Planning Assistant

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Class Title

Planning Assistant

Class Code

5986

Salary

$74,193.60 - $99,361.60 Annually

• Definition

• Benefits

Classification Description Summary

This regular part-time position is under general supervision, performs a variety of professional and technical planning functions involving research and analysis of various proposed amendments to the master plan; prepares and presents a variety of staff reports and recommendations; performs a variety of planning functions relative to assigned area of responsibility.

Essential Functions

The following duties are typical for this classification. Incumbents may not perform all of the listed duties and/or may be required to perform additional or different duties from those set forth below to address business needs and changing business practices.

• Develop detailed long-range land use plans and policies for the City; meet with stakeholders; research and analyze trends to gather input and information; organize information into a written plan.

• Represent the City at Neighborhood Advisory Board, Regional Planning Commission, and other meetings; prepare annual reports detailing activities of the Planning Commission as they relate to the regional plan.

• Assist developers, the general public, and other stakeholders with walk-in and telephone inquiries regarding land development and zoning policies and procedures.

• Conduct field investigations of proposed development or land use to ensure compliance with code requirements.

• Create and present text amendment recommendations to the Planning Commission and City Council.

• Assist in the development of GIS data; update the GIS database to include changes in land use and zoning; produce maps for staff reports.

• Prepare statistical reports.

• Develop and recommend alternatives to resolve planning problems and accomplish planning objectives.

• Review building permits, tentative and final maps for subdivisions, developments, site plans, and other planning proposals; review requests relating to policies and zoning ordinances; negotiate changes to plans, applications, and reports.

• Review business license applications for compliance with zoning and development regulations; participate in the administrative review of business licenses denied due to planning and zoning issues; coordinate and negotiate with applicant, staff attorney, Revenue Officer, and hearing officer to achieve land use objectives; coordinate with code compliance to resolve disputes.

• Coordinate review by multiple City departments to ensure all deadlines are met and review comments are clear, consistent, and concise; assist applicants in modifying proposals in compliance with City standards; communicate with stakeholders to provide information about applications, processes, and requirements, and receive comments about the proposed project and its impacts.

• Analyze requests for master plan amendments, zoning map amendments, special use permits, tentative and final subdivision maps and variances; review requests in relation to applicable portions of state statutes, policies and City ordinances.

• Serve as liaison between applicant, consultant and other staff regarding data needs, required studies, scope of analysis, analysis findings, approval conditions and scheduling.

• Communicate with developers and convey policies on development related matters; prepare and present staff reports to the Planning Commission and City Council regarding development proposals; respond to questions from decision making bodies; identify significant issues and recommend conditions of approval or reasons for recommendation of denial.

• Evaluate and make recommendations regarding applications for administrative variances, boundary line adjustments, parcel maps and reversion to acreage maps.

• Respond to public inquiries in a courteous manner; provide information within the area of assignment; resolve complaints in an efficient and timely manner.

• Attend and participate in professional group meetings; stay abreast of new trends and innovations in the field of planning.

• Perform related duties as required.

Minimum Qualifications

The following generally describes the knowledge and ability required to enter the job and/or be learned within a short period of time in order to successfully perform the assigned duties.

Knowledge of:

Basic operations, services, and activities of a community planning and development program.

Modern principles, practices, and techniques of planning including land use, environmental policy analysis, natural resource management, municipal service delivery, physical design, landscape architecture, demographics, and economic and social concepts as applied to municipal planning.

Development review procedures and requirements.

Methods and techniques of effective technical report preparation and presentation.

Methods and techniques of eliciting community participation in planning and development issues.

Office procedures, methods, and equipment including computers and applicable software applications.

Pertinent federal, state, and local laws, codes, and regulations including laws underlying general plans, zoning and land divisions, and applicable environmental laws and regulations.

Ability to:

Perform professional level planning duties in the development, implementation, and modification of City plans and regulations.

Apply policies, procedures, and standards pertaining to the municipal planning process.

Interpret maps, site and building plans and specifications, graphs and statistical data.

Interpret, analyze, apply, implement, and explain pertinent federal, state, and local laws, codes, and regulations including City codes and departmental policies and administrative directives.

Process routine development applications and coordinate necessary communication between staff, developer, and other agencies.

Make sound recommendations regarding urban and community planning activities.

Analyze projects and potential projects for consistency with planning regulations, general planning principles, and architectural quality.

Present technical data in verbal, written, graphic, and map form to City management staff and variety of boards and commissions.

Operate office equipment including computers and supporting software applications.

Work in a team based environment to achieve common goals.

Coordinate multiple projects and complex tasks simultaneously.

Meet the physical requirements to safely and effectively perform the assigned duties.

Communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing.

Establish and maintain effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of work.

Education and Experience Guidelines - Any combination of education and experience that would likely provide the required knowledge and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to obtain the knowledge and abilities would be:

Education/Training :

A Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with major course work in urban/regional planning, history, geography, policy analysis, civil engineering, public administration, business administration, communications, graphics, GIS or other closely related field.

Experience :

One year of responsible professional or paraprofessional urban or regional planning and zoning experience is highly desirable.

License or Certificate :

Possession of an appropriate, valid driver’s license.

Supplemental Information

PHYSICAL DEMANDS AND WORKING ENVIRONMENT

The conditions herein are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential job functions.

Environment: Work is performed primarily in a standard office setting with some travel from site to site and exposure to an outdoor field environment.

Physical: Primary functions require sufficient physical ability and mobility to work in an office setting; to stand or sit for prolonged periods of time; to occasionally stoop, bend, kneel, crouch, reach, and twist; to lift, carry, push, and/or pull light to moderate amounts of weight; to operate a motorized vehicle; to operate office equipment requiring repetitive hand movement and fine coordination including use of a computer keyboard; and to verbally communicate to exchange information.

Please use this Health and Welfare Benefit Link (http://www.reno.gov/government/departments/human-resources/benefits) to learn more about the City of Reno's great employee benefit plans and wellness programs.

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