Planner III
Job Description
Department Name For This Position: Community Development
Position Reports To (Immediate Supervisors Title): Deputy Planning Director
Physical Location For This Position:
This Position Is: Exempt
This position is safety sensitive: No
Security Sensitive: No
GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF POSITION
The Planner III performs advanced professional municipal planning work requiring independent judgment and a high level of accountability. The position manages a substantial workload and is assigned the department’s more complex and sensitive projects. Work includes both current and long-range planning, including code interpretation and application, development review, ordinance work, and implementation planning. The Planner III serves as a lead planner on major initiatives such as pattern zone onboarding, area plans, and other citywide or district planning efforts. The position provides functional leadership by mentoring junior planners, supporting consistent review and staff report practices, and representing the department in public meetings and hearings. The Planner III works under general direction with limited day-to-day supervision and is expected to plan and execute work independently, coordinate across departments, and manage consultant-supported projects including scope, schedule, budget, and deliverable quality.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
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Interpret and apply applicable state, county, and local codes, ordinances, and regulations; provide consistent guidance to applicants, residents, and internal staff.
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Perform ministerial review and approval of development and subdivision applications when code-compliant, including plats and related development requests; coordinate review comments across Planning, Engineering, Fire, and other departments.
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Review and process a range of development applications including plats, permits, site plans, variance and appeal requests, and rezonings; identify issues early and guide applicants toward compliant solutions.
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Prepare accurate, clear, and legally defensible staff reports, findings, and recommendations; present items and answer questions at Planning Commission, City Council, and other public meetings as assigned.
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Advise the Planning Commission and City Council on rezonings, variances/appeals, code amendments, and other quasi-judicial and legislative items, including procedure, standards, options, and policy implications.
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Assist with updates and maintenance of the Comprehensive Plan and land development regulations; lead or support implementation efforts such as area plans, pattern zone onboarding, and targeted code updates.
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Conduct research and analysis in specific or general project areas; synthesize data into practical recommendations and implementation steps.
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Identify community problems, issues, and opportunities in neighborhoods and corridors; develop strategies to mitigate issues and advance community goals through planning and regulations.
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Develop long-range plans for districts and neighborhoods with common development issues; support plan adoption and ongoing implementation.
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Develop strategies to promote economic development, community development, housing, and efficient land use consistent with community goals and adopted plans.
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Write, or assist in writing, ordinances, regulations, staff guidance, and related materials addressing development controls and process improvements.
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Coordinate with Engineering and other departments on infrastructure constraints, development standards, and project sequencing; support predictable, timely development review.
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Initiate actions necessary to address deficiencies or violations of regulations; coordinate with Code Compliance and other staff as appropriate and document actions taken.
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Provide information to developers, builders, property owners, and the public related to development requirements, application procedures, and timelines; escalate technical items when appropriate.
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Provide functional leadership by mentoring junior planners, supporting consistent review practices, and serving as a lead on complex cases and major planning initiatives.
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Attend regular evening meetings, typically about once per week, and occasional weekend meetings as required.
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Maintain professional competency through continuous learning and awareness of current trends and best practices in municipal planning. 18.
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Perform other related duties as assigned.
Fiscal Responsibilities
Annual budget total value
Funds, facilities & equipment total value
Supervisory Responsibilities
What departments (if any) are supervised by this position? none
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Responsibilities For Work Of Others: No supervision.
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Responsibility For Funds, Equipment, Property, Etc.: OCCASIONALLY responsible for organization's property where carelessness, error, or misappropriation would result in MODERATE damage or MODERATE monetary loss to the organization. The total value for the above would range from $5,000 to $150,000.
Education And Experience
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Education: Graduate degree (M.B.A., M.A., etc.)
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Experience General: 7 years related experience and/or training.
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Experience Management: 3 years related management experience.
Work Skills
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Analytical Ability/ Problem Solving: MODERATELY DIRECTED. Activities covered by wide-ranging policies and courses of action, and generally directed as to execution and review. High order of analytical, interpretative, and/or constructive thinking in varied situations.
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Planning: CONSIDERABLE RESPONSIBILITY with regard to GENERAL ASSIGNMENTS in planning time, method, manner, and/or sequence of performance of own work, in addition, the work operations of a group of employees, all performing BASICALLY THE SAME TYPE OF WORK.
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Decision Making: Performs work operations which permit FREQUENT opportunity for decision-making of MINOR IMPORTANCE and also frequent opportunity for decision- making of MAJOR IMPORTANCE, either of which would affect the work operations of SMALL ORGANIZATIONAL COMPONENT and the ORGANIZATION'S CLIENTELE.
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Supervision Received: Under general direction, WORKING FROM POLICIES AND GENERAL DIRECTIVES. RARELY REFERS SPECIFIC CASES to supervisor unless clarification or interpretation of the organization's policy is required.
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Accuracy: Probable errors would NORMALLY NOT BE DETECTED IN SUCCEEDING OPERATIONS and could possibly affect organization-patron relationship, involve re-work, or additional expenditures in order to properly resolve the error. The possibility of such errors would OCCUR QUITE FREQUENTLY in performance of the job. May also cause inaccuracies or incomplete information that would be used in other segments of the organization as a basis for making subsequent decisions, plans, or actions.
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Communication Skills: Ability to read, analyze, and understand the most complex documents; Ability to respond effectively to the most sensitive inquiries or complaints; Ability to write speeches and articles using original or innovative techniques or style; Ability to make effective and persuasive speeches and presentations on controversial or complex topics to top management, public groups, and/or boards of directors.
