HomeMy WebLinkAboutLong Range Planner City of Port Townsend Job Description Long Range Planner Classification title: Long Range Planner Working title: Long Range Planner Department: Planning & Community Development Union: No FLSA status: Exempt Wage Classification: Non-represented Hours: Fulltime Effective date: 4/1/23 Reports to: Director of Planning & Community Development Civil Service: No JOB SUMMARY This position works under the direction of the Director of Planning & Community Development. The City seeks to hire a 2-year long range planner who will be primarily responsible for managing the City’s long range planning projects such as the 2025 Comprehensive Plan Periodic Update. The position also will have particular emphasis on projects that advance the City’s 2023 Workplan relating to delivering targeted, timed, and impactful zoning code changes that help unlock and inspire affordable, dense, quality infill development. This position will perform advanced professional level urban, land use and environmental planning work. As such, work involves activities supporting major planning projects and policy development. This work requires the application of well-developed written and analytical skills in urban design, land use, transportation, economic development, environmental concerns and other subjects related to planning. Issues are often highly sensitive and therefore require direct contact with the public, elected officials, officials from other jurisdictions, other City department directors, stakeholders, and community leaders. Incumbents must be able to communicate policy in a persuasive, informative and diplomatic manner. Work is performed under deadlines and requires attendance at public meetings and hearings, many of which are held in evening hours. The work requires negotiation and persuasion skills to handle sometimes heated discussion, requiring that policy positions and technical information be translated to other professionals, the public, and elected officials. Excellent speaking and communication skills are required due to frequent presentations before community groups, the Planning Commission and the City Council. ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES • Serve as lead project manager for the 2023 Comprehensive Plan Annual Amendment, 2025 Comprehensive Plan Periodic Plan Update, and assist with drafting development code amendments or any interim zoning or moratoria controls. • Prepare, review, and/or monitor external preparation of Environmental Impact Statements and environmental checklists as they relate to non-project applications. • Assist Director, City staff, City GIS, and any external consultants in preparing a Buildable Lands Inventory. • Analyze, develop and implement strategic plans for housing supply and affordability in concert with internal and external staff, including a Housing Assessment and Housing Action Plan, Comprehensive Plan, and housing related policies in functional plans. • Analyze land development and demographic trends and develop land use regulations (zoning, subdivision, and environmental review requirements) using established research and public processes. • Create plans that ensure equitable access to resources and opportunities, which, in turn structure prospects for upward economic mobility, a sense of belonging, and an enhanced quality of life. • Recognize and work to mitigate the impacts of existing plans and procedures that result in patterns of discrimination, displacement, or environmental injustice. • Promote an increase in the supply and quality of affordable housing and improved services and facilities with equal access for all residents, including people with disabilities. • Manage state planning grants, invoices, and grant agreements. • Administer consultant contracts related to long range projects, including preparing Request for Proposal and Scope of Work documents, participating in consultant selection, overseeing contract compliance and payments. • Prepare program proposals, web content, analyses, publications, visual aids, displays, newsletters, and activity progress reports. • Communicate with the public using websites, social media, printed materials, and other outreach tools. • Perform complex and challenging special assignments and projects. • Incumbent may need to attend meetings outside of regular business hours. • Provide information, data, and technical assistance to supervisor, applicants, staff, and the community. • Serve as City staff liaison for advisory boards as assigned. • Keep immediate supervisor and designated staff fully and accurately informed concerning work progress, including present and potential work problems and suggestions for new or improved ways of addressing such problems. • Work closely with other departments to develop joint procedures and to solve code implementation problems. • Communicate and coordinate regularly as appropriate with others to maximize the effectiveness and efficiency of interdepartmental operations and activities. • Respond to questions and comments from the public in a courteous and timely manner. • Perform other duties consistent with the role and function of this classification. KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES • Ability to positively influence future community development through visioning, strategic planning, planning policy, official plans and neighborhood plans with a focus on implementation. • Assess and articulate the short- and long-term implications of proposed policies and development regulations. • Competent in Growth Management, environmental assessment, State Environmental Policy Act, and a working knowledge of Washington administrative, land use, environmental, and shoreline laws. • Effectively present housing and growth management policy matters to the public, City boards and commissions, and other City Departments and City Council. • Plan, draft, evaluate, direct, and implement City Growth Management policies including drafting of development code amendments, Comprehensive Plan amendments, as well as associated staff reports, agenda bills, ordinances and resolutions thereof. • Ability to develop, promote and lead innovative public participation and engagement processes. • Project management including oversight of external consultants devoted to long range planning efforts to include, but not limited to, keeping projects on time, within budget, and defining project requirements. • Exercise initiative, ingenuity, and sound judgement in solving community housing problems. • Evaluate and develop Citywide policies, programs, and ordinances related to affordable housing and growth management policy. • Understand complex legal documents and regulatory agreements. • Establish and maintain effective working relations with the public, boards, commissions, public officials, and other City Departments. • Knowledgeable in planning principles, terminology and practices. • Work effectively in a fast-moving and flexible environment. • Proficiency in computer applications related to planning and development operations to include but not limited to permit database system, Bluebeam Revu or Computer Aided Design, GIS, and Microsoft 365 software applications. • Understand and relate to others the goals, concepts, and principles of the City. QUALIFICATIONS • Bachelor’s Degree in Planning or closely related field • Minimum of five years of professional-level planning related to community development, urban or regional planning and project management; • An extensive combination of directly relevant experience and training may substitute for formal education. Additional consideration may be given for the following qualifications • Current certification as an American Institute of Certified Planner • Project Management Professional Certification • Relevant Master’s Degree WORKING CONDITIONS Duties are performed primarily in an office environment with sitting for long periods of time, using standard office equipment and personal computer. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderately quiet. May be required to deal with upset customers. This position typically requires movement around the office, reaching, pushing, grasping, finger dexterity, hearing, seeing and repetitive motions. Exerting up to 20 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 10 pounds of force frequently, and/or a negligible amount of force constantly to move objects. The physical demands described here 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 functions. OTHER CITY REQUIREMENTS • Punctual and consistent attendance. • Possess a Washington Driver’s License and maintain a driving record acceptable to the City’s insurance carrier. • Dress and grooming appropriate to the position. • Safety attire, equipment and practices appropriate to the position. • Deal tactfully and courteously with the public. • Establish and maintain effective working relationships with fellow employees. The City of Port Townsend is an equal employment opportunity employer. The City employs, retains, promotes, disciplines and otherwise treats all employees and job applicants strictly on the basis of job- related qualifications and competence. These policies and all employment practices shall be applied without regard to any individual's sex, race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sexual orientation (including gender identity), pregnancy, age, marital status, military status, disability, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by law. This job description in no way implies that these are the only duties to be performed. The employee occupying the position will be required to follow any other job-related instructions and to perform any other job-related duties requested by their supervisors. This job description does not constitute an employment agreement between the City and the employee and is subject to change as the needs of the City and requirements of the job change.