Planner III

County of Santa Barbar; California (MO); On-site; USD 109,000 - 131,000; Full time

Job summary

County of Santa Barbara is seeking Planner III professionals for two full-time vacancies—one in the Community Services Department, Parks Division in Santa Barbara, and another in the Planning & Development Department, Development Review Division in Santa Barbara. The agency also will establish a list for future vacancies in Santa Barbara or Santa Maria, including cannabis and long‑range planning projects.

The ideal candidate will have advanced planning expertise, CEQA experience, and strong

Qualifications

• Knowledge and experience of land use planning and permitting, CEQA, and California coastal regulatory requirements.
• Working knowledge of construction practices and processes.
• Ability to read and interpret drawings, site plans and engineering/architectural plans.
• Experience conducting and coordinating field inspections for conformance to plans and standards.
• Knowledge of contract administration and bid proposals; budgeting and grant writing.
• Ability to research grant sources and prepare grant applications; administer grants.
• Proven ability to build relationships with stakeholders with divergent interests.
• Experience in multi‑jurisdictional planning with other County departments and agencies.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills; strong presentation abilities.
• Experience implementing projects under California State Housing Laws.
• Ability to analyze complex projects and propose data‑driven solutions.
• Advanced degree in urban/regional planning or related field with accredited program.

Responsibilities

• Under direction, performs complex and specialized planning work and presents studies to the Board of Supervisors and Planning Commission.
• Develops and reviews general plan policies and planning documents.
• Coordinate with Parks, Development Review, and Long‑Range Planning divisions on park projects, cannabis, and energy initiatives.
• Prepare environmental documents under CEQA and coordinate with consultants on environmental reports.
• Present findings to diverse stakeholders and manage public workshops.
• Assist in grant writing and administration for park and development projects.

Skills

Land use planning

CEQA

Reading drawings/plans

Field inspections

Contract administration

Bid proposals

Budget & grants

Grant writing

Stakeholder relations

Multi-jurisdictional planning

Written & oral communication

Data analysis for reports

Housing laws experience

Advanced degree in planning

Education

Advanced degree in urban planning or related field

Job description

SALARY:

$109,037 - $131,412

Annually

The County of Santa Barabar is currently accepting applications to fill two full-time Planner III vacancies. One vacancy is in the Community Services Department, Parks Divisions located in Santa Barbara and the other vacancy is in the Planning & Development Department, Development Review Division located in Santa Barbara.

We are also establishing one employment list for future full-time, part-time and extra-help (temporary) vacancies in Santa Barbara or Santa Maria. Please select the departments and locations you are interested and willing to accept employment for current and future vacancies.

POSITION:

Under direction, performs complex and specialized planning work; conducts and presents studies and recommendations to the Board of Supervisors, Planning Commission and other groups; and performs related duties as required.

DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS:

Incumbents in this class work at an advanced journey level on complex and specialized assignments such as large physical projects with significant environmental impacts and mitigation measures, and development of new or complex general plan policies. They work independently with minimum supervision; some incumbents train and assign work to entry-level planning and support staff.

The Community Services Department:

The Parks Planner position with the Community Services Department performs park and trail planning, reviews proposed developments for consistency with County policy and Parks programs, calculates fees, administers contracts, coordinates project development teams, conducts site visits and coordinates inspections on park improvements and trails, coordinates and monitor performance of outside consultants and contractors, prepares environmental statements and other planning documents for park projects, make presentations to the Park Commissions, Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors, coordinates with other County departments, outside agencies, and various groups related to park projects, conducts public workshops with neighborhood communities and organizations in development of parks and trails projects, researches opportunities for funding of projects, writes grant proposals, and assists in administration of grant program. Perform other related duties as necessary. The position for the Community Services department will located in the Santa Barbara office.

For more information, visit us at: www.sbparks.org.

The Planning and Development Department:

The Planning and Development Department has a wide variety of planning projects and programs. For more information on the Planning and Development Department, visit: http://sbcountyplanning.org/. The Department has five divisions. The current Planner III vacancy is in the Development Review Division: This division is responsible for reviewing and processing applications for development projects. These projects include subdivisions and a variety of residential, commercial, and agricultural development projects. The Division is responsible for preparing environmental documents in accordance with the CEQA Guidelines and coordinating with consultants on more complex environmental documents. More information on the Development Review Division may be found at: https://www.countyofsb.org/791/Development-Review

The Planning and Development Department is also establishing a Planner III list for future vacancies which may occur in the:

CANNABIS PROGRAM: This unit within the Development Review Division offers an opportunity to work in the new cannabis industry in California. Santa Barbara County has a long history of agriculture and is now positioned to be a leader in the cultivation of cannabis in the State. Program planners work with industry representatives, the public, and state and local agencies in permitting, mitigation monitoring, and enforcement of cannabis activities in the county. For more information visit http://cannabis.countyofsb.org/

LONG RANGE PLANNING DIVISION: This division prepares updates to the County Comprehensive Plan’s mandatory general plan elements, Local Coastal Program, and community plans, and to the implementing zoning ordinances. This division drafts new land use/environmental policies and other related legislation and presents them to the Board of Supervisors for adoption. For more information visit: https://www.countyofsb.org/499/Long-Range-Planning

ENERGY, MINERALS, AND COMPLIANCE DIVISION: The Energy, Minerals and Compliance Division oversees oil and gas activities offshore Santa Barbara County, the onshore facilities that support those offshore operations, onshore oil and gas development, surface mining, and renewable energy projects. Our oversight includes planning, policy development, permit processing, environmental review, permit compliance, and public outreach. The Compliance Unit also oversees mitigation monitoring and permit compliance for residential, agricultural, commercial and industrial projects throughout the County. More information on the Energy, Minerals, and Compliance Division can be found at: https://www.countyofsb.org/864/Energy-Minerals-Compliance

