ASSISTANT/ASSOCIATE PLANNER

Salary : $67,783.75 - $99,373.89 Annually

Location : 1 Civic Center Drive San Marcos, CA

Job Type : Full Time

Job Number : 2025 - 18

Department : Development Services

Opening Date : 02 / 26 / 2025

Closing Date : 3 / 26 / 2025 4 : 00 PM Pacific

FLSA : Non-Exempt

SUMMARY DESCRIPTION

The City of San Marcos is currently undertaking a number of new and exciting projects, which the Planning Division is helping to accomplish. Come join and lead the team during this impactful time :

• City staff is in the process of initiating a comprehensive update to the San Marcos Creek Specific Plan (SMCSP). The SMCSP parallels San Marcos Boulevard and encompasses the San Marcos Creek. The area will provide additional housing, shopping and recreational opportunities for the region.
• The City is processing a number of entitlements within the University District Specific Plan (UDSP) Area. The UDSP was adopted in 2009 with the intent of creating a vibrant, urban, and pedestrian friendly downtown area centrally located within San Marcos adjacent to Cal State University San Marcos.
• The City is currently processing several entitlements throughout the City including a number of infill developments for higher density housing, and various civic, commercial and industrial discretionary permits.
• The Planning Division is also implementing various Sustainability focused initiatives to implement its Climate Action Plan.

Public Service Serving the public is paramount to all that we do at City of San Marcos. We are driven to serve the more than 95,000 residents who count on us every day. Our Assistant / Associate Planner must be responsive, tactful, collaborative, and accountable to our community and customers. This includes working with our residents and other stakeholder groups to deliver projects that make positive impact.

The Right Perks

Recruitment Timeline

Application period closes : 4 : 00pm, March 26th, 2025

First Interview : April 1st, 2025 Second Interview : April 8th, 2025

REPRESENTATIVE DUTIES

Please click on the link below to read the full job description.

Assistant Planner - $67,783.75 - $88,442.42 annually

Associate Planner - $76,161.84 - $99,373.89 annually

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

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

Education / Training :

A bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with major course work in urban planning, community development, geography, public administration, or a related field is preferred. A master's degree is highly desirable. However, equivalent experience, certification, licensure and / or education from an accredited college or university will be considered in lieu of a degree.

Experience :

ASSISTANT PLANNER : One year of increasingly responsible land development or planning experience at a level comparable to a Planning Technician with the City.

ASSOCIATE PLANNER : Two years of increasingly responsible land development or planning experience at a level comparable to an Assistant Planner with the City.

License or Certificate :

Possession of an appropriate, valid driver's license with satisfactory driving record.

American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP) certification is highly desirable.

Holidays - The City observes fourteen (14) paid holidays that include eleven (11) specifically designated days as recognized by the State of California and three (3) floating holidays.

Vacation Leave - A new employee will accrue eighty (80) hours of vacation per calendar year for the first five years of service (one hundred, twenty (120) hours for years five through ten, one hundred, sixty (160) hours for years eleven through fifteen and two hundred (200) hours after fifteen years). Vacation accrual begins immediately; however, a new employee is not eligible to take vacation leave until the completion of six (6) months of service with the City.

Sick Leave - A new employee will earn ninety-six (96) hours of sick leave each year.

Bereavement Leave - Employees are eligible to use up to 40 hours of bereavement leave per fiscal year.

Group Health Insurance Program - A new employee will become a member of one of the City's group health plans (Aetna HMO, Aetna AVN HMO, Aetna PPO, or Kaiser HMO) effective the first day of the month following their date of hire. The City will pay 90% of the health care premium and employees will pick up 10% of the premiums of the plan they select.

Voluntary Dental / Vision Insurance Programs - The City offers two voluntary dental insurance programs, an HMO program and a PPO Program, as well as a voluntary vision insurance program.

Section 125 Flexible Spending Account - All employees are eligible to participate in the City's Section 125 Flexible Spending Account plan administered by Benefit Coordinators Corporation (BCC). This is an IRS-approved plan which enables you to have withheld from your paycheck an amount to cover eligible dependent care, and certain eligible medical expenses without being subject to federal income or social security tax on the income used to pay for these benefits.

Retirement - The City participates in both the Social Security (FICA) and the California Public Employees' Retirement Systems (CalPERS). The City currently contracts with CalPERS for the 2% at 55 benefit formula, Post-Retirement Survivor Allowance, and 3 year average final pay for CLASSIC members and 2% at 62, Post-Retirement Survivor Allowance, and 3 year average final pay for PEPRA (new) members. Employees will contribute 7% or 6.5% towards CalPERS, depending whether a classic or new member.

Retiree Health Savings (RHS) - All employees participate in a Retiree Health Savings plan through the ICMA Retirement Corporation.

Bilingual Pay : A stipend of $100 per month will be paid to those employees utilizing their bilingual skills in the performance of their duties.

Additional Benefits - The City offers additional benefits such as short and long-term disability, group life insurance, accidental death and dismemberment insurance, employee benefit allocation program and workers' compensation insurance.

The verifiable educational requirement for the Assistant / Associate Planner position is as follows : A bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with major course work in urban planning, community development, geography, public administration, or a related field is preferred. However, equivalent experience, certification, licensure and / or education from an accredited college or university will be considered in lieu of a degree.Do you currently meet this requirement?

How many years of professional planning experience do you currently have? This information should clearly be outlined within your application materials.

Please describe your experience in dealing with the development community.

Describe your experience preparing written reports, written responses to public inquiries and making presentations on planning-related projects or issues.

Describe your experience with researching and analyzing information related to General Plan, Zoning, Ordinance, and Specific Plans.

Describe your experience working and communicating with the public in a planning environment (counter, phone, email, in person, at meetings).

Please describe your experience as a project manager on planning projects. Include any experience related to California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). Provide a list of projects and the role(s) you managed.

Describe your use of technology as it relates to your planning work. Include which software you can use and your general ability level with each.

Required Question

Salary : $67,784 - $99,374