Senior Planner

City of Anacortes•Anacortes, WA

6d•Onsite

About The Position

This position performs technical and policy analyses for current land development plans and long-range land use plans. The work performed requires incumbents to apply professional knowledge and expertise as well as established guidelines and alternatives to determine facts, analyze problems, and make decisions without immediate supervisory review; incumbents may respond to sensitive and complicated inquiries or problems related to departmental programs or policies. Typical assignments include analyzing land use proposals for consistency with adopted codes, developing proposed Comprehensive Plan and Code amendments.

Requirements

Four (4) years of increasingly responsible experience in urban land use planning and development.
Bachelor’s degree in urban planning, environmental planning, and geography, public administration or related field is required.
Valid Washington State driver's license.
Principles and practices of urban land use planning and development
Municipal, state, and federal statutes, ordinances, and codes related to municipal land use planning and development
Comprehensive Planning, urban design, zoning, natural environment protection, historic preservation, and community sustainability
Land use planning processes, research design and methods, and analysis techniques
Policies, procedures, and operations of the city’s land use planning and development function
Direct and coordinate assigned staff and work activities
Apply, interpret and explain complex legal and administrative information to the public, employees, and officials lacking technical knowledge
Communicate effectively in oral and written form, one-on-one and with groups
Prepare clear and concise reports on complex land use, zoning, and comprehensive planning issues
Analyze problems, identify alternative solutions, project consequences of proposed actions and implement recommendations in support of goals
Research, analyze, and evaluate new policies and procedures
Interpret and apply federal, state, and local policies, laws, and regulations
Provide training, direction, assistance, and advice to others
Prepare and administer budgets
Interact and communicate professionally with various levels of employees, officials, and special interest groups
Establish and maintain effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of work
Operate a personal computer and learn quickly to use the software programs of the department

Responsibilities

Reviews, analyzes, and makes recommendations to management for approval or denial of a variety of private and public land development requests, including but not limited to rezones, conditional use, shoreline management, variance, boundary line adjustments, SEPA, binding site plan, commercial building permit, short plats, and subdivision permit applications.
Reviews, analyzes, and assists in implementing permit applications from application to issuance, including determining completeness of application and conformity with comprehensive plans and policies, regulations, and codes; inspecting and evaluating properties to determine physical characteristic compatibility with adjacent land uses; routing applications to other interested agencies and groups for comment; scheduling and conducting technical review meetings with applicants and other affected parties; negotiating redesign as appropriate; preparing and scheduling cases for public hearings; and reviewing final site plans and modifications.
Monitors compliance of permitted projects with land use conditions through construction and occupancy of the project.
Conducts development review group meetings with developers, consultants, and citizens to advise them of development regulations and policies; explains required submittals, the application review process, and timelines.
Coordinates review of development proposals by city departments and other affected agencies and incorporates agency comments into project review process; prepares department’s recommendations for decision-making officials.
Coordinates and/or participates in public meetings and hearings about development activity and comprehensive planning activities, including representing the department, preparing or supervising the preparation of written materials and oral presentations, and responding to questions and soliciting input as appropriate.
Provides information to the general public, other jurisdictions, and private officials regarding the city’s land use regulations on the telephone and at the customer service counter.
Reviews, analyzes, and makes recommendations on city land use policies and regulations; drafts ordinances, plans, and policy documents identifying potential changes to the city’s land use regulations, policies, and practices.
May serve as lead planner for specific projects, coordinating and/or directing the work of lower level employees.