Zoning Plans Examiner

City of Fort Worth; Fort Worth (TX); Hybrid; USD 34,000 - 42,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

11 Paid Holidays

Medical

Dental

Vision

Paid Time Off

Pension Plan

Professional Development Opportunities

Find Out More

Job summary

The City of Fort Worth is seeking a Zoning Plans Examiner within Development Services. You will review site plans, landscape plans, and signs for zoning compliance, communicating with builders and the public.

This entry-level urban planning role emphasizes problem solving and collaboration in a dynamic city environment. Ideal candidates hold an Associate’s degree with planning-related education, GIS experience, and Spanish fluency.

Qualifications

• Associate degree required; relevant higher degrees preferred.
• Experience with zoning plans examination and city planning concepts.
• GIS data analysis skills and familiarity with 3D design tools are a plus.

Responsibilities

• Provide exceptional customer service via email, phone, or Webex for plan submittal requirements and zoning issues.
• Interpret and apply Zoning and Sign Ordinances for plans examination within guidelines.
• Assist with site plans, applications, calculations, and interpreting the Zoning Ordinance for multiple stakeholders.
• Demonstrate time management; handle hybrid in-office and remote tasks and create process timelines.
• Make informed decisions independently and motivate self to succeed.
• Collaborate with coworkers to achieve team goals.
• Enter all plans data into the computer system and update status for permits.

Skills

GIS data analysis

Spanish fluency

Customer service

Education

Associate’s degree

Bachelor’s or Master’s in Planning/Urban Planning/Design/Public Administration

AICP certification

CNU certification

Tools

SketchUp

Adobe Creative Suite

Microsoft Office

GIS software

Job description

Pay Range

$24.67 – $30.83/hr. | $51,308 - $64,135 annual compensation

Job Posting Closing on

Wednesday, November 11, 2026

Workdays & Hours

Monday – Friday, 8am – 5pm

Benefits for this position include

11 Paid Holidays, Medical, Dental, Vision, Paid Time Off, Pension Plan, Professional Development Opportunities, and Find Out More!

The City of Fort Worth is one of the fastest growing large cities in the U.S. Our employees serve the needs of over 1,000,000 residents, promoting our values of exceptional customer experience, mutual respect, embracing our diversity, continuous improvement, ethical behavior, and accountability.

A Zoning Plans Examiner job is available with the City of Fort Worth (Development Services Department / Zoning and Design Review Division). The Zoning and Design Review Division oversees the following functions for the city: assessment and recommendations for zoning, site plans, plats, annexations, street and alley vacations; tree removal; variances, special exceptions, and waivers; historic preservation; urban design; code amendments to the Zoning and Subdivision Ordinances; Council-initiated zoning and special reports; zoning determinations including legal nonconformity; reasonable accommodations; and collaboration with other city departments on the production of small area and corridor plans.

The Zoning Plans Examiner reports to the Plans Examiner Supervisor. This position is responsible for reviewing site plans, landscape plans, building elevations, and construction plans for signs to determine compliance with the zoning ordinance and to an extent the building and subdivision ordinance. On a daily basis, the position communicates with builders and citizens regarding zoning ordinance regulations and plan submittal requirements. The Zoning plans examiner must possess the ability to solve problems and utilize critical thinking skills in a collaborative environment. This position would be ideal for candidates who are interested in urban planning as it incorporates the entry-level skills needed to be proficient in that field of expertise.

Minimum Qualifications

• Associate’s degree
• Two (2) years of city building inspection, plans examination, construction field, architecture, landscape architecture, forestry experience, urban planning and design, or related field

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or Master’s degree from an accredited college or university with major course work in Planning, Urban Planning or Design, Public Administration, Urban Geography, or a related field
• AICP and/or CNU certifications
• Recent experience utilizing GIS to formulate maps and perform data analysis
• Recent experience with SketchUp or similar 3D design software and Adobe Creative Suite
• Microsoft Office skills
• Fluency in speaking and writing in Spanish

The Zoning Plans Examiner Job Responsibilities Include

• Exceptional customer service when assisting our customers via email, phone calls or Webex in assisting with plan submittal requirements, and potential or current zoning compliance issues
• Interpreting and applying the Zoning and Sign Ordinances for purposes of plans examination within established departmental guidelines
• Provide assistance with site plans, application submittals, calculations, and interpreting the Zoning Ordinance to building contractors, architects, engineers, staff and the general public
• Time management and performance skills; must prioritize and manage time effectively to meet or exceed departmental expectations while working a hybrid schedule of in the office and remotely. Create processes and timelines for getting tasks done to ensure completion of all assigned tasks
• The capacity to make informed decisions independently, self-manage and self-motivate to succeed
• The ability to work closely and assist co-workers when needed, to ensure that our team is successful in meeting its goals
• Entering all plans examination and application data into computer system. Updating and retrieving data to determine status of application and issues permits

Working Conditions and Physical Demands

Depending on assignment, positions in this class typically require touching, talking, hearing, seeing, grasping, standing, stooping, kneeling, crouching, reaching, walking, repetitive motions, climbing, balancing, pushing, pulling and lifting. greater than that for the Sedentary Work category and the worker sits most of the time, the job is rated Light Work

Light Work – Depending on assignment, positions in this class typically exert up to 20 pounds of force occasionally, up to 10 pounds of force frequently, and/or a negligible amount of force constantly having to move objects. If the use of arm and/or leg controls requires exertion of forces greater than that for the Sedentary Work category and the worker sits most of the time, the job is rated Light Work

Conditions of Employment

The City of Fort Worth is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. It is the policy and practice of the City to recruit, hire, train and promote a diverse workforce without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, parental status, military service, or another non-merit factor.

The City of Fort Worth is committed to full compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to participate in the job application or interview process and to perform essential job functions.

Candidates who do not meet the Education requirement, may be considered if they have more relevant work experience than the position requires. Those selected for employment will be required to pass Pre-Employment checks depending on the position requirements. Those could include, but are not limited to: criminal background check, drug screen, education verification, etc. criminal convictions will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Employees are paid by direct deposit only.