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Mathematical Skills: Ability to calculate figures and amounts such as discounts, interest, commissions, proportions, percentages, area, circumference, and volume. Ability to apply concepts such as fractions, ratios, and proportions to practical situations.
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Critical Thinking Skills: Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions. Ability to interpret an extensive variety of technical instructions in mathematical or diagram form and deal with several abstract and concrete variables.
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Mental Demand: INTENSE MENTAL DEMAND. Operations requiring sustained directed thinking to analyze, solve, or plan highly variable, administrative, professional, or technical tasks involving complex problems or mechanisms.
Accountabilities
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Freedom To Act: MODERATELY DIRECTED. Freedom to act is given by upper level management guided by general policies and objectives that are reviewed by top management.
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Annual Monetary Impact: VERY SMALL: Job creates a monetary impact for the organization up to an annual level of $100,000.
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Impact Of Job On End Results: MODERATE IMPACT. Job has a definite impact on the organization's end results. Participates with others in taking action for a department and/or total organization.
Certificates, Licenses, Registrations
Required AICP
Preferred CNU-A
Contacts With Public and Employees
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Contacts With Employees: Contacts with other departments or offices and also frequently with individuals in middle level positions; consulting on problems that necessitate judgment and tact in presentation to obtain cooperation or approval of action to be taken. Also, important contacts with associates as required in advanced supervisory jobs.
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Contacts With Public: Regular contacts with patrons where the contacts are initiated by the employee. Involves both furnishing and obtaining information and, also, attempting to influence the decisions of those persons contacted. Contacts of considerable importance and of such nature, that failure to exercise proper judgment may result in important tangible or intangible losses to the organization.
Machines, Equipment & Computers
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Use Of Machines, Equipment And/Or Computers: Regular use of highly complex machines and equipment; specialized or advanced software programs.
Software Skills Required
Software Ability
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10-Key: None
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Accounting: None
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Alphanumeric Data Entry: None
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Contact Management: None
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Database: Basic
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Enterprise Resource Planning: None
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Human Resources Systems: None
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Payroll Systems: None
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Presentation/PowerPoint: Advanced
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Programming Languages: None
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Spreadsheet: Intermediate
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Word Processing/Typing: Intermediate
Work Environment
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Work near moving mechanical parts (spinning shafts, engines, lifts, etc.): Never
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Work in high, precarious places (tall structures, bucket lifts, extension ladders, etc.): Never
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Fumes or airborne particles (painting, sanding, solvents, flying lint or dust particles, etc.): Never
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Toxic or caustic chemicals (including potential for chemical spills, etc.): Never
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Outdoor weather conditions (exposure to outdoor heat, cold or inclement weather): Never
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Wet or humid conditions (not weather-related, such as greenhouse, carwash, etc.): Never
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Extreme cold (not weather-related, such as freezer, cold storage, etc.): Never
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Extreme heat (not weather-related, such as furnace, kitchen, ovens, etc. where temperature is regularly above 100 degrees F): Never
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Risk of electrical shock (live electrical wires, equipment that retains power after shutoff): Never
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Work with explosives (TNT, dynamite, nitroglycerine, or other related explosives): Never
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Risk of radiation (x-ray equipment, nuclear radiation, electromagnetic radiation, etc.): Never
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Vibration (jackhammer, soil compactor, equipment that creates high vibration, etc.): Never
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Indicate the level of noise that is typical for the work environment for this position by checking the appropriate box below.: Moderate (business office with computers/printers, light traffic, etc.)
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Working Conditions: Periodically exposed to such elements as noise, intermittent standing, walking, pushing, carrying, or lifting; but none are present to the extent of being disagreeable.
Physical Demands
Physical Activities
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Stand: Never
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Walk: Never
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Sit: Frequently
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Use hands to finger, handle, or feel: Occasionally
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Reach with hands and arms: Occasionally
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Climb or balance: Never
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Stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl: Never
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Talk or hear: Occasionally
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Taste or smell: Never
Weight Lifted
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Up to 10 pounds: Frequently
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Up to 25 pounds: Never
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Up to 50 pounds: Never
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Up to 100 pounds: Never
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More than 100 pounds: Never
Vision requirements
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Close vision (use of a computer, equipment, or any other work duties that require clear vision within two feet or less).
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Distance vision (driving vehicles or equipment; work duties such as surveying that requires clear vision at twenty feet or more).
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Color vision (interpreting color software screens or reports; work duties that require the ability to identify and distinguish colors).
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Ability to adjust focus (work duties that require the ability to adjust the eye to bring an object into sharp focus at various distances or focal lengths).
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Physical Demand: SEMI-REPETITIVE, LOW PHYSICAL: SEMI-REPETITIVE type work which requires PERIODS OF CONCENTRATION FOR VARIED TIME CYCLES as prescribed by the tasks.
Additional Information
Core Competencies / Additional Info
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Well-developed knowledge of planning principles and practices
- In-depth knowledge of one or more planning specialization, such as economic development, transportation planning, or environmental planning
- Knowledge of principles, methodology, practices of research and data collection
- Knowledge of effective writing techniques
- Knowledge of or experience in community remediation and redevelopment, and knowledge of relevant Federal programs
- Statistical, algebraic, or geometric knowledge and ability to apply such knowledge in practical situations
- Knowledge of computer hardware and software programs, which may include Microsoft Office, Internet applications, econometric or transportation modeling, database management, city asset and business process management software, or GIS
