Assistant Land Use Professional

Job Summary

We are looking for an innovative and collaborative Assistant Planner to join our team. The role reports to the Housing and Special Projects Planning Manager and involves reviewing development projects, providing public information, and collaborating with a diverse client base.

• Project reviews that are predominantly focused on short time-frame, non-discretionary applications as identified in the Planner Series Project Types.
• Reviews and interprets plans (site, landscaping, architectural, civil, clearing, and grading).
• Undertakes technical analysis of proposed projects, reviews recommendations with team and supervisor, communicates and negotiates revisions with applicants, conducts site visits/inspections, reviews building and occupancy permits to ensure compliance with city codes and permit conditions, negotiates solutions to project issues in a cooperative manner, coordinates review and application of code requirements with other department reviewers, conducts research for discretionary review projects under the direction of an associate or senior planner, and maintains records and files.
• Conducts policy analysis and process improvements.
• Analyzes technical documents and information, summarizes data, draws conclusions, and makes recommendations.
• Develops professional experience relative to project management.
• Completes specific and routine tasks while gaining exposure to new substantive and procedural areas of expertise. Accountable for accuracy of work on assigned tasks and projects.
• Coordinates application approval/permit issuance for projects within the assistant planner project types pursuant to adopted performance timelines.
• Demonstrates informal leadership through participation in meetings and providing input to others on substantive and process issues related to development review.
• Leads efforts to develop process improvement, work manuals, and other tools to improve quality and timeliness of assistant land use professional project types.
• Produces clear written documents tailored to audience per division templates and professional standards with assistance from expert or senior staff when necessary.
• Works effectively and predominantly with single applicants and city staff.
• Communicates complete technical information in a direct and simple manner tailored to the audience. Redlines plans and drawings using industry standards for clarity and vocabulary.
• Negotiates with applicants to achieve solutions in a collaborative manner.
• Develops expertise with application of regulations and policies and provides the appropriate interpretation as it relates to planning.
• Provides public information regarding ordinances, codes, plans, and regulations in person, virtually, and in writing to citizens, professionals, homeowners, and others.
• Assists in the development of public information hand‑out materials.
• Attends professional development workshops and conferences pertaining to land use, environmental review, and planning.

• Provides training to other assistant planners who are new to the workload.
• Reviews small- to mid-range predominantly non-discretionary projects involving familiar steps and known procedures and processes.
• Consults with senior staff on new, complex projects for the most effective method of handling the work.
• Pursues continuous development of independent decision-making skills.

• Applicable codes and policies used in predominantly non-discretionary land use review.
• Understanding of clear and grade BMPs and tree preservation techniques used in land use review.
• Comprehensive understanding of processes applicable to assistant planner project types.
• Development review programs and processes.
• Zoning laws and comprehensive plans including their formation, process of adoption, and enforcement.
• Principles, practices, regulations, and techniques in the field of land use, environmental or transportation planning.
• Microsoft Office software to prepare documents and spreadsheets.

• Read and interpret architectural, civil, and landscape plans and documents.
• Utilize computer programs created for the benefit of facilitating…