Job Details

Senior Planner

Position Number: 6108541
Location: Fort Bragg, CA
Position Type: Economic and Business Development

Senior Planner

Salary: $78,852.80 - $95,846.40 Annually
Location: City of Fort Bragg - City Hall
Job Type: Full Time
Department: Community Development
Job Number: 202400023
Closing: 3/28/2025 5:00 PM Pacific

Description

Mission: Fort Bragg is a small town nestled between the coast and the redwoods with a strong sense of community that seeks to preserve its environment while providing resilient public facilities and infrastructure and supporting a safe and vibrant economic, multi-cultural, and recreational experience for both locals and visitors alike.

Vision: Fort Bragg, a California coastal destination with rich natural resources and rugged beauty, is transforming our future by weaving together our people, ecosystems, and economy to create community prosperity. We are making our mark in the 21st Century by creating climate-ready water and energy independence, housing and economic opportunities, accessible health care, community public safety, and education for all.

We are guided by the following Core Values:

Innovation: We highly encourage creativity and forward-thinking solutions to meet the evolving needs of our city.

Honesty & Integrity: We believe in transparent, honest, and ethical interactions with our community and stakeholders.

Service-Oriented: We are responsive to the public and to each other to demonstrate our genuine commitment to creating a Fort Bragg that Serves us today and readies us for a successful tomorrow.

Fair & Ethical: principles and practices, Fort Bragg promotes an inclusive community culture of unity and equality that openly invites everyone to enjoy our unique coastal enclave.

Collaboration: nourishes civic pride and celebrates the diversity of our city and the meaningful municipal services that our residents and businesses rely on.

POSITION SUMMARY

Under the direction of the City Manager and/or Director, performs complex and specialized planning work in the areas of current and long-range planning and economic development.

Longe Range Planning

Conducts and prepares studies and recommendations for the Planning Commission, City Council, and other public committees;
Assists with the development of guidelines, policies, ordinances, and procedures pertaining to land use planning and development;
Prepares amendments to Local Coastal Program and General Plan;
Performs a wide variety of professional and technical work in collecting, analyzing and presenting information relative to City Planning and community development functions and activities; and
Completes special projects as needed.

Current Planning

Provides information regarding land use matters to the public;
Provides liaison with consultants, developers, and staff of other agencies on current planning activities;
Completes development review for current planning projects, including but not limited to: coastal development permits, use permits, subdivisions, design review, CEQA and NEPA review, etc; and
Prepares staff reports for the Planning Commission and City Council.

Economic Development

Coordinate and support grant applications and reporting;
Support ongoing economic development programs and policies; and
Make recommendations to City Administration and City Council on economic development efforts in Fort Bragg.

Incumbents in this class work at an advanced journey-level on both simple and complex/specialized assignments, such as large physical projects with significant environmental impacts and mitigation measures and the development of new or complex general plan policies. Incumbent works independently with minimum supervision. Incumbent may train staff as assigned.

Employee must:

Be sufficiently adaptable to accept and perform in a timely and effective manner work assignments that are outside the normal day-to-day routine.
Maintain courteous, professional, and effective working relationships with other City employees and members of the public.

FAIR LABOR STANDARDS ACT EXEMPTION:
The incumbent of this position spends more than 50 percent of their time as a mid-manager performing office work directly related to management policies or general business operations, monitoring department work for legal and regulatory compliance, in addition to supervising at least two full-time equivalent staff. The incumbent customarily and regularly exercises discretion and independent judgment. This position is, therefore, "exempt" under the Fair Labor Standards Act.

DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS:This is the most senior Planner position. Distinguishing characteristics over other Planner positions within Public Works/Community Development: a highly developed ability to work independently and exercise sound judgment in the pursuit of the general policies, plans and objectives prescribed for the department. Ability to independently perform planning work and, based upon professional analysis, recommend and implement planning policy.

TYPICAL DUTIES & ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

Essential duties may include, but are not limited to, the following:

