Permit Technician II

Building Permit Processing Technician

Under limited supervision, to perform a wide variety of technical and specialized duties related to processing and issuing building permits and land development applications; to provide skilled assistance and administrative support to staff with all phases of the permit application, code compliance, and abatement process, including examining and analyzing applications, construction documents and building plans for completeness and conformance with requirements; researching property, database records, and field inspection reports; and providing customer service to the public.

Coordinates the permit application process; receives and reviews a variety of permit applications, construction plans, and supporting documentation for completeness, accuracy, and conformance with state and county building codes and other applicable criteria; secures missing information from customers and determines needed level of review of plans and inspections; enters detailed information into computer based systems.

Performs initial plan reviews for permit applications; examines and analyzes plans for completeness and conformance with applicable processing requirements.

Assists and provides customer service to builders, contractors, developers, architects, engineers, department representatives, and the general public in person, on-line, or on the telephone.

Processes and issues various building, mechanical, electrical, plumbing and land development permits; determines required inspections, creates inspection records, and schedules inspection appointments.

Coordinates, logs, and routes plans; facilitates plan check process to ensure permits are issued in a timely manner; tracks the status of permit applications or plan reviews and updates the applicant.

Reviews and evaluates field reports of alleged violations; confers with field investigators in identifying the severity of violation, enforcement priorities, and abatement plans.

Interprets and explains ordinances, codes, and departmental policies and procedures regarding plan reviews, permit processing, inspections, code violations, and abating building or housing violations.

Researches code and ordinance violations, public records of addresses and legal descriptions, land use, geologic hazards, flood plains, fire hazard zones, historical or other permit sites.

Resolves a variety of problems and complaints regarding permit and plan submittals and processing, illegal construction, code and ordinance violations, and inspections; confers and coordinates with permit applicants and staff.

Coordinates with Building and Grading Inspectors and Zoning Investigators to schedule field investigation of alleged violations of County Codes and ordinances.

Prepares official correspondence related to code enforcement activities, pursues resolution through voluntary or progressively serious enforcement actions; tracks the progress of enforcement actions; and coordinates and supports activities related to the Code Enforcement and/or the Administrative Hearing Process.

Calculates fees, handles cash, checks and other forms of payment; opens and closes a cash register and issues receipts.

Performs lead supervisory duties while coordinating the permit process, and monitors and distributes workloads.

Develops and updates customer handouts, and performs the most technical and complex permit processing and related activities.

May be assigned as a Disaster Service Worker, as required.

Performs other related duties, as required.

Sufficient education and experience to demonstrate the ability to perform the above tasks and the attainment of the knowledge and abilities listed below. Training and Experience Note: The knowledge, skills, and abilities are acquired through possession of a high school diploma or equivalent and three (3) years of increasingly responsible experience providing assistance to a staff in the building trades or related trade or service to the public in the area of permit processing, plan checking, mapping, surveying, building inspection, or land development, and two (2) years of increasingly responsible experience as a Permit Technician I with Santa Clara County, or a functionally equivalent position. Permit Technician certification by the International Code Council (ICC), or equivalent issuing agency, is desirable.

Knowledge of: Construction types, plans, specifications, and legal aspects of code enforcement; Building trades, codes, ordinances, regulations; Regulatory and discretionary permit application processes; Mathematical concepts to calculate fees; Operation of standard office software and equipment; Building and planning office procedures and operations; Public relations practices.

Ability to: Prioritize tasks and organize workload in order to provide efficient and effective customer service; Read and understand construction plans and documents; Understand and effectively explain regulations, procedures, and ordinances to the public; Perform basic mathematical calculations; Operate a variety of office software and equipment; Use computers to manage data, documents, and workflow; Maintain records, compile and tabulate data; Develop and maintain effective working relationships with builders, contractors, developers, department representatives, the general public and staff; Train technical and clerical staff.