Planner I

Spotsylvania County•Spotsylvania, VA

2d•Onsite

About The Position

Under general supervision, performs professional planning and land development review work for the County’s Planning and Zoning Department. Reviews site plans and plats for both residential and non-residential projects, and other development proposals to ensure compliance with relevant ordinances, standards, plans, policies, and the Comprehensive Plan. Assists in updates to the Comprehensive Plan and its implementation. Serves as a team member in work teams engaged in planning projects and or plan reviews. Short Range (SR) Planner I reports to the Director of Planning and Zoning, and Long Range (LR) Planner I reports to the Long Range Planning Manager.

Requirements

Bachelor’s Degree in Urban Planning or closely related field and/or any equivalent combination of education, training, and experience which provides the requisite knowledge, skills, and abilities.
Must possess a valid driver’s license issued by the Commonwealth of Virginia.
Knowledge of the principles and practices of planning, zoning, and land development.
Knowledge of County zoning ordinances, State Codes, standards, policies, and procedures pertaining to the review and approval of zoning and special use applications.
Knowledge of the geographic layout, transportation system, development character, and land use distribution of the County.
Ability to use computer-driven word processing, spreadsheet, and file maintenance programs.
Ability to read and interpret plans and applications.
Ability to apply the Code, ordinances, elements of the Comprehensive Plan, and other guidelines and regulations to applications for land development and to make recommendations regarding rezoning and special use applications.
Ability to explain orally and in writing the processes, recommendations, and interpretations of planning policies and practices.
Ability to exercise tact and courtesy in contact with landowners, developers, governmental officials, and the general public.
Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships as necessitated by work assignments.
Ability to speak and/or signal people to convey or exchange information. Includes receiving instructions, assignments, or directions from supervisors.
Ability to read rezoning and special use applications, site plans, various reports, ordinances, County Code, zoning and tax maps, plans, studies, etc.
Ability to review various planning-related reports, ordinances, County Code, zoning and tax maps, plans, studies, etc.
Ability to prepare analytical reports and recommendations considering development applications; correspondence, case files, zoning interpretations, etc., using prescribed format and conforming to all rules of punctuation, grammar, diction, and style.
Ability to apply principles of logical or scientific thinking to define problems, consider historical precedent, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions; interpret an extensive variety of technical instructions in mathematical or diagrammatic form; and deal with several abstract and concrete variables.
Ability to record and deliver information, explain procedures, to follow oral and written instructions.
Must be able to communicate effectively in a variety of technical and professional languages, including engineering, legal, zoning, and land development terminology.
Ability to utilize basic mathematical formulas; to add and subtract totals; multiply and divide; to determine percentages and decimals; and perform calculations involving variables, formulas, and polynomials.
Ability to communicate professionally and respectfully.
Must be adaptable to performing under moderate to ከፍተኛ levels of stress.
Must be physically able to operate a variety of office equipment including a computer, calculator, copier, etc.
Must be able to exert up to 50 pounds of force occasionally, and/or a negligible amount of force constantly to move objects.
Physical demand requirements are those for light work.
Requires the ability to inspect items for proper length, width, and shape.
Requires the ability to coordinate hands and eyes rapidly and accurately in using automated office equipment.
Requires the ability to handle a variety of items, office equipment, control knobs, switches, etc.
Must have minimal levels of eye/hand/foot coordination.
Does not require the ability to differentiate between colors and shades of color.
Requires the ability to talk and/or hear: (talking: expressing or exchanging ideas by means of spoken words; hearing - perceiving the nature of sounds by ear).

Nice To Haves

Familiarity and experience with ArcMap, ArcGIS Pro, and ArcGIS Urban for planning-related applications is preferred.
Visual content creation, urban design, and graphic design skills are beneficial.
Ability to construct and/or maintain demographic, housing, development pipeline, and levels of service-related databases.

Responsibilities

Coordinates and manages the administrative technical review process of plats and site plans ensuring compliance with the County’s land use ordinances and design standards.
Prepares comment letters, and memos, and makes oral presentations.
Presents reports and recommendations to the Commissions and Board at regularly scheduled public meetings.
Assists with writing land use policies and regulations for inclusion into ordinances and Comprehensive Plan; researches and prepares information on various planning-related topics.
Receives and responds to a variety of inquiries from the Board of Supervisors, Planning Commission, County staff, applicants, developers, real estate professionals, market researchers, and the general public.
Provides information, answers questions, and explains policies, procedures, standards, and related regulations.
Serves as a team member in performing special studies and reports.
Performs a variety of administrative duties in support of assigned duties including setting up and maintaining files; preparing forms, handouts, and checklists, preparing correspondence, etc.
Participates in training and continued education, reviews legislation, journals, and periodicals to remain abreast of the latest laws, trends in the market, and latest techniques for skill enhancement.
Meets with other staff members, departments, outside agencies, and community contacts to gather information necessary to help gain input to formulate a variety of County planning initiatives.
Conducts GIS analysis.
Attends evening meetings as necessary.
Performs other related duties as required.
Reviews rezoning and special use applications and certificates of appropriateness for compliance with regulatory standards and the County Comprehensive Plan’s goals and objectives.
Prepares staff reports summarizing relevant issues and recommends action to the Planning Commission, Board of Supervisors, Historic Preservation Commission, and other Boards and Committees as warranted.
Prepares Comprehensive Plan consistency reviews to ensure capital infrastructure project (CIP) compliance and support for utility infrastructure projects.
Prepares Comprehensive Plan consistency reviews for proposed land conservation easements.
Updates and maintains various demographics, housing, development pipeline, levels of service, and the County cemetery database.
Occasionally manages development and processing of County code amendments from conceptualization to public hearing.
Coordinates the review of long range projects by appropriate regulatory agencies to determine impacts on current and planned public services, infrastructure, and operations and recommends ways to mitigate any negative or adverse impacts.
Conducts internet and County intranet-based GIS analysis at minimum.