Planning Technician

City of Grand Prairie•Grand Prairie, TX

About The Position

The Planning Technician serves as a foundational member of the Planning and Development team and supports the City’s development review and zoning administration processes. This position assists residents, applicants, consultants, and developers with development procedures, zoning regulations, and application requirements while coordinating development review workflows and supporting public hearing activities. This position works closely with planners, engineers, building inspection staff, applicants, and other departments to support efficient and accurate development review processes. The position requires balancing customer service, procedural coordination, detailed document review, scheduling deadlines, and multiple concurrent development cycles. Employees must be comfortable working in a process-oriented environment with frequent interruptions, changing priorities, and time-sensitive responsibilities. Successful employees in this role demonstrate strong organizational skills, attention to detail, customer service professionalism, initiative, and the ability to learn and apply development regulations and procedures in a fast-paced environment.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Urban Planning, Public Administration, Geography, Business Administration, Political Science, Construction Management, Architecture, or a related field; OR Associate degree in a related field and two (2) years of experience in planning, permitting, development services, customer service, administrative coordination or local government operations.
Relevant internship experience may be considered qualifying experience.
Valid Driver’s License required.

Nice To Haves

Experience working in a municipal or public-sector environment.
Familiarity with zoning regulations, development review processes, or permitting systems.
Experience working with detailed procedures, deadlines, and customer inquiries.
Experience using permitting, records management, or document tracking software.

Responsibilities

Serve as a coordinator for development review applications and related cases within the City’s permitting and case management system by tracking applications through the development review, Planning and Zoning Commission, and City Council processes.
Review incoming applications and submittals for completeness, accuracy, and compliance with submission requirements prior to routing for review.
Coordinate review workflows by routing cases to internal departments and outside agencies, monitoring review timelines, and communicating review status updates to applicants.
Maintain supporting coordination tools such as committee contact lists, distribution groups, and procedural reference materials used in the development review process.
Coordinate and facilitate pre-application meetings by scheduling meetings, preparing meeting materials, coordinating staff participation, and documenting procedural guidance provided to applicants.
Research properties, zoning districts, land use designations, development standards, and applicable sections of the Unified Development Code to assist with determining development review procedures and application paths.
Provide procedural assistance to applicants, consultants, developers, and property owners regarding development review processes, zoning procedures, and application requirements.
Maintain and update public-facing informational resources, including website content and process guidance materials, to ensure accurate and consistent procedural information.
Coordinate public hearing schedules, case deadlines, and required procedural steps to ensure timely processing of development applications.
Monitor and complete case close-out procedures, including coordinating plat filing and related documentation with applicants, County offices, and internal departments, and maintain organized digital case files.
Provide professional and responsive customer service to residents, developers, consultants, contractors, business owners, and the general public at the front counter, over the phone, through email, and during meetings.
Respond to routine planning and zoning inquiries related to zoning districts, permitted uses, development procedures, application requirements, and development standards.
Assist customers with navigating development review processes and identifying appropriate applications or approvals required for proposed development activities.
Conduct basic zoning and land use research to support current planning activities and customer inquiries.
Review zoning maps, development records, plats, site plans, and related documents to verify zoning, land use, and procedural information.
Process zoning verification requests and provide written zoning verification information in accordance with departmental procedures.
Research applicable sections of the Unified Development Code and related ordinances to assist staff, applicants, and the public with procedural and development-related questions.
Attend monthly Zoning Board of Adjustments and Appeals meetings and take meeting minutes.
Assist with responding to public information and records requests in accordance with applicable laws, policies, and departmental procedures.
Assist with maintaining departmental workflow tracking systems, spreadsheets, databases, and records management systems.
Develop and maintain working knowledge of zoning regulations, development procedures, municipal planning processes, and applicable departmental software systems.
Demonstrate strong organizational skills, attention to detail, time management, and the ability to manage multiple assignments and deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
Perform other duties as assigned in support of Planning and Development Department operations.