Associate Planner

Class specifications are intended to present a descriptive list of the range of duties performed by employees in the class. Specifications are not intended to reflect all duties performed within the job.

SUMMARY DESCRIPTION

Under direction, to perform complex professional City planning, zoning, and land use activities and assignments; to prepare staff reports for City boards and commissions involved in planning and land use issues; develop planning studies, environmental reviews, community design, and general plan preparation; assist with planning policy formulation and implementation; perform zoning administration and enforcement; explain, interpret and apply zoning, sign, and municipal planning ordinances, regulations, and polices to the public; provide a variety of public assistance in responding to inquiries and answering questions related to planning and land use issues, applications, and permits; and perform related work as required.

DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISITCS

This is the first advanced journey level in the professional Planner class series. Incumbents are expected to perform a broad range of complex planning and zoning assignments. Incumbents perform the full scope of current and advanced planning work. This class is distinguished from Planner in that Associate Planners are expected to perform more complex, comprehensive planning work requiring more in-depth knowledge of City planning polices and land use requirements. It is distinguished from the next higher level of Senior Planner, in that Senior Planners perform the most complex, specialized work, and may be assigned responsibility for the development, coordination, and completion of major planning studies and projects.

REPORTS TO

Planning Manager or designee.

CLASSIFICATIONS SUPERVISED

Incumbents may provide work direction, coordination, and training for technical planning support staff and less experienced professional planning personnel.REPRESENTATIVE DUTIES

The following duties are typical for this classification. Incumbents may not perform all of the listed duties and/or may be required to perform additional or different duties from those set forth below to address business needs and changing business practices.

• Perform a variety of moderate to difficult and complex professional planning work including both current and advanced planning; prepare General Plan elements, as assigned; and participate in the review, development, revision and maintenance of General Plan elements, plans, zoning ordinances, and other policies and procedures.

• Plan, organize, develop, and conduct environmental and research studies; maintain, update, and analyze demographic and other data, special studies, and environmental impact reports required for community planning, studies and policy development.

• Conduct a variety of research and data collection and analysis for land use development, zoning history, and compliance with City land use ordinances and policies.

• Process applications for land use projects, such as special use permits, zoning changes, annexations, and site development; coordinate application reviews with other City departments, as necessary.

• Participate in and conduct environmental reviews and processing of environmental documents of proposed land use projects.

• Perform projects related to annexations, consolidations and district changes; assist with grant projects and special projects; and prepare project reports.

• Perform zoning administration and enforcement work, including the conduct of site inspections to ensure compliance with General Plan and Zoning Codes.

• Gather and organize a variety of information, preparing staff reports on items for elected or appointed boards and commissions and the City Council concerned with planning and land use issues; develop and make oral presentations of findings and recommendations.

• Assist the public and developers with problems and inquiries regarding land development, business licenses, planning issues, permit procedures and requirements, signage, and zoning; receive and respond to zoning violation complaints.

• Interpret and apply zoning ordinances, sign ordinances, and Municipal Code requirements to a variety of land use issues.

• Review industrial, commercial, residential, and sign building permits for zoning and ordinance compliance.

• Interpret use permits in accordance with applicable codes, ordinances and regulations.

• Process site plan approvals, minor subdivision proposals, tentative maps, final maps, agreements, temporary encroachment permits, street closures and requests to use City-owned property.

• Process General Plan Amendments and/or Zone Changes.

• Prepare and assist with preparation of maps, graphs, and information summaries.

• Provide technical support for a variety of City land use entities.

• Conduct public presentations.

• Provide work coordination, project direction, and training for other Planning personnel as necessary.

• Enforce zoning and sign code violations in association with the Code Enforcement Division, as needed.

• Attend meetings with developers on preliminary and active development projects.

• Perform related duties as required.

QUALIFICATIONS

The following generally describes the knowledge and ability required to enter the job and/or be learned within a short period of time in order to successfully perform the assigned duties.

Knowledge of:

Operations, services, and activities of a community planning and development program.

Modern theory, principles, practices, and techniques of current and advanced planning including land use, environmental policy analysis, municipal service delivery, physical design, demographics, and economic and social concepts as applied to municipal planning and a variety of planning problems.

Purposes and procedures of public planning agencies, boards, and governing bodies.

Laws, rules, regulations, policies, and acts affecting land use and zoning.

Principles of building and fire codes.

General Plan policies and goals.

Methods and techniques of research and statistical analysis, graphic illustration, and presentation applicable to the preparation of municipal planning studies.

Environmental impacts of changes in land use.

Software used in professional planning work.

Methods and techniques of design and site planning.

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) flood zones and the California Urban Level of Flood Protection criteria.

Development review procedures and requirements.

Recent developments, current literature, research methods, and sources of information related to municipal planning, urban growth, and development.

Methods and techniques of effective technical report preparation and presentation.

Methods and techniques of organization and project and time management.

Office procedures, methods, and equipment including computers and applicable software applications such as word processing, spreadsheets, and databases.

Ability to:

Perform moderate to difficult and complex professional planning duties in the development, implementation, and modification of City plans and regulations including planning studies, environmental reviews, and zoning administration enforcement.

Provide guidance, training and direction for other professional planning and technical support staff.

Read, interpret, analyze, apply, implement and explain pertinent Federal, State, and local codes, laws, ordinances, rules, and regulations including departmental policies and administrative directives.

Read and interpret General Plan elements, environmental impact statements, and other documents related to community planning and land use.

Collect, compile and analyze technical, statistical, and other information related to public planning and land use.

Read and interpret maps, design and construction plans and specifications, graphs, and statistical data.

Prepare a variety of staff, technical, and administrative reports, statements, and correspondence including for planning, environmental and zoning.

Use appropriate software in the performance of professional planning work.

Use pertinent systems to develop maps and public hearing notice distribution lists.

Make and conduct effective oral and written presentations.

Effectively represent the City Planning functions in responding to inquiries, providing assistance, and dealing with public and community organization concerns about planning, land use, and zoning.

Apply policies, procedures, and standards pertaining to the municipal planning process.

Interpret planning and zoning programs to the general public.

Develop recommendations regarding the use of property.

Process routine development applications and coordinate necessary communication between staff, developers, and other agencies.

Analyze projects and potential projects for consistency with planning regulations, general planning principles, and architectural quality.

Present technical data in verbal, written, graphic, and map form to City management staff and variety of boards and commissions.

Effectively present information and respond to questions from groups of managers, council members, committee and commission members, and the general public.

Deal effectively and courteously with the public including in difficult situations.

Convey complex information to the public in an understandable manner.

Operate office equipment including computers and supporting word processing, spreadsheet, and database applications.

Communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing.

Establish and maintain effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of work.

Education and Experience Guidelines - Any combination of education and experience that would likely provide the required knowledge and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to obtain the knowledge and abilities would be:

Education/Training:

A Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with major course work in planning or a related field.

Experience:

Three years of experience in city or county planning, including zoning administration, long range planning, or environmental assessment, comparable to that of a Planner with the City of Merced.

License or Certificate:

Possession an appropriate California Driver License.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS AND WORKING ENVIRONMENT

The conditions 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.

Environment: Work is performed in an office environment; occasionally work outside; continuous contact with staff and the public; and may require irregular working hours and occasional overtime.

Physical: Frequently stand and walk; sit for extended periods; normal manual dexterity and eye-hand coordination; lift and move objects weighing up to 25 pounds; corrected hearing and vision to normal range; verbal communication; and use of office equipment, including computers, audio-visual equipment, telephones, calculators, copiers, and FAX.