Supervising Planner

ABOUT THE POSITION

The City of Goleta's Planning and Environmental Review Department invites qualified applicants to apply for Supervising Planner (Current Planning Division). Primary responsibilities of the role include managing complex projects to ensure the City’s compliance with state and federal laws, guidelines, and standards governing planning activities, requiring close coordination with other City Departments and external service agencies on various projects and tasks. The position assists the Current Planning Manager and the other Supervising Planner with overseeing the management of the Current Planning Division and will have direct supervisory responsibility for at least three staff members. Additionally, the role involves the development and implementation of practical solutions to challenges within the scope of Current Planning. This role includes making presentations to elected and appointed officials, other professionals, and community members when necessary. Supporting staff professional growth will also be a key aspect, including conducting annual performance reviews, leading staff meeting discussions, and reviewing the deliverables of assigned staff, such as letters and commission agenda materials.

IDEAL CANDIDATE

The ideal candidate will be personable, team-oriented, solution-driven, and pragmatic. They should possess strong communication skills, mentoring abilities, and the ability to manage multiple priorities while remaining adaptable and flexible to changing demands. Additionally, the ideal candidate will be a highly skilled Current Planning practitioner with knowledge of and an interest in the planning and environmental trends affecting Goleta and the South Coast of Santa Barbara County.

ABOUT THE DEPARTMENT

The Planning and Environmental Review Department provides staff services to assist City management and the City Council, Planning Commission and Design Review Board in guiding future growth and change in a manner that conforms to adopted policies and ordinances, which reflect community values. The City Council has adopted an annual work program for the Department; view all Department Work Programs here.

Examples of Duties

The following duties are typical for positions in this classification. Incumbents may not perform all listed job functions, nor are all listed duties necessarily performed by everyone in this class depending upon business need and changing business practices:

• Performs complex and specialized assignments involving current or advanced land use/urban planning projects; confers with applicants and agency representatives to identify problems; evaluates data and proposes methods to resolve conflicting issues of plan implementation, zoning requirements, and environmental impacts.
• Performs field investigations to ensure projects conform to zoning codes, design regulations and/or approved plans; performs design conformance plan checks; assists permit applicants to satisfy conditions of approval.
• Receives and reviews permit applications; assesses fees; establishes conditions for project approval by analyzing projects with respect to relevant laws, ordinances, regulations, and City policy; determines methods to reconcile project conflicts with zoning requirements and State environmental laws; performs final inspection for tenant improvements, landscape, new buildings and signs; maintains and updates land use information on maps and in files.
• Provides information and assistance to City staff, developers, planners, engineers, architects, consultants, property owners, the general public, and external agencies on proposed development projects; conducts meetings to interpret, explain and communicate the City’s planning, land use, environmental, historic, design, General Plan, Master Plan, Specific Plan, and zoning requirements, guidelines, standards, and regulations; provides recommendations on development proposals.
• Contributes to the review and revision of local ordinances; conducts research; prepares a variety of business, technical and statistical correspondence; prepares complex planning reports including staff reports, negative declarations and special studies.
• Prepares and presents professional staff reports of summarized data, conclusions, and recommendations to the City Council and other official groups as needed; serves as staff liaison to the Planning Agency.
• Performs and/or coordinates the preparation of environmental impact analyses, including the preparation of requests for proposals; coordinates project review with other agencies; evaluates environmental impact reports and prepares recommendations.
• Provides direct supervision to professional and technical staff; participates in recommending the appointment of personnel; provides or coordinates staff training; works with employees to correct deficiencies; implements disciplinary procedures.
• Assists in resolving work problems and interpreting administrative policies to subordinates, other departments, consultants, contractors and the public.
• Assists in coordinating Planning activities with other departments and outside agencies, organizations.
• Assists the Department Director in planning of work schedules and determining of project assignments.
• Communicates clearly and concisely, both verbally and in writing.
• May assume the duties and responsibilities of the Planning Manager in their absence.

Typical Qualifications

Education, Experience and Training

Any combination of experience and training that would likely provide the required knowledge and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to obtain the knowledge and abilities would be:

Education:

• Equivalent to a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with major course work in urban planning, geography, environmental design, or a related field. American Institute of Certified Planners certification or Master’s Degree in Planning or a related field is highly desirable.

Experience:

• Over five years, up to and including seven years of increasingly responsible professional planning experience, preferably within a local government environment, including one year of supervisory experience.

For more information, and to apply, click the "Apply" button.