The City of Fort Myers strives to be an employer of choice and most of our employees turn jobs into long term careers. The salary shown in the job description is the full range for this position from entry to later career.

NEW EMPLOYEES ARE HIRED AT, OR NEAR THE ENTRY POINT SHOWN, DEPENDING ON QUALIFICATIONS AND RELEVANT EXPERIENCE.

FLSA Status: Exempt Safety Sensitive: NO Level II Screening: NO

Under the general direction of the Planning Manager, the incumbent is responsible for the management and implementation of the City of Fort Myers Comprehensive Plan, long-range planning, and historic preservation. Additionally the Principal Planner is responsible for developing and processing city initiated comprehensive plan amendments – text and map, as well as analyzing citizen initiative amendments. This job has no supervisory responsibilities.

Responsibilities and Reporting During an Emergency Situation:

Essential Employees may be required to work during a declared emergency. Depending on the nature of the emergency, this may require working around the clock for several days on short notice.

Non-Essential Employees will not be required to work during a declared emergency. The employee’s Department Head will determine when the employee will be required to work.

Perks and Benefits

• Free city-paid employee health coverage, additional for spouse or family
• 3 weeks Paid Time Off (sick & vacation)
• 13 paid holidays
• Pension plan & optional Deferred Compensation 
• City-paid life insurance
• Optional Vision, Dental, and Disability Insurance
• Tuition reimbursement
• On-site Gym facility
• And much more!

• Processes and analyzes annexation of land into the City.
• Analyze the Future Land Use Map and make recommendations based on future projected growth of the City.
• Process, analyze Certificate of Review applications, and present findings to the Historic Preservation Commission.
• Processes amendments to the Comprehensive Plan applications to Planning Board and City Council.
• Processes applications, prepares staff reports, and serves as staff liaison to the Historic Preservation Commission.
• Reviews land use (i.e. Planned Unit Development, Conditional Use, and Rezoning) applications and provides written analysis of compliance with the Comprehensive Plan.
• Interact with property owners, citizens, engineers, architects, contractors to discuss and educate regarding the City’s comprehensive plan and historic preservation issues.
• Responsible for all public notices required by F.S. and local law as it relates to the individual type of case and public hearing mandated.
• Researches and assists in preparation of updates/revisions to the Comprehensive Plan.
• Conducts special studies as assigned.
• This position requires regular and reliable attendance and the employee’s physical presence at the workplace.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES 

• Able to speak clearly and persuasively in positive or negative situations.
• Excellent oral and written communication and presentation skills.
• Able to establish and maintain effective working relationships.
• Able to operate necessary equipment, including personal computer, printer, calculator, copier, and other standard office equipment.

• Bachelor’s degree (B.A.) from a four-year college or university with a degree in Planning or Public Administration.
• Five to eight years’ experience in a planning or regulatory environment or related work; or equivalent combination of education and experience
• Familiarity with Florida Statute Ch. 163 related to Growth Management. 
• Familiarity with the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation and an understanding of historic preservation requirements and practices.

CERTIFICATION, LICENSE AND SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS 

• American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP) certification or to be obtained within one year of date of hire. 
• A valid Florida Driver’s license with an acceptable driving record.

• Master's degree preferred.

This work typically requires the following physical activities to be performed.

• Balancing – maintain equilibrium to prevent falling while walking, standing, or crouching. 

• Climbing – ascending, descending ladders, stairs, ramps, requires body agility. 

• Crawling – moving about on hands, knees, or hands, feet.

• Crouching – bending body forward by bending leg, spine. 

• Feeling – perceiving attributes of objects by touch with skin, fingertips. 

• Fingering – picking, pinching, typing, working with fingers rather than hand.

• Grasping – applying pressure to object with fingers, palm. 

• Handling – picking, holding, or working with whole hand.

• Pushing – use upper extremities to press against objects with force, or thrust forward, downward, outward. 

• Reaching – extending hands or arms in any direction.

• Repetitive Motion – substantial movements of wrists, hands, fingers. 

• Speaking – expressing ideas with spoken word, convey detailed, important instructions accurately, concisely. 

• Standing – for sustained periods of time. 

• Stooping – bending body downward, forward at waist, with full motion of lower extremities and back. 

• Talking 1- expressing ideas by spoken word 

• Talking 2 – shouting to be heard above ambient noise. 

• Hearing 1 – perceiving sounds at normal speaking levels, receive information. 

• Hearing 2 – receive detailed information, make discrimination in sound. 

• Kneeling – bending legs at knee to come to rest at knees.

• Lifting – raising objects from lower to higher position, moving objects side to side, using upper extremities, back. 

• Mental Acuity – ability to make rational decisions through sound logic, deductive reasoning. 

• Pulling - use upper extremities to exert force, haul or tug. 

• Visual Acuity 1 - prepare, analyze data, transcribing, computer terminal, extensive reading.

• Visual Acuity 2 - color, depth perception, field of vision.

• Visual Acuity 3 - determine accuracy, neatness, observe facilities/structures.

• Visual Acuity 4 - operate motor vehicles/heavy equipment.

• Visual Acuity 5 -close acuity for inspection of small defects, machines, use measurement devices, or fabricate parts. 

• Walking - on foot to accomplish tasks, long distances, or site to site. 

Work performed is primarily: 

• Light work: Exerting up to 20 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 10 pounds of force to move objects.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

• Works in an office environment and sits for long periods of time.
• Contact with internal and external customers, vendors, outside agencies and the general public.
• Occasionally exposed to adverse weather conditions, including heat, cold, rain and potentially dangerous environments, odors, diseases, chemicals, and excessive noise.
• May be required to work hours other than the regular schedule including nights, weekends, and holidays.

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform the essential job functions satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the primary job functions described herein. Since every duty associated with this position may not be described herein, employees may be required to perform duties not specifically spelled out in the job description, but which may be reasonably considered to be incidental in the performing of their duties just as though they were actually written out in this job description.