Planner II/III

North Port, FL; North Port (FL); On-site; USD 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

The City of North Port, FL is seeking a Planner II to perform professional planning work under the guidance of Planner III. This role involves applying planning principles to economic and community development, zoning, and land use issues.

Ideal candidates hold a Bachelor’s degree in Urban Planning and at least four years of professional planning experience, along with a valid Florida driver’s license. Strong research, communication, and presentation skills are essential for success.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Urban Planning or related field is required.
• Minimum four years of professional planning experience.
• Knowledge of zoning and land development regulations.
• Ability to interpret building and development plans and regulations.
• Strong written and oral communication and report-writing skills.

Responsibilities

• Interpret and apply applicable state, county and local codes, ordinances and regulations.
• Conduct reviews of development applications including plats, site plans, variances and rezonings.
• Prepare and present formal and technical reports and planning studies.
• Develop long-range plans and strategies for community development.
• Coordinate with boards and committees and participate in public meetings.

Skills

Planning knowledge

Regulatory interpretation

Communication

Research

Problem solving

Public speaking

Teamwork

Time management

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Urban Planning

Tools

MS Office

GIS

Database management

Econometric/Transportation modeling

Job description

The position of Planner II requires professional planning work of moderate difficulty. It is characterized by increasingly specialized knowledge of the planning field and an elevated level of required duties and responsibilities. Employees in this position are expected to possess in-depth knowledge within one or more planning specialties such as economic development, comprehensive planning or environmental planning. Work is performed under the direction of the Planner III.

• Interprets and applies applicable state, county and local codes, ordinances and regulations.
• Initiates actions necessary to correct deficiencies or violations of regulations.
• Assists with updates and maintenance of Comprehensive Plan and land development regulations.
• Conducts review of various development applications including plats, permits, site plans, variance requests and re-zonings.
• Conducts extensive research in specific or general project areas.
• Writes and presents formal and technical reports, working papers, and correspondence.
• Identifies community problems, issues, and opportunities in particular neighborhoods that could be mitigated through better community planning.
• Develops long range plans for communities with common developmental issues.
• Develops strategies to promote economic and community development or efficient land use consistent with community goals.
• Evaluates adequacy of community facilities in meeting current and projected needs.
• Recommends priorities, schedules, and funding sources to implement public improvement plan.
• Writes, or assists in writing, a variety of ordinances and regulations relating to development controls.
• Attends substantial number of evening and weekend meetings.

(These essential job functions are not to be construed as a complete statement of all duties performed. Employees will be required to perform other related duties as assigned, including City-directed work assignments in the event of a declared emergency.)

• Knowledge of the principles and accepted practices of public planning and the implementation of zoning and land development regulations.
• Knowledge of and ability to interpret zoning regulations.
• Knowledge of methods of collection and analysis of planning data and the preparation of planning reports and studies.
• Knowledge of computer hardware and software programs, which may include Microsoft Office, Internet applications, econometric or transportation modeling, database management, or GIS.
• Excellent customer service skills, including the ability to communicate clearly and concisely, both in person and in writing.
• Oral communication and inter-personal skills to present research findings to various boards and committees.
• Creative problem-solving skills to gather relevant information to solve less well-defined practical problems.
• Group facilitation skills for use with community workshops.
• Ability to carry planning assignments to completion through the formation of creative planning solutions.
• Ability to conduct field inspections to determine facts through investigations.
• Ability to read and interpret building and development plans, specifications and legal documents.
• Ability to identify deviations from the requirements of the regulations.
• Ability to present concise, detailed oral and written administrative reports.
• 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.
• Ability to work on several projects or issues simultaneously.
• Ability to work independently or in a team environment as needed.
• Ability to attend to details while keeping big-picture goals in mind.
• Ability to plan, organize and use mature judgment in evaluating situations and making decisions in accordance with established policy.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with employees, officials and the public.

Education and Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in Urban Planning or related field.
• Four (4) years of professional work experience in planning or related field.

Licenses and Certifications:

Possession of or ability to obtain a valid Florida driver’s license by date of hire.

Emergency Response Responsibility

Every City employee has emergency response responsibilities, though not every position will require routine assignments during an emergency event. All employees are subject to recall around the clock for emergency response operations, which may require irregular work hours, work at locations other than the normal work location, and may include duties other than those specified in the employee's official job description. Assignments in support of emergency operations may be extensive in nature, with little advance notice, and may require employees to relocate to emergency sites with physically and operationally challenging conditions.

Veterans Preference Statement

The City of North Port, FL is an Affirmative Action/ADA/Veterans’ Preference and Equal Opportunity Employer. Women, Minorities, and Persons with Disabilities are Encouraged to Apply.