Associate Planner

Job Title: Planning Position

This position performs a variety of professional and technical work in current planning, municipal code updates, economic development, and long-range planning.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Reviews land use applications and prepares staff reports for compliance with various locals, state and federal requirements; guides projects through the approval process.
• Coordinates with other departments to move a project forward from the pre-application stage to land use approval.
• Provides information on land use applications, ordinances, codes, plans and related planning programs, services or regulations to architects, engineers, developers, contractors, owners, community groups and interested persons.
• Responds to local citizens inquiring about local planning and zoning regulations and ordinances.
• Conducts field visits to observe land prior to development and at various stages of construction to assume development is occurring to the approved plans.
• Monitors compliance of permitted projects with land use conditions through construction and occupancy of the project.
• Appear before the city Hearing Examiner and Planning Commission to present on development applications and other planning projects.
• This position serves as the primary counter position, which involves responding to zoning, land use, planning, or project questions.
• Assists in comprehensive planning tasks and sub area plans.
• Facilitates community and public involvement meetings.
• Assists the Planning Supervisor and Community Development Director in planning or research tasks.
• Assists the Code Compliance Officer with research regarding zoning, land use, nuisance, or building violations.
• Conducts research, perform analysis and plan review and integrate complete work into composite reports or presentations of both narrative and graphic nature.
• Maintain, disclose and destroy public records in accordance with the requirements of the WA Public Records Act and WA State Archives records retention guidelines.
• Timely and regular attendance.
• Follow/adhere to all city policies and procedures, and safety program regulations and requirements.

Knowledge of:

• Zoning laws and comprehensive plans, including their formation, process of adoption, implementation and enforcement; planning programs and process; and knowledge of GIS applications.
• Washington State Growth Management and the State Environmental Policy Act.
• Washington State laws relating to development.
• Modern office methods, procedures and office equipment.
• Computer literacy and experience using a personal computer.
• Regulations, principle and practices of a records retention system.
• Record keeping and administration.
• City government functions, policies, rules and regulations

Ability to:

• Read and analyze standard legal documents, and provide recommendations.
• Recommend creative solutions or alternatives to challenging zoning or building related requests.
• Deal with the public, engineers, and general contractors and suppliers courteously and tactfully.
• Interpret and enforce codes and ordinances tactfully and fairly with impartiality.
• Communicate effectively, both orally and in writing.
• Make effective oral presentations at public hearings and meetings.
• Use permitting and electronic plan review software.
• Work under pressure, with challenging deadlines.
• Work independently on multiple tasks, copes with interruptions and meet deadlines.
• Prioritize tasks and coordinate efforts.
• Work as a team player.
• Perform the essential functions of the job, with or without reasonable accommodation.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships among co-workers and other City personnel, contractors, other agencies, and the general public.

Experience, Education and Other Requirements:

• High School Diploma or GED;
• Bachelor's Degree in land-use planning, urban planning, or other closely related field, is preferred.
• Minimum of two years of work experience in land use planning, with current planning experience preferred.

Licenses, Certificates and Other Requirements:

• Possession of a valid driver's license.
• Must successfully pass all phases of the pre-employment hiring process, including but not limited to, reference checks and a criminal background check.

Physical Demands and Work Environment:

Office environment, with the greater percentage of employee's time spent indoors; some outdoor work is required in the inspection of various land use developments and construction sites in varying weather conditions. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderately quiet while in the office and moderately loud when in the field. Walking, standing or sitting for prolonged periods of time. Position may be required to work extended hours including evenings and weekends. Position may be required to travel outside City boundaries to attend meetings.

The City of Battle Ground offers an excellent benefit package for employees (and their families) which includes:

• Medical insurance - Regence PPO and Kaiser HMO plan options
• Dental insurance - Delta Dental of WA & Willamette Dental Group options
• Vision insurance - Vision Service Plan (VSP)
• Basic term life insurance policy
• Long-term disability policy
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Membership in the WA State Department of Retirement Systems (Public Employees Retirement System (PERS) or LEOFF 2 for Commissioned Law Enforcement positions)
• Vacation accrual rate of 8 hours per month to begin (accrual increases based on service years)
• Sick leave accrual rate of 8 hours per month
• 12 paid holidays per year, plus a floating holiday
• Health membership reimbursement program
• Other voluntary/employee paid benefits options available: flexible spending account, dependent care account, Aflac insurance plans & 457 deferred compensation program retirement plan options.

The City of Battle Ground is an Equal Opportunity Employer. This means that the City does not discriminate against any applicant or employee on the basis of protected class status. All applicants and employees will be recruited, selected, trained, promoted, compensated, without regard to race, color, religion, ethnicity, national origin, sex, age, marital status, pregnancy or maternity, sexual orientation or gender identity, veteran status, use of a guide or service animal, genetic information, the presence of any sensory, mental, or physical disability (unless based on a bona fide occupational qualification), or because the applicant/employee is a victim of domestic violence, sexual abuse, or stalking.