ASSOCIATE PLANNER

City of Huntington Beach; Huntington Beach (CA); On-site; USD 75,000 - 98,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Twelve paid holidays

General leave with pay

Administrative leave with pay

Educational incentive plans

CalPERS retirement

Job summary

City of Huntington Beach seeks an Associate Planner in the Community Development Department to perform full planning duties, including research, reports, environmental studies, and coordination with multiple departments.

The role requires a bachelor’s degree in planning (master’s preferred), four years of experience, and a California Class C license; duties include intensive public interaction and presentations at meetings.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in planning or related field is required; master’s preferred.
• Four years of urban planning experience; lead role preferred.
• California Class C driver's license required at appointment and throughout employment.

Responsibilities

• Participates in a variety of planning projects.
• Researches and investigates designated aspects of the general plan and makes recommendations.
• Writes special project reports or assigned portions of the general plan.
• Prepares environmental impact studies related to public projects.
• Assists the public over the phone or at the counter.
• Coordinates review of projects with other departments and agencies.
• Interprets Huntington Beach Zoning and Subdivision Ordinance and related laws.

Skills

Research and analysis

Public speaking / presentations

Customer service

Education

Bachelor's degree in planning or related field

Master's degree in planning or related field preferred

Job description

NEXT REVIEW OF APPLICATIONS IS SCHEDULED TO OCCUR FOR APPLICATIONS RECEIVED BEFORE 5:00 P.M. ON OCTOBER 8, 2026.

Applications will be accepted on a continuous basis.

In Huntington Beach, we believe passionately that the key to becoming the best beach City in the world starts and ends with finding the right people to join our team. We currently have two outstanding career opportunities available and are looking for the right individuals to serve as Associate Planners in our Community Development Department.

Community Development Department

The Community Development Department is comprised of two primary areas: Development Services and Community Enhancement. Development Services is comprised of the following divisions: Planning, Building, and the Permit Center. Community Enhancement is comprised of the Housing, Code Enforcement and Economic Development divisions. The Planning Division is responsible for Advance (or Long Range) and Current Planning activities. Advance Planning involves updating the City’s General Plan, Local Coastal Program and Specific Plans. These documents contain goals and policies to manage long-term growth of the City and Coastal Zone. Current Planning is responsible for coordinating the review of development proposals to ensure compliance with the City’s General Plan and Zoning and Subdivision Ordinance as well as Federal and State regulations. This effort includes processing applications for entitlements (permits, subdivisions, variances, etc.), environmental review, and plan check services. Planning staff work directly with residents, businesses and developers. The Planning Division is responsible for staffing the Planning Commission, Zoning Administrator and Design Review Board.

The Position

The Associate Planner is the fully trained journey-level classification in the Planning Series. Incumbents are expected to perform the full range of planning work in accordance with established priorities and procedures and possess knowledge of the generally accepted principles, theories, and best practices required to perform the work.

Examples of Essential Duties

• Participates in a variety of planning projects
• Researches and investigates designated aspects of the general plan, special projects or code amendments and makes recommendations based on findings
• Writes special project reports or assigned portions of the general plan
• Prepares environmental impact studies related to public projects including the research and analysis of pertinent information
• Assists the public over the phone or at the counter
• Responds to incoming correspondence and assists individuals in completing various applications
• Performs routine plan checks at the counter as they relate to zoning and subdivision requirements
• Performs plan checks, including occasional field checks, in order to ensure that plans meet zoning and ordinance requirements before submission to the City Council, Planning Commission, Zoning Administrator, and/or other boards or appropriate committees
• Coordinates site, parking, and landscape plans as may be required and follows up on conditions of approval; checks preliminary subdivision maps
• Processes planning entitlement applications to the Zoning Administrator, Planning Commission, or City Council such as but not limited to Conditional Use Permits, variances and zoning text amendments
• Researches and prepares planning related reports, documents and agenda for City officials and other agencies and organizations
• Reviews major and minor planned development amendments, rezoning requests, land use plan amendments, entitlements and other proposals
• Conveys all aspects of processing entitlements for development, including environmental status
• Participates in community meetings; prepares and delivers presentations at public meetings
• Provides technical assistance to project participants
• Coordinates review of projects with other departments and agencies
• Interprets and applies the provisions of the Huntington Beach Zoning and Subdivision Ordinance, state planning and zoning laws, California Environmental Quality Act, Subdivision Map Act, local coastal program, Huntington Beach General Plan, Design Guidelines and various specific plans, ordinances and policies

Minimum Qualifications

Any combination of education, training, and experience that would likely provide the knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform in the position is qualifying. A typical combination includes:

Education: A bachelor’s degree in planning, urban planning, landscape architecture or other closely related field from an accredited college or university. A master’s degree in planning, urban planning, landscape architecture or other closely related field preferred.