The Ideal Candidate for these positions will possess:

• Knowledge and experience of land use planning and permitting, ideally with experience with the following:
  • Santa Barbara County regulations
  • CEQA
  • California coastal regulatory requirements
• Working knowledge of construction practices and processes.
• Ability to read and interpret one or more of the following:
  • Architectural drawings, designs, diagrams
  • Site plans
  • Engineering plans
  • Mechanical drawings
  • Grading plans
• Experience conducting and coordinating field inspections for conformance to plans, specifications and departmental and County standards and conditions.
• Knowledge of the principles and practices of contract administration.
• Ability to prepare bid proposals, draft requests for proposal, requests of quotes for architectural and engineering services and review and make recommendations on bids and quotes.
• Knowledge of project budget preparation and control principles, proposal development and grant writing.
• Demonstrated ability to research grant sources and assist in the preparation of grant applications and assists in the administration of grant programs.
• Successful track record of establishing effective working relationships with a wide variety of stakeholders with divergent interests.
• Experience working in a multi-jurisdictional land use regulatory environment including other County Departments and local, State and Federal agencies.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Demonstrated ability to analyze complex projects.
• Experience implementing projects using California State Housing Laws.
• Ability to conduct research, surveys and/or analysis of legislation, grants, contracts, work programs, and/or organizational and staffing patterns, and determine fiscal and administrative impact.
• Ability to formulate appropriate solutions based on data analysis and departmental input, prepare, and present comprehensive reports and documents to support functional efficiencies and improvements to operational performance.
• Advanced degree from an accredited university or college with major coursework in urban planning, regional planning, environmental studies, or life, physical, or social sciences or a closely related field.

Additional Qualifications:

Possession of a valid California Class C Driver's License may be required at time of appointment.

Extensive Knowledge of:

principles and practices of urban and regional planning and environmental review; zoning administration, comprehensive planning, and/or development review; state and federal laws, policies, and regulations related to planning and environmental issues including CEQA.

Ability to:

plan, organize, and carry out work independently; set priorities to meet deadlines; read and understand regulations and policies; compile and analyze relevant information, draw valid conclusions, and develop recommendations to resolve issues; explain policies and regulations to others; write staff reports, policies, ordinances, and correspondence using correct grammar, spelling, and punctuation; prepare and give public presentations before decision-making bodies; record, create, and maintain records information for future access; establish and maintain effective working relationships with coworkers and the public; use personal computers and software to prepare reports, create presentations, and manage projects; read and understand site plans, architectural drawings, and topographic maps.

Desirable Qualifications:

Knowledge of:

redevelopment; basic techniques of supervision; contract administration to monitor completion of work specified, examine expenditures, and approve payments; database software, and statistical analysis.

Ability to:

plan, assign, and evaluate work of staff; plan and present training for staff; conduct and facilitate group meetings to obtain input on policy development.

APPLICATION & SELECTION PROCESS:

1. Review applications and supplemental questionnaire to determine those candidates who meet the employment standards.
2. Supplemental Questionnaire Ranking. Applicants who meet the employment standards will be evaluated and scored. Candidates' final score and rank on the eligibility list will be determined by the information provided on their supplemental questionnaire. This process may be eliminated if there are fewer than 11 qualified candidates.

Applicants must receive a percentage score of at least 70 on the Supplemental Questionnaire Ranking to be placed on an employment list. An adjustment may be made to raw scores based on factors listed in Civil Service Rule VI. Those candidates who are successful in the selection process will have their names placed on the employment list for a minimum of three months. At the time the employment list is established, all candidates will receive written notice of their score on the exam(s), rank on the employment list, and exact duration of the employment list.

REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS:

The County of Santa Barbara is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to applicants. Qualified individuals with disabilities who need a reasonable accommodation during the application or selection process should contact the recruiter listed on the job posting. We require verification of needed accommodation from a professional source, such as a Medical Provider or a learning institution.

Conditional Job Offer

Once a conditional offer of employment has been made, candidate will be required to successfully complete a background check, which includes a conviction history check, and satisfactory reference checks. Appointee will be subject to a post-offer medical evaluation or examination. The appointee must satisfactorily complete a one-year probationary period.

Recruiters will communicate with applicants by e-mail during each step in the recruitment process. Applicants are reminded to check spam filters continuously during the Recruitment & Selection Process steps listed above to ensure they do not miss required deadlines.

BENEFITS:

The County of Santa Barbara offers generous benefits. For benefits information click here.

In addition, applicants from other public sector employers may qualify for:

• Retirement reciprocity
• Time and service credit towards an advanced vacation accrual rate

Disaster Service Worker:

Pursuant to Governmental Code section 3100, all employees with the County of Santa Barbara are declared to be disaster service workers subject to such disaster service. Activities as may be assigned to them by their superiors or by law.

Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Statement

The County of Santa Barbara provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants and prohibits discrimination, harassment, and retaliation of any type with regard to any characteristic or status protected by any federal law, state law, or Santa Barbara County ordinance. The County continues to be committed to a merit-based selection process and to eliminating barriers to attracting and retaining top qualified candidates. The County has a long-standing practice of providing a work environment that respects the dignity of individual employees and values their contributions to our organization.

APPLICATION DEADLINE AND SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONNAIRE DEADLINE:

Friday, September 25, 2026 at 4:59 PM PST. Postmarks will not be accepted. Applications and job bulletins can be obtained 24 hours a day at www.sbcountyjobs.com.

Collin Graham, [e-mail]