Current Planning

Acts as project manager for complex and larger entitlement projects and applications that require specialized knowledge and/or experience in the interpretation of land use and environmental policies and regulations.
Assign projects to other planners and administrative staff in the department and supervise work.
Lead Planning Commission meetings and hearings and review staff reports from other planners and administrative staff in the department.
Perform research and compile for: complex or controversial projects, to implement a comprehensive plan, for preparation of staff reports, for planning studies, etc.
Interpret land use and environmental policies and regulations to the general public, applicants, consultants, and representatives of public agencies.
Review development applications for completeness and accuracy.
Meet with applicants to negotiate proposed permit conditions.
Review comments from the public and City departmental staff; prepare project reports with analysis and comments for public distribution, state environmental impacts, and recommendations for mitigation measures and disposition of the projects.
Review data and information received from other agencies and incorporate into report recommendations and/or environmental documents.
Process use permits, lot line adjustments, coastal development permits, design review permits, annexations, and vacancies.
Prepare and present staff reports and environmental documents to decision-makers at public hearings; assist other staff in making formal presentations on land use and environmental policies and regulations at public meetings.
Analyst supportive materials necessary for initial environmental assessments of projects and analyze the projects in conjunction with environmental documents to determine consistency with adopted State, City goals, policies, plans and ordinances/resolutions.
Prepare Negative Declarations and other environmental documents.
Review building permits and requests for business licenses for compliance with zoning codes and ordinances.
Monitor construction sites and ensures compliance with mitigation measures.

Long Range Planning

Research land use, transportation requirements, community design, resource constraints, environmental thresholds, and other development or environmental issues; analyze data to consider impacts of developmental policies, compute descriptive statistics from data to incorporate in report; interpret adopted State and City policies, guidelines, ordinances/resolutions, and zoning regulations for the public.
Develop and assist with Local Coastal Program (LCP) amendments and interface as needed with California Coastal Commission staff on the City's LCP.
Review and make recommendations regarding General Plan amendments, zoning changes and environmental impact reports.
Prepare drafts of new or revised planning and zoning ordinances.
Assist in developing and processing amendments to City zoning and subdivision ordinances.
Work with advisory committees and/or participate in public workshops to obtain public input on the development/revision of policies and programs.
Write land use and environmental policies and regulations for inclusion in city ordinances, resolutions, general plan, or environmental guidelines.
Respond to controversial issues regarding land use and environmental policies and regulations.
Review legislation, journals, and periodicals to keep updated on new information.
Review legislation, journals, and periodicals to keep updated on new information.
Prepare maps, charts, and other graphic information.
Perform redevelopment, advanced planning and other duties as assigned.

Administration

Adi in the selection and management of consultants by writing requests for proposals, developing contracts, monitoring performance and billings, and reviewing technical analyses and documents.
Staff community meetings, including meeting facilitation, agenda setting, and meeting minutes as needed.
Attend meetings and provide management and peers with status reports on assigned projects.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

MINIMUM EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE:

Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university, including 15-semester units or 22 quarter units of course work in urban/rural and regional planning, environmental studies, or life, physical, or social sciences; and four years journey level professional experience in urban/rural and regional planning, planning policy development, or environmental review and analysis.

DESIRABLE EXPERIENCE/EDUCATION

Master's degree in urban/rural or regional planning, environmental studies, landscape architect, architecture; and minimum of five years professional experience in urban/rural and regional planning, planning policy development, or environmental review and analysis. Work experience with a coastal city government is highly desirable. Planner qualifications verified by the American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP) or similar endorsement.

DESIRABLE SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE, AND ABILITIES:
Knowledge of:

Principles and practices of urban/rural and regional planning and environmental review.
Theories, principles and practices associated with land use, development and community planning projects.
Municipal planning; state planning and zoning laws; Subdivision Map Act; Coastal Act, California Environmental Quality Act; and other laws and regulations pertaining to local and regional land use planning and development permitting activities.
Federal, state and local laws, policies and regulations related to planning and environmental issues and regulations pertaining to city/rural community planning.
Codes, ordinances and regulations pertaining to City planning.

Ability to:

Compile and analyze relevant information and draw valid conclusions to develop recommendations to resolve issues. Make well-reasoned judgments regarding simple and complex issues.

Identify and analyze problem situations, establish priorities of action and take appropriate steps to resolve those problems identified.
Communicate effectively both orally and in writing.
- Prepare clear and accurate reports.
- Communicate verbally to explain policies and regulations to others.
- Write staff reports, policies, ordinances, resolutions, and correspondence using correct grammar, spelling, and punctuation.
- Prepare and give public presentations before decision-making bodies and the general public.
Use personal computers and keyboard including Microsoft Word, Excel, Publisher, Power Point, and Access Data Base to access and develop reports and create presentations.
Interpret regulations and policies.
Understand and apply the provisions of various Federal, State, regional and local planning laws and regulations.
Read and understand site and building plans, architectural drawings, topographical maps, charts and graphics used in planning and public works/community development activities.
Record and maintain information for future access.
Organize work and priorities to meet deadlines.
Establish and maintain effective working relationships with co-workers and public.
Perform basic math computations involving fractions and percentages.

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION

NOTE: Accommodations may be made for some of the essential functions/requirements listed for qualifying individuals who require and request such accommodations, due to a qualifying disability.

To apply, visit: https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/fortbragg/jobs/4862070/senior-planner