Assistant/Associate Planner

The City of Goleta invites qualified applicants to apply for Assistant/Associate Planner to fill one (1) vacancy in the Planning & Environmental Review Department. Placement may be at either the Associate or Assistant Planner level, depending on qualifications.

IDEAL CANDIDATE

Assistant Planner

The ideal candidate will be an energetic, thoughtful, and collaborative team member. Further, this person will have the equivalent to a Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with major course work in urban planning, geography, environmental design, or a related field. One year of related planning experience is also necessary.

Associate Planner

The ideal candidate will be energetic, an analytical and seasoned professional that has good judgement, and can work independently. Further, this person will have the equivalent to a Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with major course work in urban planning, geography, environmental design, or a related field. Three years of progressively responsible professional planning experience is also necessary, preferably within a local government environment.

ABOUT THE POSITION

This recruitment is to fill one (1) vacancy in the Current Planning Division. The qualifications and experience of the selected candidate will determine whether the person is hired as an Assistant Planner or as an Associate Planner.

Under general supervision, both position levels will perform a variety of technical and professional level duties necessary to review and analyze a project to determine the proposal consistency with the City's adopted General Plan policies, applicable zoning regulations, and the California Environmental Quality Act. Further, the work of both positions include but are not limited to providing information and assistance on planning-related matters to the public and other City staff members; making presentations to local decision-makers; writing staff reports associated with assigned projects that can range from routine to moderately difficult in scope and public interest.

The Assistant Planner is distinguished from the Associate Planner by the latter's ability to work more independently and by the increased complexity of assignments, scope, and independent judgment exercised in the performing of the assigned work.

ABOUT THE DEPARTMENT

The Planning and Environmental Review Department provides staff services to assist City management, the City Council, and the Planning Commission and Design Review Board in guiding future growth and change in a manner that conforms to adopted policies and ordinances, which reflect community values.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

Some of the key responsibilities, depending on the assignment, are listed below. The following duties are typical for positions in this classification. Incumbents may not perform all listed job functions, nor are all listed duties necessarily performed by everyone in this class depending upon business need and changing business practices:

Assistant Planner:

• Performs assigned planning projects involving land use issues and related subjects; performs basic research and confers with applicants and agency representatives to identify problems and issues.
• Provides information and assistance to the public at the counter and by phone regarding routine to difficult planning-related matters regarding zoning, land use, municipals codes, subdivision regulations, the General Plan, demographic information, and current private and public projects; researches and reviews building and development projects for plan completeness and ordinance compliance; coordinates project review with other City departments or outside entities.
• Receives and reviews permit applications; assesses fees; establishes conditions for project approval by analyzing projects with respect to relevant laws, ordinances, regulations, and City policies; determines methods to reconcile project conflicts with zoning requirements and State environmental laws; performs final review for tenant improvements, landscape, new buildings and signs.
• Creates graphic examples to illustrate alternatives to specific projects; reviews final working drawings to ensure compliance with approved projects.
• Prepares and presents professional staff reports of summarized data, conclusions, and recommendations to the Design Review Board, Planning Commission and other official groups as needed.
• Confers with developers, building designers, contractors, architects, and the general public on planning and zoning related matters; interprets planning policies, State laws, and local ordinances or explains procedures.
• Performs field investigations to ensure projects conform to zoning codes, design regulations and/or approved plans; performs design conformance plan checks; assists permit applicants to satisfy conditions of approval.
• Performs various administrative functions for the department, including accepting applications and permits for processing and composing correspondence; maintains and updates land use information on maps and in files.
• Assists in the coordination of City Development projects with other departments and outside agencies.
• Provides backup staffing relief as required.

Associate Planner:

