Assistant Planner Jobs

Essential and other important responsibilities and duties may include, but are not limited to, the following:
Essential Functions:

• Develop and implement development regulations and strategies; including assistance with current planning tasks such as zoning reviews, business licenses, land use permits, and answering inquiries from the public.
• Perform census work including gathering, analyzing, and interpreting data.
• Provide information to citizens, property owners, investors, real estate developers, and other parties regarding the City's planning or development activities.
• Review land use and development permit applications; review commercial site plans; prepare reports, letters, and public notifications regarding permit applications.
• Conduct technical research and field studies, and create and analyze databases for various statistical and planning reports; devise, implement, and evaluate statistical surveys and prepare reports and recommendations based on this information.
• Administer and maintain agreements and contracts of a narrow scope with public agencies, funding agencies, and private organizations; may oversee and review the work of consultants and contracting agencies.
• Meet with applicants for land use and development permits or other City processes to evaluate proposals and assist with successful project implementation; review, condition, and approve land use and development permits.
• Review engineering, architectural, and landscape plans as part of permit applications for compliance with development regulations and approved conditions.
• Create maps, charts, drawings, and other visual aids to illustrate and implement planning concepts and issues.
• Coordinate technical and policy issues between City staff and outside agencies.
• Participate in the development of the Comprehensive Plan.
• Attend meetings and assist in making presentations to citizen advisory groups, the Planning Commission, Hearing Examiner, various committees, and the City Council regarding specific planning and development projects.

• May participate in intergovernmental committees on behalf of the Department to analyze, evaluate, and resolve public policy issues.
• Perform related duties and responsibilities as required.
• Collect, interpret, and prepare reports and recommendations on court decisions affecting City planning.

Knowledge of:
Basic principles, practices, theories, terminology, and applications of current and long-range planning.
Principles and practices of data collection and analysis.
Functional areas of planning and their relationship to the planning process.
Methods and techniques used to create and maintain computer databases.
Principles and practices of program development and administration.
Principles of business letter writing and basic report preparation.
Methods and techniques of public speaking.
Pertinent Federal, State, and local laws, codes, and regulations.
Principles and practices of public administration and government organization.
Community programs.
Ability to:
Participate and work effectively in an organization committed to advancing principles and practices of equity and anti-racism.
Perform a variety of professional planning functions in support of an assigned area of responsibility.
Develop and administer current or long range planning programs and studies.
Conduct technical research and collect pertinent data.
Create databases for the maintenance of planning and development data.
Ability to conduct spatial analysis and prepare maps using GIS software.
Learn to recommend revisions to City policies and regulations regarding planning and development.
Identify and respond to sensitive community and organizational issues, concerns, and needs.
Interpret and apply applicable Federal, State, and local policies, codes, laws, and regulations.
Review and approve development permits and applications or other matters within area of responsibility.
Prepare and present clear and concise reports.
Administer and maintain agreements and contracts with various public agencies.
Communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing.
Establish and maintain effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of work.
Experience and Training Guidelines
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:
Experience:
At least one year of customer service and urban planning experience is desirable.
Training:
Equivalent to a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with major course work in urban planning, architecture, social work, non-profit management, business or public administration, or related field.

License or Certification
Valid state-issued driver's license.

Office environment; occasional travel from site to site.