Senior Planner - Community Development

City of Westminster; Westminster (CO); On-site; USD 85,000 - 115,000; Full time

Job summary

The City of Westminster is seeking a Senior Planner to supervise our Advanced Planning efforts and support the Planning Division. The role requires knowledge of zoning code, General Plan amendments, and updates such as the 7th Cycle Housing Element; you will help ensure compliance with state and federal regulations and oversee General Plan updates like Environmental Justice and Safety.

The position offers flexible scheduling options (4/10, 9/80 or traditional) and opportunities to lead projects,

Qualifications

• Extensive professional planning background.
• Experience supervising advanced/current planning activities.
• Knowledge of CEQA and environmental planning processes.

Responsibilities

• Plans, organizes, assigns, supervises, and reviews the work of lower-level staff engaged in planning duties.
• Participates in development and implementation of goals, policies, and priorities for the function.
• Oversees complex planning projects and coordinates with other departments and public agencies.

Skills

Supervisory experience

Zoning knowledge

General Plan amendments

Environmental Justice

Job description

The City of Westminster is looking for a Senior Planner to supervise our Advanced Planning efforts!

Our Planning team is looking for a Senior Planner who is ready to help the City grow and is knowledgeable about zoning code and General Plan amendments, ready to help Westminster prepare its 7th Cycle Housing Element, and who can help ensure that the City remains in compliance with state and federal regulations. Westminster will also be looking for someone to manage the update of several General Plan updates, including the Environmental Justice and Safety elements.

Westminster’s Planning Department offers flexible scheduling through either a 4/10, 9/80 or traditional schedule.

This position includes a salary increase of 5% on January 9, 2027, and a salary increase of 5% on July 10, 2027.

SUPERVISION RECEIVED AND EXERCISED

Receives general supervision from the Principal Planner. Exercises technical and functional supervision and training to lower-level staff.

CLASS CHARACTERISTICS

This is the highest level in the professional planning series responsible for supervising the functions of the advance planning, current planning, and/or special projects within the Planning Division. Responsibilities include performing diverse, specialized, and complex work involving significant accountability and decision-making responsibility. The incumbent organizes and oversees day-to-day current or advance planning activities and is responsible for providing professional-level support to the Principal Planner and Community Development Director in a variety of areas. Successful performance of the work requires an extensive professional background as well as skill in coordinating departmental work with that of other City departments and public agencies. Responsibilities include performing and directing many of the department’s day-to-day administrative functions. This class is distinguished from Principal Planner in that the latter has overall management responsibility of larger and more complex functions of the Community Development Department.

Management reserves the right to add, modify, change, or rescind the work assignments of different positions and to make reasonable accommodations so that qualified employees can perform the essential functions of the job.

EXAMPLES OF TYPICAL JOB FUNCTIONS (Illustrative Only)

• Plans, organizes, assigns, supervises, and reviews the work of lower-level staff engaged in planning duties; trains staff in work procedures; provides policy guidance and interpretation to staff; evaluates employee performance and works with employees to correct deficiencies.
• Participates in the development and implementation of goals, objectives, policies, and priorities for the assigned function; recommends within departmental policy, appropriate service and staffing levels; recommends and administers policies and procedures.
• Develops and standardizes procedures and methods to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of assigned services, projects, and activities; assesses and monitors workload; identifies opportunities for improvement and recommends to the Director.
• Participates in the development and administration of and oversees assigned budgets.
• Participates in selection, trains, motivates, and evaluates assigned personnel; provides or coordinates staff training; works with employees on performance issues; reviews staff reports and other work products prepared by professional planning staff; assigns work and provides guidance and direction to staff regarding work plans and methods.
• Provides highly complex staff assistance to the Director and Principal Planner; develops and reviews staff reports related to assigned activities, projects, and services; under direction, presents reports to and advises the City Council, Planning Commission, Design Review Committee (DRC), Zoning Administrator, and other commissions, committees, and boards related to a wide variety of planning and zoning matters; participates in regional planning committee meetings and responds to issues via written correspondence or demographic data review; performs a variety of public relations and outreach related to assigned activities; leads public discussion forums and workshops; writes articles for the City’s quarterly newsletter.
• Manages, directs, and participates in highly complex planning projects and activities in the areas of General Plan and project specific plan updates and amendments, the preparation of ordinances, and other projects as assigned; designs and conducts studies to develop policies, plans, and codes; conducts field inspections of assigned planning and development projects to ensure compliance with Federal, State, and local laws, rules, and regulations, including the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), Subdivision Map Act, Public Resource Code, General Plan, Specific Plans, Design Specifications, and Local Guidelines and procedures.
• Provides input to the Principal Planner and current planning staff regarding the General Plan or other long-range planning policy documents that warrant consideration in the review of development applications.
• Serves as source of information for developers, engineers, property owners, and contractors regarding land use applications and general municipal planning programs, projects, and functions; represents the department and City to outside agencies, public and private groups, and the general public; facilitates community participation through a continual dialogue with residents on major projects.
• Negotiates, administers, and manages contracts for services; reviews documents, reports, and other work products prepared by consultants and provides feedback and corrections; reviews and oversees consultant invoices and progress payments.
• Oversees and administers various grants related to the area of assignment; prepares grant applications; prepares and submits invoices for grant reimbursement.
• Conducts a variety of organizational studies, investigations, and operational studies; recommends modifications to programs, policies, and procedures, as appropriate.
• Attends and participates in professional group meetings; stays abreast of new trends and innovations in planning; researches emerging products and enhancements and their applicability to City needs.
• Monitors changes in regulations and technology that may affect operations; implements policy and procedural changes after approval.
• Receives, investigates, and responds to problems and complaints in a professional manner; identifies and reports findings and takes necessary corrective action.
• Assists the Principal Planner and Community Development Director with special projects, as needed.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Knowledge of:

