Associate Planner

This position performs a variety of professional work of moderate difficulty involving current and long-range planning. Duties include processing land use applications such as short plats, boundary line adjustments and subdivisions; provides administrative and technical support of Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program; performs research and prepares and maintains reports, records and files; provides staff assistance at public hearings and meetings; investigates and responds to citizen questions and complaints related to land use including signs, site development and other related municipal codes. The work performed by this class 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. If the primary job duties focus on both current planning and long-range planning, the position will report to the Planning Manager. Other duties may be assigned as needed. Responds to mostly routine inquiries regarding the Comprehensive Plan, zoning, subdivision and land use codes at the counter, over the phone, in writing, and at formal and informal meetings. Receives development applications for private and public land development and reviews for completeness. Provides assistance in analyzing applications to ensure compliance with applicable development regulations, zoning, subdivision and environmental policies. Field visits and studies may be required. Provides administrative and technical support of the CDBG program. Reads, reviews and understands federal and local regulations and guidelines pertaining to CDBG programs. Provides support in preparing forms, checklists, and reports that support a federally compliant program. Communicates with non-profit organizations, public agencies and federal program staff to monitor and enforce CDBG program regulations and guidelines. Assists in research related to technical studies and reports of critical areas, including wetland, stream and soils studies. Helps to gather information from field visits used to administer city codes in the regulation of critical areas. Assists with research to draft revisions and amendments to the city’s development codes and regulations. Researches, compiles background data and prepares draft correspondence and reports to supervisor and others, as requested, on less complex current and/or long-range planning projects. Assists with scheduling and coordinating project proposal reviews with other agencies and city departments; participates in and attends meetings. Assists in the preparation and presentation of staff reports and recommendations to the department director, city departments, hearing examiner, City Council and other boards and commissions. Establishes and maintains databases, application files and permit tracking systems. Performs special studies, reports and projects. May represent the city by participation in regional or other interagency committees or task forces. Investigates and responds to citizen complaints on zoning and land use issues. Performs other duties as assigned. A combination of the experience, education, and training listed below which provides an equivalent background to perform the work of this position. Experience Two years of experience in current planning and development review; along with comprehensive plan development experience. Education and Training Bachelor’s degree in urban planning, environmental planning, geography, public administration or related field. Licenses or Certificates Must possess, or have the ability to possess within one month of hire date, a Washington State Driver’s License. The physical demands and characteristics of the work environment described here are representative of those occurring in the performance of the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the essential functions of this job, the employee is frequently required to stand; walk; sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools, or controls; and talk or hear. The employee is occasionally required to reach with hands and arms and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee must frequently lift up to 10 pounds; occasionally lift and/or move 10 to 20 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus. This position works in an office, and the noise level in the work environment is usually low to moderate. The incumbent may assist with occasional field work and research requiring site visits to businesses, development sites and critical areas where the employee must stand or walk on variable surfaces including hard, even surfaces and uneven ground, as well as sloped embankments. Employee occasionally works in the right of way or construction sites and may be exposed to physical hazards such as moving traffic and heavy construction equipment. Outdoors the noise level here may be moderate to loud. This position works a regular schedule, however, incumbents may be required to work some evening hours to attend public meetings. This position description generally describes the principal functions of the position and the level of knowledge and skills typically required. It does not constitute an employment agreement between the employer and employee, and it is subject to change as the needs of the employer and the requirements of the job change. Non-union #J-18808-Ljbffr