Senior Planner - Community Development

Westminster's planning department works on a 4-10's schedule

Under general supervision, this role involves planning, organizing, overseeing, coordinating, and evaluating the work of professional, technical, and administrative staff engaged in complex tasks within a specific functional area of the Planning Division in the Community Development Department. Responsibilities may include current, long-range, and historic preservation planning. The role ensures the efficient use of the City's planning resources to enhance organizational productivity and customer service. It provides expert support to the Community Development Director, Principal Planner, City Council, Planning Commission, Design Review Committee, and others. Duties include conducting and reviewing various studies, preparing and presenting staff reports, and performing related tasks as needed.

Receives general supervision from the Principal Planner.  Exercises technical and functional supervision and training to lower-level staff.

This is the highest level in the professional planning series responsible for supervising the functions of the advance planning, current planning, and/or special projects within the Planning Division. Responsibilities include performing diverse, specialized, and complex work involving significant accountability and decision-making responsibility. The incumbent organizes and oversees day-to-day current or advance planning activities and is responsible for providing professional-level support to the Principal Planner and Community Development Director in a variety of areas. Successful performance of the work requires an extensive professional background as well as skill in coordinating departmental work with that of other City departments and public agencies. Responsibilities include performing and directing many of the department’s day-to-day administrative functions. This class is distinguished from Principal Planner in that the latter has overall management responsibility of larger and more complex functions of the Community Development Department.

• Plans, organizes, assigns, supervises, and reviews the work of lower-level staff engaged in planning duties; trains staff in work procedures; provides policy guidance and interpretation to staff; evaluates employee performance and works with employees to correct deficiencies.
• Participates in the development and implementation of goals, objectives, policies, and priorities for the assigned function; recommends within departmental policy, appropriate service and staffing levels; recommends and administers policies and procedures. 
• Develops and standardizes procedures and methods to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of assigned services, projects, and activities; assesses and monitors workload; identifies opportunities for improvement and recommends to the Director. 
• Participates in the development and administration of and oversees assigned budgets. 
• Participates in selection, trains, motivates, and evaluates assigned personnel; provides or coordinates staff training; works with employees on performance issues; reviews staff reports and other work products prepared by professional planning staff; assigns work and provides guidance and direction to staff regarding work plans and methods. 
• Provides highly complex staff assistance to the Director and Principal Planner; develops and reviews staff reports related to assigned activities, projects, and services; under direction, presents reports to and advises the City Council, Planning Commission, Design Review Committee (DRC), Zoning Administrator, and other commissions, committees, and boards related to a wide variety of planning and zoning matters; participates in regional planning committee meetings and responds to issues via written correspondence or demographic data review; performs a variety of public relations and outreach related to assigned activities; leads public discussion forums and workshops; writes articles for the City’s quarterly newsletter. 
• Manages, directs, and participates in highly complex planning projects and activities in the areas of General Plan and project specific plan updates and amendments, the preparation of ordinances, and other projects as assigned; designs and conducts studies to develop policies, plans, and codes; conducts field inspections of assigned planning and development projects to ensure compliance with Federal, State, and local laws, rules, and regulations, including the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), Subdivision Map Act, Public Resource Code, General Plan, Specific Plans, Design Specifications, and Local Guidelines and procedures. 
• Provides input to the Principal Planner and current planning staff regarding the General Plan or other long-range planning policy documents that warrant consideration in the review of development applications. 
• Serves as source of information for developers, engineers, property owners, and contractors regarding land use applications and general municipal planning programs, projects, and functions; represents the department and City to outside agencies, public and private groups, and the general public; facilitates community participation through a continual dialogue with residents on major projects. 
• Negotiates, administers, and manages contracts for services; reviews documents, reports, and other work products prepared by consultants and provides feedback and corrections; reviews and oversees consultant invoices and progress payments. 
• Oversees and administers various grants related to the area of assignment; prepares grant applications; prepares and submits invoices for grant reimbursement. 
• Conducts a variety of organizational studies, investigations, and operational studies; recommends modifications to programs, policies, and procedures, as appropriate. 
• Attends and participates in professional group meetings; stays abreast of new trends and innovations in planning; researches emerging products and enhancements and their applicability to City needs. 
• Monitors changes in regulations and technology that may affect operations; implements policy and procedural changes after approval.  
• Receives, investigates, and responds to problems and complaints in a professional manner; identifies and reports findings and takes necessary corrective action. 
• Assists the Principal Planner and Community Development Director with special projects, as needed. 
• Performs other duties as assigned.

