Planner II - Current Planning & Permit Review

The Planner II – Current Planning & Permit Review position is responsible for applying professional standards to planning, administration, coordination, research, and implementation of comprehensive plans, development review codes, design guidelines, affordable housing, and urban re-development. This position requires friendly and consistent customer service to a variety of groups and individuals including, but not limited to other City employees, municipal, state, and federal officials, representatives of neighborhood organizations, business and community organizations, architects, engineers, and the general public. This includes verbal communication and professional correspondence in regard to standards and policies concerning proposals, building permits, development applications, and other various planning office activities.    

The Planner II class performs professional planning duties in the review and development of both small and large- development applications, plans, policies, and programs with an increase in the scale and complexity of projects as the mid-level planner position in the City of Bozeman.

• Performs professional planning duties in the review and development of both small and large scale plans, policies and programs in support of the City’s goals in alignment with private and public development;
• Gathers and analyzes data on land use, transportation, development and related subjects based on present and future conditions, including recommending solutions to problems or conflicts;
• Uses computerized modeling techniques, including forecasting, capacity analysis and related techniques to determine impact of long range planning on existing conditions; 

• Prepares staff analysis and presents same to municipal planning commissions and City Commission;
• Serves as staff and provides technical support to the City Commission, committees, and other advisory boards as needed;
• Administers municipal zoning and subdivision development ordinances, including review of projects for compliance with said ordinances;
• Coordinates review of planned developments and the application process, including acting as project review manager from reception of applications to completion of projects;
• Develops planning-related applications on behalf of the City;
• Designs services for various capital improvement projects, including administering the impact fee program, and coordinating the impact fee expenditures with the goals and policies of the Comprehensive Plan;
• Explains policies, procedures and regulations to the public, developers, business organizations, contractors, architects and related persons;
• Performs on-site inspections to determine conformance with approved plans;
• Catalogues and maintains official subdivision and site plan documents for public access;
• Establishes procedures for collecting, summarizing and storing programmatic data to improve program effectiveness using computers, source documents and related items;
• Prepares reports for public review, internal use or review by outside organizations, including graphics, to describe projects and program goals or activities;
• Prepares and makes presentations before citizen groups and commissions;
• Determines the appropriateness and validity of data for use in various projects and makes recommendations for additional data collection as needed;
• Analyzes rules, laws and regulations of other agencies to determine their impact;
• Coordinates the work of outside planning consultants;
• May provide needed information and demonstrations concerning how to perform certain work tasks to new employees; (mentoring)
• Keeps immediate supervisor and designated others fully and accurately  informed concerning work progress, including present and potential work problems and suggestions for new or improved ways of addressing such problems;
• Attends meetings, conferences, workshops and training sessions and reviews publications and audiovisual materials to become and remain current on the principles, practices and new developments in assigned work areas;
• Responds to citizens’ questions and comments in a courteous and timely manner;
• Communicates and coordinates regularly with appropriate others to maximize the effectiveness and efficiency of interdepartmental operations and activities;
• Performs other duties consistent with the role and function of this classification.

• Bachelor’s Degree in Planning, Urban Design, Historic Preservation, Architecture, Landscape Architecture, Geography, Environmental Science, Public Administration, or a closely related field; and
• Some (2 – 4 years) experience in planning, urban design, architecture, or development review; or
• Any equivalent combination of experience and training which provides the knowledge, skills and abilities necessary to perform the work.

• Thorough knowledge of the current principles and practices involved in urban planning;
• Thorough knowledge of land use theory, urban design, economics, finance operations, land use law, demographics, environmental design, resource development and ecology;
• Thorough knowledge of generally applicable legal principles of land use planning;
• Thorough knowledge of subdivision platting processes;
• Substantial knowledge of in-person and virtual methods used for citizen involvement in planning projects;
• Substantial knowledge of data gathering and research techniques;
• Some knowledge of, or the ability to quickly learn Bozeman subdivision and zoning regulations, as well as Montana Annexation and Planning Statutes;
• Some knowledge in GIS, topographic information, Arc Map, and computer usage;
• Some knowledge of cartography;
• Some knowledge of or ability to quickly learn the practices and principles of historic preservation;
• Ability to work independently with little supervision;
• Ability to deal with a wide range of persons, including situations in which individuals may be upset over some issues involved with City activities and policies;
• Ability to simultaneously apply multiple policies and programs to a single project;
• Ability to read and interpret architectural and engineering designs and specifications, including topographic, geologic, hydrological, statistical maps, charts and graphs;
• Ability to make public presentations on complex planning designs and municipal operations and represent the organization in a professional capacity;
• Ability to communicate effectively with others, both orally and in writing, using both technical and nontechnical language;
• Ability to understand and follow oral and/or written policies, procedures and instructions;
• Ability to prepare and present accurate and reliable reports containing findings and recommendations on all facets of planning operations;
• Ability to operate or quickly learn to operate a networked personal computer using standard or customized software applications  appropriate to assigned tasks;
• Ability to use logical and creative thought processes to develop solutions according to written specifications and/or oral instructions;
• Ability to perform a wide variety of duties and responsibilities with accuracy and speed under the pressure of time-sensitive deadlines;
• Ability and willingness to quickly learn and use new skills and knowledge brought about by rapidly changing information and/or technology;
• Ingenuity and inventiveness in the performance of assigned tasks.
• Consistently performs assignments in accordance with the City’s Core Values of Integrity, Leadership, Service and Teamwork.

• Preference will be given to members of the American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP), Registered Landscape Architects or Registered Architects;
• Upon hire, will need to provide a valid Montana Driver’s License or obtain one within 60 days of employment;
• Offers for employment are conditional upon satisfactory responses to a criminal background check.

Salary : $39 - $42