the duties and responsibilities of the position.

• Provides lead direction to consultants, subordinate professional, technical, and clerical staff; trains assigned staff in areas of work of planning methods, procedures, and techniques; verifies the work of assigned employees for accuracy, proper work methods, techniques, and compliance with applicable standards and specifications;
• Manages highly complex projects on a wide range of current and/or advance planning topics such as mixed-use developments, implementing and updating the City’s Specific Plans;
• Research and prepare complex reports regarding long-range planning policy topics, including but not limited to, General Plan, Specific Plan, and municipal code amendments, rezoning requests, and environmental review; make presentations to the City Council, Planning Commission, community groups, and outside agencies;
• Perform site visits relating to development applications, building construction, and code enforcement issues;
• Participate in the review of complex development proposals for conformance to City standards; resolve disputes between the City and developers/property owner; building effective working relationships with other City departments, outside agencies, and consultants;
• Participate in the development and implementation of the City’s planning policies and assist or lead improvements in planning procedures and related information systems;
• Provides analysis and recommends actions on various aspects of planning; develops statistics and engages in research in preparation of various phases of planning projects; establishes and maintains appropriate files and prepares correspondence as required;
• Conducts planning projects involving land use, populations, structures, economic activities, housing, transportation, environmental, and related subjects; conducts research and confers with applicants, interested parties, and agency representatives to identify problems and opportunities; processes use permits, and re‑zoning and subdivision variances;
• Prepares reports and develops a variety of presentations related to community needs, goals, and services; meets with and advises property owners and developers on a variety of planning matters; provides information on planning, zoning, and subdivision matters; interprets laws and policies for other employees and the public; stays abreast of trends and innovations in the field of planning;
• Reviews and makes presentations regarding development plans, architectural reviews, use permits, and sign reviews for conformance with design standards; performs field inspections to determine conformance to design standards and regulations;
• Assists in the preparation and dissemination of agendas, public hearing notices, and scheduling of planning…