Urban Planner (Zoning)

Houseal Lavigne; Chicago (IL); Hybrid; USD 75,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Houseal Lavigne is expanding its national planning and zoning practice and seeks a Planner II / Project Manager with a focus on zoning. You will lead significant portions of zoning projects, manage client communications, and coordinate teams to deliver regulatory solutions.

The role requires strong writing, public meeting experience, and the ability to translate complex zoning issues into clear recommendations.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in urban planning, landscape architecture, architecture, public administration, or related discipline; Master’s or AICP desirable.
• Approximately 4–7 years of professional planning experience with meaningful zoning experience.
• Strong understanding of zoning, land use, development, and planning practices.
• Experience drafting, reviewing, interpreting, or implementing zoning ordinances and other development regulations.
• Excellent writing, editing, and organizational skills with strong attention to detail.

Responsibilities

• Draft zoning ordinances, development regulations, code amendments, and related technical documents.
• Research zoning best practices, development trends, and regulatory approaches.
• Evaluate existing zoning regulations and identify issues, opportunities, and recommendations.
• Prepare zoning analyses, regulatory concepts, and supporting materials.
• Coordinate and review work by junior planners.
• Work directly with clients and project teams to advance zoning and planning assignments.
• Participate in staff meetings, stakeholder interviews, workshops, and public meetings.

Skills

Writing

Communication

Project management

Client coordination

Education

Bachelor's degree in urban planning etc.

Master’s degree or AICP certification desirable

Tools

ArcGIS Pro

SketchUp

Adobe Creative Cloud

Microsoft Word

Excel

PowerPoint

Job description

Join one of the nation's most innovative and rapidly growing planning teams and apply your skills in a creative, collaborative, and fun professional environment!

Houseal Lavigne is growing and seeking a Planner II / Project Manager with a focus on zoning to join our national planning and zoning practice. We are looking for a career-minded planning professional with strong zoning experience who is ready to take on increasing responsibility for project delivery, client coordination, and project management. The ideal candidate will be an experienced Planner II with the technical skills and judgment to independently lead significant portions of zoning projects. Candidates with demonstrated project management experience may be considered at the Project Manager level.

This position will work on zoning and development regulation projects throughout the country, including comprehensive zoning ordinance rewrites, targeted code amendments, development regulations, housing and zoning reform, TOD and downtown districts, sign regulations, development review, and related planning assignments.

The successful candidate will be a strong writer and communicator with a solid understanding of zoning and development practices. They should be comfortable working directly with clients, participating in public meetings, coordinating with project teams, conducting technical research and analysis, and translating complex planning and zoning issues into clear regulatory approaches and recommendations.

Houseal Lavigne is an urban planning, zoning, community development, design, and geospatial services consulting firm serving public and private sector clients throughout the country. Our main office is located in Downtown Chicago.

Qualifications

Successful candidates will demonstrate:

• Bachelor’s degree in urban planning, landscape architecture, architecture, public administration, or a related discipline; Master’s degree or AICP certification is desirable;
• Approximately 4–7 years of professional planning experience, with meaningful experience in zoning, development regulations, development review, or related work;
• Strong understanding of zoning, land use, development, and planning practices;
• Experience drafting, reviewing, interpreting, or implementing zoning ordinances and other development regulations;
• Excellent writing, editing, and organizational skills with strong attention to detail;
• Ability to analyze and synthesize technical information, research, community input, and quantitative data into clear findings and recommendations;
• Strong communication, presentation, and interpersonal skills;
• Experience participating in or leading client meetings, stakeholder discussions, public workshops, or public hearings;
• Ability to independently manage assignments, coordinate with project teams, and meet project schedules and deadlines;
• Project management experience is preferred and may support consideration at the Project Manager level;
• Consulting experience is preferred; and
• Proficiency with Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
• Experience with Adobe Creative Cloud, SketchUp, ArcGIS Pro, or similar planning and visualization tools is beneficial, though not required.

Key Responsibilities

Responsibilities will vary based on experience and may include:

• Drafting zoning ordinances, development regulations, code amendments, and related technical documents;
• Researching zoning best practices, contemporary development practices, land use conditions, development trends, and regulatory approaches;
• Evaluating existing zoning regulations and identifying issues, opportunities, and recommended approaches;
• Preparing zoning analyses, regulatory concepts, recommendations, tables, graphics, and supporting materials;
• Coordinating and reviewing work prepared by junior planners;
• Working directly with clients and project teams to advance zoning and planning assignments;
• Preparing for and participating in staff meetings, stakeholder interviews, workshops, public meetings, Planning Commission meetings, and other community engagement activities;
• Summarizing community and stakeholder input and translating that input into project direction;
• Supporting the preparation of proposals, project scopes, schedules, and other business development materials;
• Assisting with field surveys, inventories, mapping, data collection, and related project research;
• Supporting the development of GIS maps, databases, spreadsheets, and other technical project materials; and
• Managing portions of projects or complete projects depending on experience, including coordination of staff, schedules, budgets, deliverables, and client communication.

Project Manager-Level Responsibilities

Candidates hired at or advancing to the Project Manager level may also be responsible for:

• Serving as the primary day-to-day client contact;
• Managing project budgets, schedules, staffing, expenses, and deliverables;
• Directing the preparation and review of zoning ordinances and related project documents;
• Leading client meetings, public workshops, presentations, and project work sessions;
• Coordinating multidisciplinary project teams;
• Providing technical direction and quality control for junior staff; and
• Mentoring and supporting the professional development of planners assigned to project teams.

What We Are Looking For

We are looking for someone who can contribute immediately as a zoning professional while continuing to grow into greater project and client leadership. A successful candidate should be comfortable moving between detailed ordinance drafting, technical analysis, client discussions, public engagement, and coordination with other members of the project team.

This is a strong opportunity for an experienced Planner II seeking the next step in their career or an established Project Manager looking to expand their work with a national zoning practice.