Assistant Planner

We are seeking a motivated professional ready to launch a career in planning, with an interest in development projects, permits, and serving as a knowledgeable and helpful resource to the public.

The ideal candidate is a strong communicator with excellent customer service and writing skills who is comfortable interacting with the public, presenting information, and explaining planning requirements and processes clearly.

The best candidate is someone who combines strong public-facing and presentation skills with an eagerness to learn, contribute to development projects, and grow their expertise in professional planning.

Management reserves the right to add, modify, change, or rescind the work assignments of different positions and to make reasonable accommodations so that qualified employees can perform the essential functions of the job.

• Plans, organizes, conducts research studies, and prepares reports and presents recommendations regarding land use, zoning, urban design, population trends, transportation, housing, and environmental needs; maintains, updates, and analyzes demographic and other data required for the planning function; participates in the review, development, or revision of the various elements of the General Plan, environmental impact reports, plans, ordinances, and other policies and procedures.
• Provides information and assistance to developers, property owners, and the public regarding laws, policies, regulations, standards, and procedures with respect to the submission of plans, processing of applications, and implementation of requirements; reviews, investigates, and processes various plans and applications for subdivision, housing, commercial, and industrial developments, variances, use permits, and zoning clearance; determines conformity with laws, policies, regulations, and procedures;
  
  recommends approval or identifies problems and assesses alternatives.
• Prepares a variety of written communications, including analytical reports, commentaries, correspondence, and drafts of revisions to local ordinances, planning policies, and procedures.
• Assigns and routes plan checks, structural, grading, and landscape plans to staff; reviews plan checks for conformity and maintains monthly log of plan checks processed by the department.
• Compiles, analyzes, and interprets data to define environmental conditions, social, economic, and housing trends, community needs, and zoning problems.
• Prepares maps, graphs, charts, and other visual aids to illustrate planning studies.
• Makes presentations or prepares material for presentation to the City Council, boards, commissions, and community groups; answers questions and provides information and assistance to the public in person, on the telephone, and in writing.
• Coordinates, reviews, and administers contracts for planning and environmental consulting services.
• Uses computers and software programs for various technical planning projects and studies.
• Attends meetings, conferences, workshops, and training sessions; attends and participates in professional group meetings; stays abreast of new trends and innovations in the field of urban planning.
• Provides technical direction and training to other planning and technical staff, as needed.
• Observes and complies with City and mandated safety rules, regulations, and protocols.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Knowledge of:

• Modern principles and practices of technical and legal issues of urban and regional planning, zoning, urban economics, demographics, the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), and environmental planning and program management.
• Implementation of zoning and other municipal ordinances.
• Methods used in developing information for General Plan amendments.
• Principles, practices, theories, and trends of municipal land use, physical design, economic, environmental, architecture, and/or social concepts to the planning process.
• Terminology, symbols, methods, techniques, and instruments used in planning and map drafting.
• Local government organization and the functions and practices of a municipal planning unit.
• Geographic, socio-economic, transportation, political, and other elements related to city planning…