General Summary

An Assistant Planner provides a wide variety of professional planning duties, primarily in support of current and long-range planning by the technical application of municipal planning principles, site planning and design, interpretation of the General Plan, application of the Maricopa Zoning Ordinance, and Design Review Manuals. The Assistant Planner position provides assistance to the general public, manages minor development cases, and is responsible for permit intake and processing. Assignments are generally limited in scope and with planning staff supervision. As planning experience is acquired, the employee should begin to perform with increasing independence. This is the entry-level class in the professional planning series.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

The intent of this job description is to provide a representative summary of the major duties and responsibilities performed by incumbents of this job. Employees may be requested to perform job-related tasks other than those specifically presented in this description.

• Focus on exceptional customer service.
• Research, analyze and interpret social, economic, population and land use data and trends; prepare written reports on various planning matters and elements of the General Plan.
• Communicates orally with customers, clients, or the public in face-to-face one-on-one settings at a service counter or at public meetings.
• Compile information for and make recommendations on special studies and prepare planning reports.
• Assists higher level planners with the preparation of materials for presentation before various boards and commissions, and the City Council.
• Prepares a variety of materials for use in Planning Commission and/or City Council meetings; verifies the accuracy of information presented; prepares and presents oral and visual media at commissions and community groups.
• Processes planning applications by logging applications in the database, routing them to proper review departments, and remitting items back to the applicant.
• Assists with hearings and commission meetings, as well as review site plans, design review submittals and participate in special projects as needed.
• On occasion, act as secretary to the Planning and Zoning Commission, compiles all reports and backup documents, and distributes the information to the Planning and Zoning Commission.
• Check commercial, industrial, and residential development plans for issuance of zone clearance; process permit applications.
• Draft legal notices and post/submit hearing notices to newspapers, produce site postings, mailings completed within required timeframes.
• Performs site inspections to ensure compliance with codes.

Minimum and Preferred Entrance Qualifications

Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with major course work in urban planning or a related field and
• A minimum of one (1) year in municipal planning activities/work.
• Any equivalent combination of training, education, and experience that provides the required skills, knowledge and abilities.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

Licenses or Certifications

• Possession of (or ability to obtain within 1 month of hire) a standard driver license.

Competencies for Successful Performance of Job Duties

Knowledge of:

• Principles and practices of urban planning.
• Principles of development plan review and approval and zoning enforcement.
• Methods and techniques of planning, zoning, and subdivision design.
• Current literature, information sources and research techniques in the field of urban planning.
• Technology pertinent to the planning function.

Skill in:

• Use graphics information such as blueprints, layouts, base maps, or other visual aids
• Comprehend and make inferences from a written material such as census data, surveys, previously done studies, or government document reports.

Ability to:

• Participate in the preparation of zoning and land use regulations and ordinance revisions.
• Review a variety of planning permits and development plans for conformance with applicable codes and ordinances.
• Perform site inspections to ensure compliance with codes.
• Prepare clear and concise administrative reports.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of work.
• Maintain mental capacity which allows the capability of making sound decisions and demonstrating intellectual capabilities.
• Maintain effective audiovisual and perception needed for making observations, communicating with others, reading, writing and operating assigned equipment.
• Maintain physical condition appropriate to the performance of assigned duties and responsibilities.
• Use graphics information such as blueprints, layouts, base maps, or other visual aide.
• Comprehend and make inferences from a written material such as census data, surveys, previously done studies, or government document reports.
• Learn laws underlying general plans, zoning and land divisions.
• Learn about current and trending practices in the field of urban planning.
• Learn to analyze and compile technical and statistical information and prepare reports.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The physical demands and environmental characteristics 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.

• The position involves light physical demands, such as exerting up to 20 lbs. of force occasionally, and/or up to 10 lbs. of force frequently, and/or a negligible amount of force constantly to move objects.

The City of Maricopa is an Equal Opportunity Employer. In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, the City will provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities and encourages both prospective and current employees to discuss potential accommodations with the employer.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $22.35 - $33.98 per hour

Benefits:

• Dental insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Flexible schedule
• Flexible spending account
• Health insurance
• Health savings account
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Professional development assistance
• Retirement plan
• Tuition reimbursement
• Vision insurance

Schedule:

• 10 hour shift
• Day shift
• Weekends as needed

Work Location: In person