Planning Technician

City of La Mirada; La Mirada (CA); On-site; USD 42,000 - 62,000; Part time

Job summary

City of La Mirada seeks a Planning Technician to support current and long-range planning activities. The role involves assisting customers at the public counter, researching zoning and development regulations, and preparing reports, maps, and notices.

Evening or weekend meetings may be required on occasion. Under supervision, this position provides information and handles routine planning applications, with opportunities to assist professional staff as experience grows.

Qualifications

• Graduation from high school or equivalent; college coursework in Urban Planning or related field.
• One year of experience providing front-line customer service or public counter assistance.
• Bachelor's degree in related field desirable.

Responsibilities

• Assist the public with information on zoning, land use, and development regulations.
• Respond to inquiries in person, by telephone, and by email about planning matters.
• Provide zoning and planning information at the public counter and assist with routine questions.

Skills

Customer service

Communication

Public interaction

GIS

Education

High school diploma

Urban Planning coursework

Bachelor's degree desirable

Tools

GIS

Electronic permitting systems

Word processing & spreadsheets

Job description

• THIS POSTING MAY CLOSE WITHOUT NOTICE ONCE A SUFFICIENT NUMBER OF APPLICATIONS IS RECEIVED. YOU ARE ENCOURAGED TO APPLY EARLY.*
  

Job Description

• THIS POSTING MAY CLOSE WITHOUT NOTICE ONCE A SUFFICIENT NUMBER OF APPLICATIONS IS RECEIVED. YOU ARE ENCOURAGED TO APPLY EARLY.*
  

Approx. 25 to 30 hours per week

Under general supervision, performs a variety of technical and administrative planning duties in support of current and long-range planning activities, including providing information regarding zoning, land use, and development regulations; reviewing and processing routine planning applications and permits; conducting research; preparing reports, maps, graphics, and public notices; assisting customers at the public counter and by telephone and email; assisting with community outreach activities; providing support to professional planning staff; and performing other related work as assigned. Planning Technician is a technical-level classification that provides support to the professional Planner series. This class is distinguished from the Assistant Planner in that assignments are generally routine in nature, performed within established policies and procedures, and typically do not require the independent performance of professional-level planning analysis. The Planning Technician works under the direction of professional planning staff and may perform increasingly responsible assignments as knowledge and experience are gained.

SUPERVISION

Supervision is provided by the Community Development Director or their designee.

Typical Duties Performed

The duties listed below are illustrative of the types of work performed and are not intended to be all-inclusive. The omission of a specific duty does not exclude it from the position if the work is similar, related, or a logical assignment to the classification.

• Assists the public, property owners, business owners, applicants, and other interested parties by providing information regarding zoning, land use, development standards, application procedures, and applicable local and state regulations.
• Responds to inquiries in person, by telephone, and by email regarding zoning, land use, development standards, and other development-related matters.
• Provides zoning and planning information at the public counter and assists customers with routine planning and development questions.
  

• Receives, reviews, and processes routine planning applications and other land use-related submittals in accordance with established procedures
• Reviews plans, site plans, and other development documents for compliance with applicable zoning requirements and development standards
• Assists professional planning staff with the review and processing of development applications, permits, and other planning-related matters.
  

• Conducts research and gathers, organizes, and analyzes planning-related information and data in support of Planning Division activities.
• Conducts field surveys and site inspections to document existing conditions and verify compliance with applicable planning requirements.
• Prepares technical information, reports, correspondence, maps, graphics, exhibits, and other materials for staff reports, presentations, meetings, and planning projects.
  

• Prepares and disseminates public hearing notices, property owner notices, and other required planning-related notifications in accordance with established procedures and applicable regulations.
• Assists with community outreach activities related to planning initiatives, including public meetings, workshops, community events, and other engagement activities.
• Attends public meetings, workshops, and community events, which may occasionally occur during evenings or weekends, to provide staff support, distribute information, and assist with gathering community input.
  

• Assists with maintaining Planning Division records, files, databases, applications, permits, and other planning-related documents.
• Provides administrative and technical support to professional planning staff and assists with special projects and departmental activities.
• Adheres to City and departmental policies and procedures and performs other related duties as assigned.
  

Minimum Qualifications

Knowledge of: Basic principles, practices, terminology, and procedures of municipal planning and land use regulation. General Plan, zoning, development standards, and related planning principles. Basic principles of architecture, site planning, mapping, and development plan review. Research methods and techniques for gathering, organizing, and presenting planning-related information. Applicable local and state laws, regulations, policies, and procedures related to land use and development. Basic map, site plan, and technical drawing symbols, terminology, and conventions. Principles and practices of effective customer service and public interaction. Modern office practices, recordkeeping methods, and standard business correspondence. Computer applications, including word processing, spreadsheets, presentation software, databases, electronic permitting systems, and Geographic Information Systems (GIS). General organization and functions of municipal government.

Ability to: Understand, interpret, explain, and apply zoning regulations, development standards, policies, procedures, and other planning-related requirements. Review routine planning applications, site plans, development plans, maps, drawings, and related documents for completeness and compliance with established requirements. Read and interpret maps, plans, technical drawings, property information, and other planning-related documents. Conduct research, gather, organize, and summarize data; and prepare routine reports, correspondence, notices, maps, graphics, and other planning materials. Communicate clearly and effectively, both orally and in writing. Provide courteous and effective customer service to residents, property owners, business owners, applicants, developers, contractors, and other members of the public. Use computer applications, databases, electronic permitting systems, and GIS applications in the performance of assigned duties. Maintain accurate records, files, databases, and tracking systems. Exercise sound judgment and perform assignments within established policies, procedures, and guidelines. Establish and maintain effective working relationships with City staff, applicants, consultants, contractors, public agencies, and the general public. Attend and work occasional evening and weekend meetings, workshops, and community events, as required.

Experience And Education

Graduation from high school or equivalent is required, supplemented by college-level coursework in Urban Planning, Architecture, Urban or Environmental Studies, Civil Engineering, Public Administration, or a closely related field. A bachelor's degree in one of these fields, or current enrollment and satisfactory progress toward completion of such a degree, is desirable. One year of experience providing public counter, front-line customer service, or other customer-facing support is required. Experience in a planning, building, engineering, community development, municipal government, or related environment is desirable.

License Or Certificate

Possession of a valid California Class C Drivers License is required.

Supplemental Information

Appointments are normally made at the first step of the salary range. Consideration and approval for a salary higher than the first step is done on a case-by-case basis.

Selection Process

A completed online application and supplemental questionnaire (if applicable) are required to be considered for this position. Resumes are accepted along with the application form but will not be accepted in lieu of a completed application. Applicants will be screened based on the qualifications for the job as described. Applications evaluated as best matching the needs of the City will continue in the selection process. The selection process may include any or all of the following: oral interview(s), a written or practical examination, a skills test, and an assessment center examination. The selection process may be changed as deemed necessary by the City Human Resources Office. Candidates will be required to pass a City administered pre-employment requirements to include live scan fingerprinting and a medical examination as part of the Selection Process. Candidates who do not pass any portion of the above processes will be disqualified and removed from proceeding in the selection process.

The provisions of any job flyer or job application do not constitute an expressed or implied contract. The provisions may be modified or revoked without notice.

The City of La Mirada offers a competitive compensation and benefits package based on the adopted Salary and Benefits Resolution. Appointments are normally made at the first step of a five step salary range. One year of City service is required to advance to the next pay step in the salary range. For detailed salary and benefits information, see current Summary of Salary and Benefits.