• Principles and practices of employee supervision, including work planning, assignment, review and evaluation, and the training of staff in work procedures.
• Basic principles and practices of budget development and administration.
• Principles and practices of employee supervision, including work planning, assignment, review and evaluation, and the training of staff in work procedures.
• Applicable Federal, State, and local laws, rules, regulations, ordinances, and organizational policies and procedures relevant to assigned area of responsibility.
• Modern principles and practices, technical, and legal issues of urban and regional planning, zoning, urban economics, demographics, and environmental planning and program management.
• Geographic, socio-economic, transportation, political, environmental, and other elements related to city planning.
• Comprehensive plans and current planning processes and the development process.
• General concepts of architecture, landscaping, grading, drainage, and traffic and transportation engineering as they relate to the process of urban planning.
• Operational characteristics, services, and activities of a comprehensive environmental planning program.
• Project management and contract administration principles and techniques.
• Recent developments, current literature, and sources of information related to planning, zoning, and environmental review.
• Practices of researching planning and land use issues, evaluating alternatives, making sound recommendations, and preparing and presenting effective staff reports.
• Principles of basic mathematics and geometry and their application to planning work.
• Methods and techniques of effective technical report preparation and presentation.
• Techniques for effectively representing the City in contacts with governmental agencies, community groups, various business, professional, educational and regulatory organizations, and with property owners, developers, contractors, and the public.
• Recent developments, current literature, and sources of information related to municipal planning and administration.
• Applicable Federal, State, and local laws, rules, regulations, ordinances, and organizational policies and proceduresrelevant to assigned area of responsibility.
• State, City, and local laws underlying general plans, zoning, and land divisions.
• Geographic Information Systems and related software.
• Business letter writing and the standard format for reports and correspondence.
• Record keeping principles and procedures.
• Modern office practices, methods, and computer equipment and applications related to the work.
• English usage, grammar, spelling, vocabulary, and punctuation.
• Techniques for effectively representing the City in contacts with governmental agencies, community groups, and various business, professional, educational, regulatory, and legislative organizations.
• Techniques for providing a high level of customer service by effectively dealing with the public, vendors, contractors, and City staff.

Ability to:

• Recommend and implement goals, objectives, and practices for providing effective and efficient services.
• Administer complex, technical, and sensitive planning, development, and related programs in an independent and cooperative manner.
• Plan, organize, assign, review, and evaluate the work of staff; train staff in work procedures.
• Evaluate and develop improvements in operations, procedures, policies, or methods.
• Research, analyze, and evaluate new service delivery methods, procedures, and techniques.
• Interpret and explain planning and zoning programs to the general public; identify and respond to issues and concerns of the public, City Council, and other boards and commissions.
• Assess, monitor, and report environmental impact on and of various City programs and services.
• Analyze site design, terrain constraints, land use compatibility, utilities, and other urban services.
• Conduct complex research projects, evaluate alternatives, and make sound recommendations.
• Interpret, apply, explain, and ensure compliance with applicable Federal, State