Planner I

This position is an entry-level professional planning position. The person filling this position assists senior planning staff in gathering and organizing information used in planning studies and reports, reviewing development proposals, evaluating rezoning petitions and ordinance amendments, and working with a variety of stakeholders on neighborhood plans.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES AND PERFORMANCE STANDARDS:

• Assists in the evaluation of rezoning and variances petitions, ordinance amendments, and similar proposals. Includes completing analysis and making recommendations on the proposed petitions and ordinance amendments. Provides information and updates on applications and amendments at staff meetings.
• Handles customer phone calls, walk-ins and appointments related to zoning and development issues and projects. This includes holding pre-meetings with applicants. Acts as liaison to community groups, government agencies, developers and elected officials as necessary.
• Assists in the development of long-range planning studies, neighborhood plans and special projects.
• Assists in research and data-gathering for comprehensive planning projects.
• Assists in the review of administrative site plans, preliminary concept plans, development proposals and site plans for conformance with codes, plans, and regulations.
• Assists in presenting detailed reports on rezoning and variance petitions and development proposals to the Planning Commission and Board of Zoning Appeals (pre-meetings and regular meetings.
• Performs other duties of a similar nature or level.

Required minimum qualifications:

Education:    Bachelor's Degree or 8 years experience in Urban Planning, Urban Design, Regional Planning, or related field required.  Master's Degree is preferred.

Experience:  Two (2) years of experience in planning, zoning or related field.

Knowledge/Skills/Abilities:

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook).
• Basic knowledge of zoning, land use regulations, and development review processes.
• Strong attention to detail and organizational skills
• Good customer service and interpersonal skills.
• Effective written and verbal communication skills.
• Basic analytical and problem-solving abilities.
• Ability to interpret site plans and maps with guidance.

Licensing/Certification: 

• Possession of a valid driver’s license with good driving history. 
• If State license is other than Georgia or South Carolina, applicant must obtain a license in Georgia or South Carolina within 30 days of employment.

PERFORMANCE APTITUDES:

• Data Utilization: Requires the ability to evaluate, audit, deduce, and/or assess data using established criteria. Includes exercising discretion in determining actual or probable consequences and in referencing such evaluation to identify and select alternatives.
• Human Interaction: Requires the ability to work with and apply principles of persuasion and/or influence over others to coordinate programs or activities of a project, and resolve typical problems associated with the responsibilities of the job.
• Equipment: Requires the ability to operate, maneuver and/or control the actions of equipment, machinery, tools, and/or materials used in performing essential functions.
• Verbal: Requires the ability to utilize a wide variety of reference, descriptive, advisory and/or design data and information.
• Math: Requires the ability to perform addition, subtraction, multiplication and division; ability to calculate decimals and percentages; may include ability to perform mathematical operations with fractions; may include ability to compute discount, interest, and ratios; may include ability to calculate surface areas, volumes, weights, and measures.
• Functional Reasoning: Requires the ability to apply principles of influence systems, such as motivation, incentive, and leadership, and to exercise independent judgment to apply facts and principles for developing approaches and techniques to resolve problems.
• Situational Reasoning: Requires the ability to exercise judgment, decisiveness and creativity in situations involving broader aspects of organizational programs and operations, moderately unstable situations, or the direction, control and planning of an entire program or set of programs.
• Physical Abilities: Tasks require the ability to exert light physical effort in sedentary to light work, but which may involve some lifting, carrying, pushing and/or pulling of objects and materials of light weight (5-10 pounds). Tasks may involve extended periods of time at a keyboard or work station.
• Sensory Requirements: Some tasks require the ability to perceive and discriminate colors or shades of colors, sounds, odor, depth, texture, and visual cues or signals.  Some tasks require the ability to communicate orally.
• Environmental Factors: Essential functions are regularly performed without exposure to adverse environmental conditions.

TRAINING & SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITY:

• Two to five staff.