Experience: Four (4) years of progressively responsible urban planning or directly related experience performing professional planning work; preferably including one (1) year in a lead role.

Licenses/Certifications: Possession of a valid California Class C driver's license and an acceptable driving record are required at the time of appointment and throughout employment.

Special Conditions

Employees regularly assigned/required to drive a city or personal vehicle in the course and scope of work shall be required to participate in the DMV Employer Pull Notice program.

Public Employee Disaster Service Worker: In accordance with Government Code Section 3100, all Huntington Beach city employees are required to perform assigned disaster service worker duties in the event of an emergency or a disaster.

Application and Selection Procedure

• An online application must be completed in full.
• Applicants must clearly demonstrate that they meet the minimum education, experience, license and/or certification requirements to be considered.
• Applicants whose qualifications best meet the City’s needs will be invited to participate in a virtual oral examination (weighted 100%), which will be scheduled once a sufficiently strong candidate pool has been established.
• Selection Interview.
• Background.
• Appointment.

The SALARY RANGE is composed of seven steps. Merit step increases are based on satisfactory performance.

PROMOTIONS within the City are based upon the merit system principles emphasizing individual ability and utilizing competitive examinations.

The City of Huntington Beach offers a comprehensive benefit package to Management Employees' Organization members including:

• TWELVE PAID HOLIDAYS provided per year.
• GENERAL LEAVE with pay of 176 hours is granted to regular employees. After four years' service additional general leave hours are earned, up to 256 hours after fifteen years' service.
• ADMINISTRATIVE LEAVE with pay is granted in the amount of 60 hours per calendar year.
• EDUCATIONAL INCENTIVE PLANS are available for eligible employees to develop their knowledge and abilities.
• GROUP INSURANCE PROGRAMS are available to eligible City employees. These programs include medical, dental, vision, long-term disability, life and accidental death and dismemberment insurances.
• FLEXIBLE SPENDING ACCOUNTS are available where employees use pre-tax salary to pay for regular child care, adult dependent care and/or medical expenses.
• RETIREMENT BENEFITS are provided by the California Public Employee's Retirement System. Every regular employee becomes a member immediately upon employment. Effective January 1, 2013, the Public Employees' Pension Reform Act will apply to new members of CalPERS. A new member is defined as a new hire who is brought into CalPERS membership for the first time on or after 1/1/13 and has no prior membership in a California public retirement system; is not eligible for reciprocity with another California public retirement system; or is rehired by a different CalPERS employer after a break in service of greater than six (6) months. All employees hired on or after January 1, 2013 will be subject to CalPERS membership review for applicability of PEPRA. Employees enrolled in CalPERS prior to January 1, 2013 are considered classic members.
• Benefit Formula Miscellaneous 2.5% at age 55.
• Final Compensation Period 1-year Final Compensation.
• Member Contribution Rate 9.0% of Reportable Compensation.
• Benefit Formula Miscellaneous 2% at age 62.
• Final Compensation Period 3-year Final Compensation.
• Member Contribution Rate 8.25% of Reportable Compensation (eff. 7/1/23).
• DEFERRED COMPENSATION: Two voluntary deferred compensation 457 plans are available.
• CREDIT UNION membership is available to all City employees and provides access to low interest loans.
• FLEXIBLE WORK SCHEDULES: Employees will have the option of working a 5/40 or 9/80 work schedule with Supervisor and Department Head approval. Employees assigned to the Police Department shall retain the option of working the 4/10 work schedule with Supervisor and Department Head approval. In order to maintain service to the public, departmental effectiveness, productivity and/or efficiency, a Department Head may assign an employee a different work schedule that is in compliance with the requirements of FLSA with City Manager approval.

NOTE: The provisions of this bulletin do not constitute a contract expressed or implied, and any provisions contained herein may be modified or revoked without notice.

For a more detailed overview of the benefits, review the Memorandum of Understanding and Side Letters at: MEMORANDA OF UNDERSTANDINGS.