• Principles and practices of employee supervision, including work planning, assignment, review and evaluation, and the training of staff in work procedures.
• Basic principles and practices of budget development and administration. 
• Principles and practices of employee supervision, including work planning, assignment, review and evaluation, and the training of staff in work procedures. 
• Applicable Federal, State, and local laws, rules, regulations, ordinances, and organizational policies and procedures relevant to assigned area of responsibility. 
• Modern principles and practices, technical, and legal issues of urban and regional planning, zoning, urban economics, demographics, and environmental planning and program management. 
• Geographic, socio-economic, transportation, political, environmental, and other elements related to city planning. 
• Comprehensive plans and current planning processes and the development process. 
• General concepts of architecture, landscaping, grading, drainage, and traffic and transportation engineering as they relate to the process of urban planning. 
• Operational characteristics, services, and activities of a comprehensive environmental planning program. 
• Project management and contract administration principles and techniques. 
• Recent developments, current literature, and sources of information related to planning, zoning, and environmental review. 
• Practices of researching planning and land use issues, evaluating alternatives, making sound recommendations, and preparing and presenting effective staff reports. 
• Principles of basic mathematics and geometry and their application to planning work. 
• Methods and techniques of effective technical report preparation and presentation. 
• Techniques for effectively representing the City in contacts with governmental agencies, community groups, various business, professional, educational and regulatory organizations, and with property owners, developers, contractors, and the public. 
• Recent developments, current literature, and sources of information related to municipal planning and administration.
• Applicable Federal, State, and local laws, rules, regulations, ordinances, and organizational policies and procedures relevant to assigned area of responsibility.
• State, City, and local laws underlying general plans, zoning, and land divisions.
• Geographic Information Systems and related software.
• Business letter writing and the standard format for reports and correspondence.
• Record keeping principles and procedures.
• Modern office practices, methods, and computer equipment and applications related to the work.
• English usage, grammar, spelling, vocabulary, and punctuation. 
• Techniques for effectively representing the City in contacts with governmental agencies, community groups, and various business, professional, educational, regulatory, and legislative organizations.
• Techniques for providing a high level of customer service by effectively dealing with the public, vendors, contractors, and City staff.

• Recommend and implement goals, objectives, and practices for providing effective and efficient services. 
• Administer complex, technical, and sensitive planning, development, and related programs in an independent and cooperative manner. 
• Plan, organize, assign, review, and evaluate the work of staff; train staff in work procedures. 
• Evaluate and develop improvements in operations, procedures, policies, or methods. 
• Research, analyze, and evaluate new service delivery methods, procedures, and techniques. 
• Interpret and explain planning and zoning programs to the general public; identify and respond to issues and concerns of the public, City Council, and other boards and commissions. 
• Assess, monitor, and report environmental impact on and of various City programs and services. 
• Analyze site design, terrain constraints, land use compatibility, utilities, and other urban services. 
• Conduct complex research projects, evaluate alternatives, and make sound recommendations. 
• Interpret, apply, explain, and ensure compliance with applicable Federal, State, and local laws, rules, regulations, policies and procedures, and City planning policies and procedures. 
• Effectively represent the department and the City in meetings with governmental agencies, community groups, and various business, professional, and regulatory organizations and individuals. 
• Coordinate assigned activities with other City departments and agencies as required.  
• Direct the work of contract consultants. Supervise, select, train, motivate, and evaluate the work of staff.
• Perform the most complex duties related to current and/or advance planning.
• Intermittently analyze work papers, reports, and special projects; identify and interpret technical and numerical information.
• Observe and problem solve operational and technical policy and procedure issues.
• Analyze complex site design, terrain constraints, circulation, land use compatibility, utilities and other urban services.
• Interpret, apply, explain, and ensure compliance with applicable Federal, State, and local laws, rules, regulations, policies, and procedures.
• Collect, analyze, interpret and apply data to various planning projects.
• Prepare and analyze complex technical and administrative reports, statements, and correspondence.
• Utilize computer software programs including word processing, spreadsheets, and website Internet searches.
• Plan, prepare, and present technical information at public meetings.
• Organize and prioritize a variety of projects and multiple tasks in an effective and timely manner; organize own work, set priorities, and meet critical time deadlines.
• Operate modern office equipment including computer equipment and specialized software applications programs.
• Use English effectively to communicate in person, over the telephone, and in writing.
• Use tact, initiative, prudence, and independent judgment within general policy and legal guidelines in politically sensitive situations.
• Establish, maintain, and foster positive and effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of work. 

• Institute of Certified Planners Certification is desirable but not required.

Salary : $99,552 - $127,056