Associate Planner

Job Summary: This is professional level work directly serving the general public and government agencies including federal, State, and local jurisdictions.
The primary duty of the Associate Planner is to work in a multi-disciplinary setting and conduct all aspects of land use, zoning, and planning efforts for Kent County.

Essential Functions

Functions listed are intended only as illustrations of the various types of work performed. The omission of specific duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related or a logical assignment to the position.

• Reviews and is responsible for development applications and building permits regarding their consistency with the adopted Comprehensive Plan and Land Use Ordinance including impacts on the environment, quality of site design, architecture, compatibility with neighboring uses, planning principles, availability, and capacity of public facilities to include water, sewer, and transportation.
• Facilitates the interagency review process and ensures projects are in compliance with requirements, criteria, standards, and issues and review comments are addressed prior to approval, including advertising, mailings, postings, etc.
• Initiates actions necessary to correct deficiencies in applications and building permits as well as correct violations of regulations in coordination with the County Code Enforcement work group.
• Works with applicants and their agents to resolve issues; identifies problems, formulates solutions, and implements actions to address problems and issues identified independently in the environs.
• Conducts significant and extensive research, including policy and County and State legislation.
• Reviews and analyzes proposals for zoning text amendments, applications for Special Exception, and Variances; generates comments; and prepares staff reports for Planning Commission and the Board of Appeals; and other Boards as assigned.
• Acquires and maintains a thorough familiarity of State and Federal wetlands protection programs and the administration of the programs; assists in the administration and enforcement of the County's natural resource protection standards; refers matters to State agencies as appropriate.
• Monitors and provides grants assistance for the County’s Watershed Implementation Plan (WIP).
• Participates in project review under the National Flood Insurance Program; participates on local committees who coordinate outcomes with state and federal requirements, including Watershed Implementation Plan and Total Maximum Daily Load drafting and reporting requirements.
• Serves as County’s representative to the Maryland Heritage Areas Authority (MHAA), the Eastern Shore’s Stories of the Chesapeake Heritage Area program, Eastern Shore Climate Adaptation Partnership (ESCAP), and the Chesapeake Country National Scenic Byway.
• Prepares and issues RFP’s; manages the consultant, the project and the budget; also staffs citizen committees; schedules and conducts meetings with developers and the general public.
• Serves on various task forces and committees. Serves as the County's liaison and representative.
• Negotiates effectively with developers, property owners and other participants in the development review process on project specific issues.
• Consults with County attorneys regarding land use legal issues and applies information obtained.
• Serves as a Planning Director's designee as Hearing Examiner for Special Exceptions or Variances.
• Assists in the drafting of Land Use Ordinance and Comprehensive Plan updates.
• Performs other duties as required.

Supervision: The position reports to the Deputy Director of Planning. Position does not supervise staff.

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

The employee is expected to perform or possess the following:

• Problem Solving: Anticipates problems; sees how a problem and its solution will affect other areas; gathers information before making decisions; weighs alternatives against objectives and arrives at reasonable decisions.
• Attention to Detail: Is alert; follows detailed procedures and ensures accuracy; carefully monitors plans or processes; concentrates on routine work details. Recognizes and accurately evaluates the signs of a problem; and handles the problem accordingly.
• Analytical Skill: Ability to diagnose complex problems and break them down into the lowest common denominators to solve.
• Customer Service: Ability to assist and support constituents in a timely and pleasing manner.
• Flexibility: Adapts well to changing priorities, deadlines, and directions; works to eliminate all processes which do not add value; is willing to take action, even under pressure, criticism or tight deadlines; takes informed risks.
• Technical Skill: Ability to understand legal aspects of land use planning and zoning. Familiar with general agricultural related land use issues, soil conservation practices, storm water management, public water and sewer, on-site well and septic systems. Ability conduct research, read and interpret ordinances and structures. Working knowledge of wetland regulations, the State Forest Conservation Act, historic preservation and architecture, the Secretary of Interior's Standards for Historic Rehabilitation, various tax credit programs, landscape architecture, as well as land preservation and conservation programs. Ability to draft legislation such as land use regulations for adoption as part of the County Code.
• Responsiveness: Responds to requests for service in a timely and thorough manner; does what is necessary to ensure customer satisfaction; prioritizes customer needs.
• Project Management: Ability to handle a variety of projects with conflicting deadlines and needs.
• Communication and Persuasion: Ability to communicate with non-technical and technical end users, to gain cooperation and understanding of technical ideas and systems and project scopes. Ability to produce well written and well thought our documents for constituents use.
• Computer Related Skills: Ability to work with MS Office and database packages.

Education and Experience:

• Master's Degree in planning, urban planning, landscape architecture, public administration, or a related field is required.
• Two years of experience in local planning and zoning, or three years related experience.
• Or equivalent technical training, education, or experience.
• Valid Maryland Driver’s License and an acceptable motor vehicle record.
• AICP (American Institute of Certified Planners) preferred.

Physical and Environmental Conditions:

Work is conducted in an office setting with comfortable lighting, temperature, and air conditions. The position occasionally requires stooping or bending. Occasional very light lifting, such as three or four reams of paper, books, or other materials (up to 20 pounds) may be required.

Work environment involves everyday risks or discomforts which require normal safety precautions typical of such places as offices or meeting rooms, e.g. use of safe work place practices with office equipment, and/or avoidance of trips and falls and observance of fire regulations. Occasional outdoor weather conditions may include exposure to varied weather conditions. There may be some exposure to hazards on building sites that occasionally expose the employee to high, precarious places and risk of electrical shock. Precautions similar to those taken on a construction site should be observed in these instances.