Job Title: City Planner

Pay Grade: 129

General Description:

Perform functions involving all aspects of municipal planning including land use, zoning, current and long-range planning, and special projects. Duties and responsibilities include interpreting, enforcing, and updating zoning ordinances; providing information to the public; conducting site inspections; performing research functions; reviewing documentation for compliance with ordinances; supervising subordinates; and related clerical functions.

Responsibilities:

• Cooperates with other affected departments and agencies in long-range planning activities.
• Plans, supervises, and reviews surveys and reports on demographic data relating to long-range planning.
• Assists in representing the City before civic and governmental agencies in explaining policies and programs.
• Provides technical advice to the various City departments.
• Prepares staff reports and assists in making major representations concerning planning and related matters before the Planning Commission, Design Review Committee, Magistrate, Community Redevelopment Agency, and City Council.
• Meets with interested groups, developers, and citizens to present information related to planning studies, and explain land use regulations, and the plan review process.
• Reports to the City Manager on the status of particular projects, planning activities, and economic development.
• Conducts site inspections for conformance with City codes.
• Review drawings, site plans, applications, and related documentation for compliance with ordinances.
• Administers the sign ordinance, including meeting with applicants, reviewing proposals, issuing permits, processing fees, inventorying illegal signs, and making proposals on ordinance amendments.
• Assists with interpreting regulations (e.g., zoning ordinances, subdivision regulations, municipal codes, state statutes, and federal acts).
• Assists with code enforcement activities, including preparing letters, initiating phone calls, or performing field research.
• Coordinates the dissemination of information on street addresses to public utilities, city staff, and the public at large.
• Coordinates activities with the building department, code enforcement department, and public works.
• Provides technical, drafting, and design assistance as requested.
• Assists in the implementation and operation of the City's Geographic Information System (G.I.S.) and other equipment.
• Performs various research duties; tracks development and demographic information; completes statistical trend studies; prepares projections.
• Serves as the City's floodplain administrator.
• Interprets flood maps and makes formal flood zone determinations.
• Issues zoning clearances, and permits, reviews site plans, holds, and returns bonds.
• Prepares preliminary documentation to update regulations.
• Prepares and generates correspondence, letters, memoranda, forms, reports, charts, graphs, and other documents.
• Answers the telephone; provides information; takes and relays messages and directs calls to appropriate personnel; returns calls as necessary; initiates problem resolution.
• Responds to routine requests for information from employees, department heads, commissioners, and other individuals and groups.
• Greets visitors, ascertains nature of business, assists and directs visitors to the appropriate person.
• Collect and compile information relative to planning assignments such as land use, community and economic development, growth management, and housing.
• Review and evaluate plans and proposals prepared by outside agencies and develop recommendations with regard to the relevance of municipal needs and plans.
• Confer with local authorities, and planning and development specialists to provide technical assistance and advice and recommend arrangements of land and physical facilities for residential, commercial, industrial, and community uses.
• Develop plans, documenting existing conditions, needs, goals, objectives, policies, work programs, implementation strategies, and budgets; revise plans to address changing conditions and needs and to facilitate plan implementation.
• Provide information and assistance to the general public regarding planning codes, commission procedures, and general office policies and procedures.
• Conduct field survey to take photographs and gather information for site plan; prepare pictorial and graphic presentation to be used for planning purposes.
• Participates in meetings and public hearings to discuss plans and represents the department's recommendations.
• May required to work after hours, weekends, and holidays; must attend relevant public hearings, and other meetings as requested.
• May be required to work extended hours, especially during emergencies and natural disasters.
• Performs other duties as assigned.
• These essential job functions are not to be construed as a complete statement of all duties performed. Employees will be required to perform other job-related marginal duties as required.

Job Location: Minneola City Hall

Job Role: City Planner

Exempt Status: Yes

Department: Planning and Zoning

Employment Status: Full-Time

Reports To: City Manager

Manages Others: Yes

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Knowledge of the principles, methods, and practices of planning; federal, state, and municipal legislation impacting municipal government planning efforts; research techniques and sources of information, current literature, and recent developments regarding planning.
• Must be able to organize and analyze information and perform planning research; analyze policy and technical issues and exercise sound judgment in decision-making; establish and maintain effective working relationships with municipal officials, developers, and the general public.
• Ability to use Esri ArcG.I.S. or some type of mapping software preferred.
• Effective oral and written communication skills.
• Ability to assess and evaluate situations effectively.
• Ability to identify critical issues quickly and accurately.
• Ability to access file cabinets for filing and retrieval of data.
• Ability to follow directions both orally and in writing; communicate with fellow employees, supervisors, and customers of the City.
• Thorough knowledge of the philosophies, principles, and techniques of city planning, various ordinances, codes, and regulations pertaining to planning, zoning, and subdivision.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with associates, subordinates, municipal officials, community groups, other professionals and representatives, and the general public.
• Ability to deal tactfully and effectively with employees, other governmental entities, vendors, and the general public in person, by telephone, and in writing.
• Ability to use a computer, printer, copier, scanner, and facsimile machine.
• Experience with Microsoft Office Professional, including Excel, Work, and Outlook.
• Experience with municipal software suites is preferred but not required.
• Ability to maintain records accurately.
• Strong organizational and attention to detail skills.
• Integrity, honesty, and being able to retain confidential material.
• Ability to communicate orally and in writing at a level appropriate to the position.
• Ability to establish positive working relationships with others.

Minimum Requirements:

Bachelor's Degree in Community Planning and Development, Urban Planning, Landscape Architecture, Public Administration, Business Administration, or closely related field from a regionally accredited college or university; five (5) years of planning experience in a municipal planning office, urban planning, and growth management; any combination of education, training, and experience which provides the requisite knowledge, skills, and abilities for this job. Certification from the American Institute of Certified Planners (A.I.C.P.) is required.