Planning Technician

Position: Planning Technician - Part Time (20-25 hours/week)

DEFINITION:

Under general supervision, performs technical para-professional level work in City planning; provides a variety of clerical and technical support; assists the general public at the counter and by phone; performs other related duties as required.
DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS:

The Planning Technician is the journey level para-professional position in which incumbents are expected to perform the full scope of assigned duties. This class is distinguished from the next higher class of Assistant Planner in that the latter is responsible for performing professional level duties and has more project oversight responsibilities.

SUPERVISION RECEIVED/EXERCISED:

Receives general supervision from the Director of Planning or higher level professional planning staff. Incumbents in this class do not routinely exercise supervision.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS: (include but are not limited to the following)

• Performs technical, para-professional work in City planning; provides a variety of clerical and technical support; assists the general public at the counter and by phone.
• Assists the public with general planning, zoning, land use, permit use, and development questions; prepares staff reports; provides developers with information regarding the approval process; refers to the zoning map to locate properties and their respective zones.
• Provides customer service by responding to public and agency inquiries by phone and at the counter; provides information regarding application procedures and Planning Commission and City Council actions that relate to planning activities; assists with the preparation of radius and site maps.
• Assists in preparing agenda packets for meetings; attends meetings and takes and transcribes minutes as necessary.
• Reviews and processes a variety of planning applications for completeness, including design reviews, variances, tentative maps, and conditional use permits; explains how to correct deficiencies in original applications; reviews administrative applications and makes recommendations.
• Assists in maintaining department records, files and other reference materials; gathers, researches and assembles a variety of information and data for the preparation of reports and studies; prepares and processes legal notices, including Public Hearing Notices; creates and modifies planning forms; composes a variety of documents, including letters, reports and memos.
• Assists with distributing incoming and outgoing mail; opens, processes and distributes incoming mail; maintains a calendar; orders office supplies.
• Establishes positive working relationships with representatives of community organizations, state/ local agencies and associations, City management and staff, and the public.

KNOWLEDGE/ABILITIES/SKILLS:

(The following are a representative sample of the KAS’s necessary to perform essential duties of the position.)

Knowledge of: Local zoning practices; methods of gathering and compiling data; modern principles and practices of administrative support functions; property descriptions and graphic displays; procedures and policies for processing City applications; methods used in analyzing and interpreting data and building plans; basic principles of mathematics; applicable federal, state and local laws, codes and regulations; techniques of scheduling work assignments; standard office procedures, practices and equipment; modern office equipment including a computer and applicable software; methods and techniques for record keeping and report preparation and writing; proper English, spelling and grammar; occupational hazards and standard safety practices.

Ability to: Explain and interpret planning policies and regulations accurately and tactfully to the public; provide clerical and administrative support to the Planning Division; analyze planning applications for compliance with procedural requirements; understand and interpret site development plans; interpret, explain and apply applicable laws, codes and regulations; read, interpret and record data accurately; organize, prioritize and follow-up on work assignments; work independently and as part of a team; make sound decisions within established guidelines; analyze a complex issue, and develop and implement an appropriate response; follow written and oral directions; observe safety principles and work in a safe manner; communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing; establish and maintain effective working relationships.

Skill to: Operate an office computer and a variety of word processing and software applications.

QUALIFICATIONS: (The following are minimal qualifications necessary for entry into the classification.)

Education and/or Experience:

Any combination of education and experience that has provided the knowledge, skills and abilities necessary for a Planning Technician. A typical way of obtaining the required qualifications is to possess the equivalent of one year of experience in providing technical support involving planning, zoning and/or environmental issues, and a high school diploma or equivalent. An associate’s degree in a related field is highly desirable.

License/Certificate: Possession of, or ability to obtain, a valid class C California driver’s license.