Senior Planner

If the following job requirements and experience match your skills, please ensure you apply promptly.

Summary

Rockingham County is an equal opportunity employer and will comply with federal and state statutes regarding discrimination in employment.

General Definition of Work

Performs intermediate skilled technical work drafting revisions and amendments to zoning ordinances, coordinating planning activities, serving as staff support to various boards and commissions, advising public officials, developers and the public on land use, conducting research and assisting with short and long-range planning, managing and maintaining the Geographic Information System, and related work as apparent or assigned.

Work is performed under the limited supervision of the Planning & Inspections Director. Continuous oversight is exercised over assigned personnel.

Examples of Duties

Essential Functions

Receives and processes rezoning, special use permit and variance cases; guides citizens through application and processes;

performs case research and site visits.

Performs plat and subdivision reviews; corresponds with surveyors and land owners; reviews, issues comments and approves all plats including exempt, minor and major subdivisions;

maintains County land use maps, distributes new road names and locations to the appropriate agencies, updates road catalog and orders road signs for new roads.

Serves as Secretary to the Planning Board and Technical Review Committee; prepares minutes and reports for the Planning Board;

assembles and distributes meeting packets; researches, prepares and presents items to boards, civic and public groups.

Responds to inquiries concerning development matters; conducts field investigations as necessary to resolve complaints or issues.

Assists and performs the duties of Permit Technician when necessary; reviews commercial plans to ensure compliance with setbacks, parking regulations, landscaping, etc.

Serves as Planner for the Town of Wentworth; provides contracted planning services including permitting, processing of rezoning, special use permit and variance applications;

conducts research and proposes ordinance text amendments; makes presentations to the Town Planning Board & Town Council.

Conducts research on planning related issues and best practices; proposes amendments to existing ordinances and presents findings to the appropriate governing bodies for consideration.

• Serves as Floodplain Administrator; reviews floodplain development applications, issues and approves permits for development;
• inspects work in progress; issues stop work orders as required; maintains current map repository of FIRM maps; coordinates revisions to the FIRMs;

processes variance requests.

Enforces watershed buffer requirements; ensures buffer requirements are met on all perennial and intermittent streams including within the Jordan Lake Watershed.

Performs site visits and inspections as needed; performs on-site inspections for family care homes, ABC applications, etc.

Provides services to cell phone and tower companies requesting new tower construction or tower upgrades; reviews, approves, submits reports and issues permits;

maintains appropriate database.

Maintains department website pages; posts Planning board agendas, supporting documentation and minutes; maintains and updates Unified Development Ordinance.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Comprehensive knowledge of the philosophies, principles, practices and techniques of planning as they pertain to the design and development of urban and regional areas, planning research, zoning and community renewal activities;
• comprehensive knowledge of land development concepts including planning, zoning, building design, and transportation; comprehensive knowledge of technology and software related to planning, land use and permitting;
• thorough knowledge of research methodology and of standard statistical procedures; thorough knowledge of various ordinances, codes and regulations pertaining to planning, zoning and subdivision;
• general knowledge of the techniques required in the preparation of maps, charts, sketches and complex graphics; ability to read and interpret surveys, plans, architectural and engineering drawings, maps and blueprints accurately;
• ability to make public presentations; ability to present facts and recommendations effectively in oral and written form;
• ability to deal firmly and tactfully in enforcing ordinances and codes; ability to plan and supervise the work of subordinates;

ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with associates, consultants, Federal, State and local officials, engineers, surveyors, representatives of other agencies and the general public.

Physical Requirements

• This work requires the occasional exertion of up to 10 pounds of force; work regularly requires sitting and speaking or hearing, frequently requires repetitive motions and occasionally requires standing, walking and using hands to finger, handle or feel;
• work has standard vision requirements; vocal communication is required for expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word;
• hearing is required to perceive information at normal spoken word levels; work requires preparing and analyzing written or computer data, using of measuring devices, operating motor vehicles or equipment and observing general surroundings and activities;

work occasionally requires exposure to outdoor weather conditions; work is generally in a moderately noisy location (e.g.

business office, light traffic).

Minimum Qualifications

Education and Experience

Bachelor's degree with coursework in planning, geography, or related field and moderate experience in municipal planning, or equivalent combination of education and experience.

Special Requirements

Must have a valid driver's license.

Supplemental Information

Note : In accordance with State mandates and the Rockingham County Emergency Operations Plan, Rockingham County Health and Human Services staff from the Divisions of Social Services, Public Health and Integrated Health are required to staff emergency shelters during times of disaster.

Please be advised that every staff person is eligible to be assigned to an emergency shelter or Emergency Operations Center.

J-18808-Ljbffr