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Senior Planner
City of San Clemente / San Clemente, CA
Posted on: November 17, 2021
Application Deadline: Open Until Filled
Job Description
Description
THE CITY
San Clemente, incorporated in 1928, is a general law city operating under the Council-Manager form of government. The city is a popular southern Orange County beach community which enjoys a year-round moderate climate averaging 70 degrees and is centrally located between Los Angeles and San Diego. The city is 18.45 square miles in area and has a current population of approximately 65,500.
DEFINITION
To meet and confer with developers regarding the City’s development review process; to analyze development applications for consistency with applicable laws, codes and regulations; to respond to questions and inquiries regarding planning rules and regulations; and to provide assistance in the amendment of the City’s General Plan, Coastal Element, Housing Element and Zoning Ordinances. This position will be responsible for both short term and long term planning assignments making San Clemente an ideal place for individuals looking for wide-ranging experience in their planning careers.
Please note: Senior Planner candidates are expected to have experience with writing Municipal Zoning Ordinance Amendments. In order for your application to be deemed complete, you must submit, by attachment, one sample of a Zoning Ordinance you have written.
APPLICATION DEADLINE AND FIRST REVIEW
This position is “Open Until Filled” with the first review of applications on Tuesday, November 23, 2021. If a sufficient number of qualified applications are received, the recruitment may close. For consideration, interested individuals should not delay in submitting their application.
DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS
This is the advanced journey level class in the professional Planner series. Positions at this level are distinguished from other classes within the series by the level of responsibility assumed and the complexity of duties assigned. Employees perform the most difficult and responsible types of duties assigned to classes within this series including providing assistance to developers in successful completion of the development review process. Employees at this level are required to be fully trained in all procedures related to assigned area of responsibility. Employees at this level may fully supervise lower level staff.
SUPERVISION RECEIVED AND EXERCISED
Receives direction from the Deputy Community Development Director and the Community Development Director.
Supervises lower level professional, technical, and support staff.
Essential Functions
Essential responsibilities and duties include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Meet and confer with developers regarding the City’s development review process; coordinate assigned planning projects including large tract maps, commercial projects, code amendments and general plan amendments.
- Review plans for conformance with land use codes and policies as applied by the Planning Commission and City Council.
- Serve as environmental coordinator; prepare environmental documentation for planning projects; ensure that planning projects are reviewed in a manner consistent with the California Environmental Quality Act; administer contracts for environmental consulting services, and other planning-related extension of staff contracts.
- Receive and respond to questions and inquiries from the general public, local business owners and developers; explain local land use policies and development procedures.
- Conduct research, interpret data and prepare and present reports on development projects or policy issues to the City Council, Planning Commission, Design Review Committee and other boards as required.
- Review final plans and conduct field inspections of projects to determine compliance with Planning Commission and City Council actions and land use codes.
- Schedule meetings, prepare agenda items and provide policy interpretations as requested.
- Stay abreast of new trends and practices in the field of urban planning through review of professional journals and through participation in training, conference and/or professional group meetings.
- Make presentations to staff, committees and general public; educate parties on the impacts of planning projects or policy issues.
- Provide supervision to lower level staff to achieve assigned objectives and balance workloads.
- May manage and implement housing and historic preservation programs.
- Perform related duties and responsibilities as required.
Required Experience / Skills / Education
Minimum Qualifications & The Ideal Candidate
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:
Equivalent to a Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited college or university with major coursework in urban planning, geography, architecture, public administration, or a related field AND five (5) years of increasingly responsible experience in municipal planning and community development. Due to the operational and service delivery needs of the department, applicants with recent, continuous, public agency municipal experience will be given first consideration.
This experience must include work applying knowledge of legal requirements of state, federal, and local zoning laws, in a progressively responsible Assistant and Associate Planner positions. Experience in coastal, historic preservation, and housing/CDBG areas are highly desirable.
This position will be supervising lower level professional, technical, and administrative planning staff, so supervisory experience and performance evaluation preparation experience is highly desirable.
Knowledge of:
Principles and practices of urban and regional land use planning.
Operations, services and activities of an urban planning program.
Supervisory principles and practices.
Methods and techniques of research and analysis.
Principles of business letter writing and basic report preparation.
Current literature, information sources and research techniques in the field of urban planning.
Pertinent federal, state and local laws, codes and regulations underlying general plans, zoning, land divisions and environmental assessment ,including but not limited to, California Coastal Act, Mills Act, Secretary of Interior Standards, State housing regulations, and Community Development Block Grants. Architecture and landscape design.
Ability to:
Independently perform complex research, analysis and report writing.
Review plans for conformance with land use codes and conditions of approval.
Prepare clear and concise analytical reports.
Interpret, explain and enforce local, state and federal laws and regulations.
Interpret planning and zoning programs for the general public.
Analyze and compile technical and statistical information and prepare reports.
Respond to difficult and sensitive public inquiries.
Provide excellent customer service
Understand and carry out oral and written directions.
Communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing.
Establish and maintain cooperative working relationships with those contacted in the course of work.
Supervise assigned staff.
License or Certificate
Possession of, or ability to obtain a valid California driver’s license.
Application Instructions