Development Services - Planner I, II, or III Level

Park County Government; Fairplay (CO); On-site; USD 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

Park County Government in Fairplay, Colorado is seeking Planner I–III to perform land use planning, zoning administration, and long‑range planning tasks. You will support development reviews, provide public guidance, and present to boards.

The role involves coordinating with staff, attending community meetings, and may entail leading planning initiatives in a collaborative county setting. Positions require a degree in planning or related field; higher levels demand more experience and possibly

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or 1 year planning experience for Planner I.
• Bachelor’s degree or 2 years planning experience for Planner II.
• Bachelor’s degree or 4 years planning experience for Planner III; Master’s preferred; AICP preferred and must be obtained in 3–5 years.

Responsibilities

• Assist with new development reviews and permit applications
• Provide information to the public regarding development regulations
• Answer questions at counter/phone/email and resolve issues
• Review/approve administrative plats and sign/event permits
• Attend community meetings and present land use cases
• Coordinate with boards and prepare presentations

Skills

Land use planning

Public/stakeholder engagement

Oral communication

Research and data collection

Zoning regulations

Site analysis

Education

Bachelor’s degree in planning/public policy or related field

Master’s in Planning and Development preferred

AICP certification preferred/required within 3–5 years

Tools

GIS applications

Microsoft Office

Internet applications

Transportation modeling or econometrics

Job description

Development Services - Planner I, II, or III Level

General Purpose:

Under the general administrative supervision of the Development Services Director or designee, Planners I, II and III provide land use planning functions through the administration of the Planning Division for the county, agencies and the public in the preparation and presentation of land use development and zoning requests, special projects and long-range planning to ensure development occurs in a sustainable and manageable fashion throughout Park County.

Planner I

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Assists with new development reviews as permit applications come into the Building and Environmental Health Departments
• Provides information to the public regarding development and land use regulations
• Answers citizen and customer questions at the counter, on the phone, and/or via email, and assists in resolving issues
• Reviews and approves administrative plat amendments
• Reviews and approves applications for sign and event permits
• Reviews or assists in review of moderately difficult development proposals and site plans for conformance with codes, plans and regulations
• Reviews applications for, prepares presentations, and presents easy land use cases to the Board of Adjustments, Planning Commission and Board of County Commissioners
• Oversees the work of interns

Planner II:

Same duties as above plus:

• Initiates actions necessary to correct deficiencies or violations of regulations
• Assists with updates and maintenance of Strategic Master Plan and Land Use Regulations
• Conducts extensive research in specific or general project areas
• Writes and presents formal and technical reports, working papers, and correspondence
• Writes or assists in writing a variety of ordinances and regulations relating to development controls
• Attends community meetings when requested by Development Services Director or Planning Director

Planner III:

same but more advanced level work as Planner III plus:

• Performs advanced professional work related to a variety of planning assignments
• Manages complex planning studies and development applications and reviews consultant proposals
• Reviews and processes complex development applications, land use cases, annexations, site plans, plats and Major Subdivisions
• Provides professional planning assistance to member communities on varied land use projects
• Works in regional program areas relating to natural/water resources planning, community development, hazard mitigation, and others
• Coordinates updates and maintenance of Strategic Master Plan and Land Use Regulations
• Performs field inspections to gather data relevant to the development review process and/or to verify that development projects comply with approved plans
• Schedules and conducts meetings with advisory boards and the Board of County Commissioners
• Presents reports and other findings to staff, planning and zoning boards and commissions, and elected officials and serves as liaison between these groups
• Provides information to the public regarding development and land use regulations
• May be assigned to act in a lead, supervisory role for Planning Department

Knowledge, Skills And Abilities

• Knowledge of planning principles and practices for Planner I; well-developed knowledge for Planner II, and advanced knowledge for Planner III
• Knowledge of relevant planning specializations, such as land-use/zoning, environmental planning, urban design, housing, historic preservation or economic development is desired planning for Planner I and in-depth knowledge is desired for Planner II and III
• Knowledge of legal descriptions, title processes, and parcel legality for Planner I-III
• Knowledge of principles, methodology, practices of research and data collection for Planner I-III
• Knowledge of effective writing techniques for Planner I-III
• Knowledge of computer hardware and software programs, which may include Microsoft Office, Internet applications, econometric or transportation modeling, database management, or GIS applications for Planner I-III
• Oral communication and interpersonal skills to present research findings to various boards and committees for Planner II and III
• Creative problem-solving skills to gather relevant information to solve less-defined practical problems for Planner II and III
• Ability to review plans and apply provisions of the ordinances and codes to determine compliance with such regulations and to apply regulations to field conditions for Planner I-III
• Group facilitation skills for use with community workshops for Planner III
• Ability to work on several projects or issues simultaneously for Planner I-III
• Ability to work independently or in a team environment as needed for Planner I-III
• Ability to attend to details while keeping big-picture goals in mind for Planner I-III

Physical Requirements and Work Environment:

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. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear. The employee is frequently required to walk and sit, to use hands and fingers, and to reach with hands and arms. The employee is occasionally required to stand. Occasionally the employee might be required to lift and/or move up to 20 lbs. Specific vision abilities required for this job include close vision, color vision, depth perception and the ability to adjust focus Occasionally the employee will be required to drive a County vehicle.

Responsibility for Property, Materials, Money, and Confidential Information:

This position requires careful handling of sensitive information. Equipment used includes: Company computer and software, copy machine, printer, county vehicle, maps, telephone, and calculator.

Integrity & Honesty:

Contributes to maintaining the integrity of the organization and displays high standards of ethical conduct; understands the impact of violating these standards on an organization, self and others; is trustworthy.

Nature of Contact with Others:

Frequent contact with internal staff, residents, and external agencies to provide and obtain information.

Job Location

Park County Development Services,856 Castello Ave., Fairplay, Colorado

Qualifications

Planner I:

• The minimum requirements are a bachelor’s degree in a planning, public policy or related field, or one (1) year of experience in the planning profession; work as a planning technician or intern will be considered
• Combination of education and experience will be considered

Planner II:

• The minimum requirements are a bachelor’s degree in a planning, public policy or related field, or two (2) years of experience in the planning profession
• Combinations of education and experience will be considered

Planner III:

• The minimum requirements are a bachelor’s degree in a planning-related field, or four (4) years of experience in the planning profession
• Masters in Planning and Development is preferred
• An AICP certification is preferred
• An AICP certification is required to be obtained in 3 to 5 years
• Comparable combinations of education and experience will be considered

Miscellaneous Information

All offers of employment are conditional upon successful completion of a background check.

Park County is an EEO employer.