• Performs moderate to difficult assignments involving current or advanced land use/urban planning projects; confers with applicants and agency representatives to identify problems; evaluates data and proposes methods to resolve conflicting issues of plan implementation, zoning requirements, and environmental impacts.
• Evaluates current development projects by conducting detailed review of plans for environmental, architectural, zoning and general plan requirements; performs field surveys to identify problems and upon completion of projects to ensure conformance with applicable requirements; discusses recommendations with residents, builders, developers, architects, and real estate professionals.
• Provides information and assistance to City staff, developers, planners, engineers, architects, consultants, property owners, the general public, and external agencies on proposed development projects; conducts meetings to interpret, explain and communicate the City's planning, land use, environmental, historic, design, General Plan, Coastal Land Us Plan, Specific Plan, and zoning requirements, guidelines, standards, and regulations; provides recommendations on development proposals; negotiate changes; serves as liaison to facilitate and ensure planning projects and issues are completed or resolved in a timely manner.
• Receives and reviews permit applications; assesses fees; establishes conditions for project approval by analyzing projects with respect to relevant laws, ordinances, regulations, and City policy; determines methods to reconcile project conflicts with zoning requirements and State environmental laws; performs final inspection for tenant improvements, landscape, new buildings and signs; maintains and updates land use information on maps and in files.
• Contributes to the review and revision of local ordinances; conducts research; prepares a variety of business, technical and statistical correspondence; prepares moderate to difficult planning reports including staff reports, environmental documents and special studies.
• Responds to inquiries, both orally and in writing; applies planning policies, state laws and local ordinances, or explains procedures.
• Prepares and presents professional staff reports of summarized data, conclusions, and recommendations to the City Council, DRB and other official groups as needed; provides assistance to the City Council, DRB and other commissions and committees; conducts oral and visual presentations.
• Performs field investigations to ensure projects conform to zoning codes, design regulations and/or approved plans and conditions; performs design conformance plan checks; assists permit applicants to satisfy conditions of approval.
• Performs and/or coordinates the preparation of environmental impact analyses, including the preparation of requests for proposals; coordinates project review with other agencies; evaluates environmental impact reports and prepares recommendations.
• Assists with investigations regarding possible zoning code violations, prepares documentation and findings, assists in formulating alternatives to achieve compliance.
• Instructs, assists and checks the work of less experienced planning staff; may provide work direction to others on a project basis.
• Assists in the coordination of City Development projects with other departments and outside agencies.
• Provides backup staffing relief as required.

QUALIFICATIONS GUIDELINES

Education, Experience and Training

Any combination of experience and training that would likely provide the required knowledge and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to obtain the knowledge and abilities would be:

Education:

• Equivalent to a Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with major course work in urban planning, geography, environmental design, or a related field.

Experience:

• Assistant Planner: One year of related planning experience.
• Associate Planner: Three years of progressively responsible professional planning experience, preferably within a local government environment.

Knowledge and Abilities

Knowledge of:

• Urban planning principles and practices, laws, ordinances, rules, and regulations.
• The California Environmental Quality Act, Subdivision Map Act, California Coastal Act, site planning and architectural design principles.
• Recent developments, current literature, information sources related to municipal urban planning and zoning.
• Community trends and market analysis techniques.
• Research techniques in field of urban planning.
• Pertinent federal, state and local laws, codes and regulations.
• Application of land use, physical design, environmental, and/or social concepts to the planning process.
• Terminology, symbols, methods and techniques used in planning and map drafting, math concepts.
• Modern office methods, practices, procedures and equipment, including computer hardware and software necessary for word processing, graphic presentation, mapping, and database management.
• Methods and techniques of effective technical report preparation and presentation.
• Safe driving principles and practices.

Ability to:

• Perform responsible and complex current and long-term planning assignments.
• Interpret and apply federal, state, and local laws, codes, regulations, policies, procedures, and standards pertaining to the planning process.
• Plan, organize and coordinate planning activities.
• Interpret maps, site and building plans and specifications; research, analyze and summarize planning data.
• Analyze problems, identify alternative solutions, project consequences of proposed actions, and provide recommendations.
• Make presentations of ideas and recommendations to staff, the City Council, Planning Commission, Design Review Board. advisory committees, and other official groups; prepare clear and visual displays; present ideas persuasively.
• Prepare clear and concise reports, correspondence and other written materials; plan and organize work.
• Exercise sound judgment.
• Plan, organize and execute assignments with minimal supervision and direction and within established deadlines.
• Work effectively and tactfully with dissatisfied citizens; deal constructively with conflict and develop effective resolutions.
• Understand and carry out verbal and written instructions; express ideas clearly and concisely verbally and in writing; read, understand, and apply complex materials.
• Instruct others in work procedures and provide specific project direction.
• Establish and maintain professional and cooperative working relationships with those contacted in the course of work.
• Use a computer and utilize software applications such as, word processing, spreadsheets, database management, and graphics presentations as required by the duties of the assignment.

Special Requirements

• Possession of a valid Class "C" California driver's license and a satisfactory driving record may be required.