Planner I

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A positive pre-employment drug test will also disqualify a candidate for hire.

General Statement of Job

Under general supervision, performs professional planning and land development review work for the County’s Planning and Zoning Department. Reviews site plans and plats for both residential and non-residential projects, and other development proposals to ensure compliance with relevant ordinances, standards, plans, policies, and the Comprehensive Plan. Assists in updates to the Comprehensive Plan and its implementation. Serves as a team member in work teams engaged in planning projects and or plan reviews. Short Range (SR) Planner I reports to the Director of Planning and Zoning, and Long Range (LR) Planner I reports to the Long Range Planning Manager.

Special Duties & Responsibilities

SHORT RANGE (SR) PLANNER I

• Coordinates and manages the administrative technical review process of plats and site plans ensuring compliance with the County’s land use ordinances and design standards.
• Prepares comment letters, and memos, and makes oral presentations. Presents reports and recommendations to the Commissions and Board at regularly scheduled public meetings.
• Assists with writing land use policies and regulations for inclusion into ordinances and Comprehensive Plan; researches and prepares information on various planning-related topics.
• Receives and responds to a variety of inquiries from the Board of Supervisors, Planning Commission, County staff, applicants, developers, real estate professionals, market researchers, and the general public. Provides information, answers questions, and explains policies, procedures, standards, and related regulations.
• Serves as a team member in performing special studies and reports.
• Performs a variety of administrative duties in support of assigned duties including setting up and maintaining files; preparing forms, handouts, and checklists, preparing correspondence, etc.
• Participates in training and continued education, reviews legislation, journals, and periodicals to remain abreast of the latest laws, trends in the market, and latest techniques for skill enhancement.
• Meets with other staff members, departments, outside agencies, and community contacts to gather information necessary to help gain input to formulate a variety of County planning initiatives.
• Conducts GIS analysis.
• Attends evening meetings as necessary.
• Performs other related duties as required.

LONG RANGE (LR) PLANNER I

• Reviews rezoning and special use applications and certificates of appropriateness for compliance with regulatory standards and the County Comprehensive Plan’s goals and objectives.
• Prepares staff reports summarizing relevant issues and recommends action to the Planning Commission, Board of Supervisors, Historic Preservation Commission, and other Boards and Committees as warranted. Presents reports and recommendations to the Commissions and Board at regularly scheduled public meetings.
• Prepares Comprehensive Plan consistency reviews to ensure capital infrastructure project (CIP) compliance and support for utility infrastructure projects.
• Prepares Comprehensive Plan consistency reviews for proposed land conservation easements.
• Updates and maintains various demographics, housing, development pipeline, levels of service, and the County cemetery database.
• Occasionally manages development and processing of County code amendments from conceptualization to public hearing.
• Coordinates the review of long range projects by appropriate regulatory agencies to determine impacts on current and planned public services, infrastructure, and operations and recommends ways to mitigate any negative or adverse impacts.
• Assists in the update of the Comprehensive Plan and its implementation.
• Receives and responds to a variety of inquiries from the Board of Supervisors, Planning Commission, County staff, applicants, developers and real estate professionals, market researchers, and the general public. Provides information, answers questions, and explains policies, procedures, standards, and related regulations.
• Serves as a team member in performing special studies and reports.
• Performs a variety of administrative duties in support of assigned duties including setting up and maintaining files; preparing forms, handouts, and check