Senior Planner

This position is promotional only. You must be a current City of Goleta employee in order to qualify.

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:

• Performs complex and specialized 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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, Master Plan, Specific Plan, and zoning requirements, guidelines, standards, and regulations; provides recommendations on development proposals.
• Contributes to the review and revision of local ordinances; conducts research; prepares a variety of business, technical and statistical correspondence; prepares complex planning reports including staff reports, negative declarations and special studies.
• Prepares and presents professional staff reports of summarized data, conclusions, and recommendations to the City Council and other official groups as needed; serves as staff liaison to the Planning Agency.
• 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.
• Provides direct supervision to professional and technical staff; participates in recommending the appointment of personnel; provides or coordinates staff training; works with employees to correct deficiencies; implements disciplinary procedures.
• Assists in resolving work problems and interpreting administrative policies to subordinates, other departments, consultants, contractors and the public.
• Assists in coordinating Planning activities with other departments and outside agencies, organizations.
• Assists the Department Director in planning of work schedules and determining of project assignments.
• Communicates clearly and concisely, both verbally and in writing.
• May assume the duties and responsibilities of the Planning Manager in his/her absence.

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. American Institute of Certified Planners certification or Master's Degree in Planning or a related field is highly desirable.

Experience:

• Four years of increasingly responsible professional planning experience, preferably within a local government environment, including one year of supervisory experience.

Knowledge and Abilities

• Advanced 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 development, 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.
• Principles and practices of project management.
• Principles and practices of budget preparation.
• Principles of supervision, training and performance evaluation.
• Methods and techniques of effective technical report preparation and presentation.
• Modern office methods, practices, procedures and equipment, including computer hardware and software necessary for word processing, graphic presentation, mapping, and database management.

• Perform responsible, complex and specialized 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 Committee, 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 independently and within established deadlines.
• Supervise, train and evaluate assigned personnel.
• 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.
• 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.

Special Requirements

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

PHYSICAL AND MENTAL DEMANDS/WORKING CONDITIONS

The physical and mental demands herein are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform these essential job functions.

• Mental function: Includes reading, writing, mathematical computations, operating a computer, problem solving, managing multiple projects, calmly handling complaints and problems from irate citizens or contractors, decision making under stressful conditions, and executing assignments with minimal supervision/direction and within established deadlines.
• Productivity: Incumbents must perform work in an efficient, effective and timely manner with minimal direction.
• Mobility: Incumbents require sufficient mobility to work in an office setting and operate office equipment. Incumbents may be required to perform light lifting and carrying, and sit, stand, walk for prolonged periods of time.
• Vision: Vision sufficient to read small print, computer screens, and printed documents, and to operate assigned equipment.
• Hearing: Incumbents are required to hear in the normal audio range with or without correction.
• Environment: Normal office setting with some travel to attend meetings or conduct site investigations. Incumbents may be required to work at both indoor and outdoor environments; individuals may be exposed to noise, dust and inclement weather conditions.
• Other factors: Incumbents may be required to work extended hours including evenings and weekends. Incumbents may be required to travel outside City boundaries to attend meetings.