Zoning Technician

St. Catharines; Canada; On-site; CAD 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

The City of St. Catharines is seeking a Zoning Technician to examine drawings and site plans for construction, alterations, and change of use to ensure compliance with zoning by-laws.

Under the supervision of the Manager of Plans Examination, you will liaise with officials, developers and the public, interpret by-laws, and prepare correspondence and zoning reports.

Qualifications

• Two (2) years’ experience reading detailed construction drawings and site plans.
• Good knowledge of zoning by-laws to communicate and interpret these matters to customers.
• Ability to communicate effectively, using tact and courtesy, in dealing with public.
• Ability to work alone with a minimum of supervision.
• Good report writing skills.
• Valid Ontario Driver’s licence, Class “G”, with a clean driving record.

Responsibilities

• Examine and comment on drawings submitted for Site Plan Agreements to ensure by-law compliance.
• Examine and comment on drawings submitted to the Committee of Adjustment for regulatory compliance.
• Provide information and interpretation of zoning by-laws to the public and city staff.
• Analyze unique situations and recommend compliance methods.
• Review zoning by-law amendments for errors or omissions.
• Liaise with officials, agencies, contractors, developers, designers, and property owners.
• Prepare correspondence for compliance with zoning by-laws and related requests.
• Index and catalogue approved variances and site plan agreements.
• Certify zoning reports for new business licence applications.
• Report on alleged infractions of zoning by-laws.
• Suggest amendments to by-laws when warranted.
• Perform other similar duties as required.

Skills

Reading detailed construction drawings

Communication skills

Independent work

Report writing

Education

Community college diploma in architecture, planning, engineering or related field

Tools

AMANDA system

Microsoft Office

Job description

About the Role:

Under the supervision of the Manager of Plans Examination, the Zoning Technician examines drawings and survey plans submitted for the construction, alteration and change of use of all classification of buildings to ensure compliance with applicable laws including zoning by-laws.

What You'll be Doing:

• Examine and comment on drawings submitted for all commercial and certain industrial properties that require entering into a Site Plan Agreement with the city to ensure compliance with the zoning by-laws and municipal by-laws.
• Examine and comment on drawings submitted to the Committee of Adjustment for compliance with zoning by-laws and other applicable regulations.
• Provide information on and interpretation of zoning by-laws, by-law amendments and other applicable municipal by-laws to the public in response to telephone, counter and written inquiries as well as city staff.
• Analyze unique situations and recommend methods of compliance with zoning by-laws and other applicable municipal by-laws.
• Review and comment on draft zoning by-law amendments, as prepared by the planners in Planning Services, for errors or omissions to ensure compatibility with current zoning by-laws.
• Liaison with all officials, agencies, contractors, developers, designers (architects, surveyors, lawyers, etc.) and property owners, as required.
• Research and prepare correspondence for compliance with zoning by-laws, all requests for mortgage and property sale clearance.
• Indexing and cataloguing approved variances by Committee of Adjustment, approved severances by the Land Division Committee, and register Site Plan Agreements and Subdivision Agreements.
• Certify zoning reports for new business licence applications.
• Report upon alleged infractions of zoning by-laws and related agreements.
• Bring forward for consideration alleged infractions of zoning by-laws and conditions encountered in the performance of the job, which might warrant amendments to zoning and other applicable by-laws.
• Perform other similar and related duties, as required.

What's Required:

• Communitycollege diploma in architecture, planning, engineering or related field.
• Two (2) years’ experience reading detailed construction drawings and site plans, preferably in a municipal environment.
• Good knowledge of zoning by-laws to communicate and interpret these matters to customers.
• Ability to communicate effectively, using tact and courtesy, in dealing with public.
• Ability to work alone with a minimum of supervision.
• Good report writing skills.
• Working knowledge of Microsoft Office applications and the AMANDA system.
• Valid Ontario Driver’s licence, Class “G”, with a clean driving record.