Zoning Analyst

Job Title

The purpose of the class is to perform technical and professional work in the enforcement of local ordinances concerning zoning and land use in the Planning and Development Services Department. This class works according to set procedures under close supervision.

Essential Functions:

• Reviews site plans to determine if they comply with the Zoning Ordinance; prepares appropriate permits, disapproval letters, and/or waivers.
• Reviews map amendment applications to determine if they comply with the Zoning Ordinance; researches needed information for map amendment reports.
• Answers telephone calls from the public regarding various zoning questions for Richland County.
• Assists staff in clarifying portions of the Zoning Ordinance.
• Assists walk-in customers who need zoning information, need to pick up permits, or wish to obtain a permit or affidavit.
• Posts property for the Planning Commission and Board of Zoning Appeals.
• Researches files, the Zoning Ordinance, or permits for various tasks such as violations, site plan reviews, or public inquiry.
• Conducts field checks to determine zoning compliance.
• Assists with the set-up for Planning Commission and Zoning Board of Appeals meetings; attends meetings.
• Assists taxpayers and developers in determining allowable activities within zoning districts and for road classifications.
• Maintains accurate files for variance special exceptions, appeals, and map amendments.
• Receives and/or reviews site plans, tax map numbers, land use/activity, faxes, Planning Commission, Board of Zoning Appeals, and questions concerning Zoning Ordinance.
• Prepares and/or generates zoning permits, map amendment reports, and sign permits.
• Refers to Richland County Zoning Ordinance, County website, CAMA, TRAX/Access, telephone book, permit file, tax maps, and cross-reference directory.
• Interacts and communicates with business owners, landowners, real estate agents, general public, government agencies, Code Enforcement, developers, law enforcement agencies, co-workers, and immediate supervisor.
• Calls Board members and prepares meeting room(s) as necessary.
• Greets the public; answers the telephone.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Minimum Education and Training

• High school diploma or equivalent.
• Two (2) years of experience in technical and administrative support work in a governmental setting preferred.
• Or any combination of education and experience that meets the requirements for performing the essential functions of this job.

Licenses/Certifications/Other:

• Must possess a valid state driver's license.
• Must meet continuing education requirements as prescribed by state law.

Minimum Qualifications and Standards Required

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Data Involvement: Requires the ability to compare and/or judge the readily observable, functional, structural or compositional characteristics (whether similar or divergent from obvious standards) of data, people or things.
• People Involvement: Shares knowledge with supervisors and staff for mutual benefit. Contributes to maintaining high morale among employees. Develops and maintains cooperative and courteous relationships inter- and intra-departmentally, and with external entities with whom the position interacts. Tactfully and effectively handles requests, suggestions and complaints in order to establish and maintain goodwill. Emphasizes the importance of maintaining a positive image.
• Involvement with Things: Must be physically able to operate a variety of machinery and equipment including computers, typewriters, drafting supplies, calculators, cameras, measuring wheels, copiers, facsimile machines, etc. Must be physically able to operate a motor vehicle.
• Reasoning Requirements: Requires performing coordinating work involving guidelines and rules, with constant problem-solving.
• Mathematical Requirements: Requires the ability to utilize mathematical formulas; to add and subtract; multiply and divide; utilize decimals and percentages; understand and apply the theories of algebra, geometry, and statistical inference.
• Language Requirements: Requires the ability to read a variety of reports, correspondence, real property appraisals and assessments, maps, deeds, surveys and permits, etc. Requires the ability to prepare correspondence, reports, permits, forms, maps, etc., using prescribed formats and conforming to all rules of punctuation, grammar, diction, and style. Requires the ability to speak before groups of people with poise, voice control and confidence.
• Mental Requirements: Requires the ability to apply principles of logical or scientific thinking to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions; to interpret a variety of technical instructions in mathematical or diagrammatic form; and to deal with several abstract and concrete variables.
• Computer Requirements: Must be proficient in use of Microsoft Office.
• Judgments and Decisions: Exercises analytical judgment in areas of responsibility. Identifies problems or situations as they occur and specifies decision objectives. Identifies or assists in identifying alternative solutions to problems or situations. Implements decisions in accordance with prescribed and effective policies and procedures and with a minimum of errors. Seeks expert or experienced advice and researches problems, situations and alternatives before exercising judgment.

Physical Requirements:

The work is sedentary work which requires the person in this position to occasionally exert up to 10 pounds of force to grasp, lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects, including the human body. Additionally, the following physical abilities are required:

• Feeling: Perceiving attributes of objects, such as size, shape, temperature or texture by touching with skin, particularly that of fingertips.
• Grasping: Applying pressure to an object with the fingers and palm.
• Handling: Picking, holding, or otherwise working, primarily with the whole hand.
• Hearing: Perceiving the nature of sounds at normal speaking levels with or without correction. Ability to receive detailed information through oral communication, and to make the discrimination in sound.
• Manual Dexterity: Picking, pinching, typing, or otherwise working, primarily with fingers rather than with the whole hand as in handling.
• Mental Acuity: Ability to make rational decisions through sound logic and deductive processes.
• Reaching: Extending hand(s) and arm(s) in any direction.
• Repetitive Motion: Substantial movements (motions) of the wrist, hands, and/or fingers.
• Speaking: Expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word including the ability to convey detailed or important spoken instructions to other workers accurately and concisely.
• Standing: Particularly for sustained periods of time.
• Talking: Expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word including those activities in which they must convey detailed or important spoken instructions to other workers accurately, loudly, or quickly.
• Visual Acuity: Have close visual acuity to perform an activity such as: preparing and analyzing data and figures; transcribing; viewing a computer terminal; and/or extensive reading. Including color, depth perception, and field vision.
• Walking: Moving about on foot to accomplish tasks, particularly for long distances or moving from one work site to another.

Work Environment

May be required to work hours other than the regular schedule including nights, weekends, and holidays. This position requires regular and reliable attendance and the employee's physical presence at the workplace. The job risks exposure to no known environmental hazards. Work is performed in a safe and secure work environment that may periodically have unpredicted requirements or demands.

EEO and ADA Message

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform the essential job functions satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the primary job functions described herein. Since every duty associated with this position may not be described herein, employees may be required to perform duties not specifically spelled out in the job description, but which may be reasonably considered to be incidental in the performing of their duties just as though they were written out in this job description.

Richland County is an Equal Opportunity Employer. ADA requires the County to provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities. Prospective and current employees are invited to discuss accommodations.

Richland County has the right to revise this job description at any time. This description does not represent in any way a contract of employment.

Compensation Range: $20.66 - $33.03