Senior Planner (Project Management)

JOB SUMMARY
Under general supervision of the Director of Development Services, this advanced level planner position performs professional level work in the field of advanced technical planning, research, analysis, and public conveyance of planning, zoning, general plan and land use development issues.

SUPERVISION EXERCISED
This position may provide direction to and monitor the work of lower level staff.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

Recommends interpretations of City regulations and various ordinances, codes, and applicable laws to ensure compliance. Manages annexation, zoning, specific use permit (SUP), plat, civil (construction) plan, and site plan applications, including reviewing plans, preparing and distributing staff review comments, processing and distributing resubmittals, coordinating and communicating with applicants, and preparing staff reports, particularly for major projects. Presents all development cases and other items to the Planning & Zoning Commission, Zoning Board of Adjustments, and City Council.
Conducts, participates in, and leads pre-application meetings and development review committee (DRC) meetings; performs consistent review and evaluation of plans being implemented, and monitors project progress, compliance, and completion.
Meets with local residents, businesses, developers, and development professionals in pre- development meetings, pre-construction meetings, and other meetings to discuss development proposals, site challenges, or regulations and processes, as needed.
Coordinates with the Fire Department, Public Works Department, the City Manager's Office, the Economic Development Corporation, and other departments as needed on the review of development applications and proposals through the Development Review Committee.
Supervises the work of the Planner on development applications for smaller projects, as well as their work in handling Zoning Board of Adjustments cases.
Works with the City Manager's office, City Attorney, and developers and their attorneys and engineers in the review and processing of development agreements. Works with the City Engineer, City Attorney, and developers and their attorneys and engineers in the review and processing of facilities agreements.
Coordinates with the City Engineer, Public Works, and City Manager's office in conducting early grading meetings and pre-construction meetings with developers and their construction teams.
Works with the Planner to prepare and distribute agenda packets for Planning & Zoning Commission and Zoning Board of Adjustments meetings. Works with the Planner and Building Official to prepare and distribute agenda packets for Building Standards Commission meetings. Works with the City Secretary, City Attorney, and City Manager's Office to prepare items for inclusion in City Council agenda
Works closely with the Economic Development Director on commercial and industrial development activities, including revising City regulations to meet current market needs, reviewing façade improvement grant applications, sub-area planning, and providing other support to facilitate the attraction of new businesses and the retention of existing businesses.
Works with the City Manager's Office, Finance Director, City Attorney, financial consultants, developers, and developers' attorneys and financial consultants in the review of Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone (TIRZ) and Public Improvement District (PID) proposals, plans, and documents.
Assists in the maintenance of City zoning, plat, agreement, permit, and inspection records.

Works with the Planner and City Secretary to ensure all required legal notices for public hearings for development cases are prepared and distributed; that all signatures are obtained on all legal documents; and that all plats, documents, and other agreements that are required to be filed in the County land records are done so in accordance with law and best practices.
Remains current on relevant laws affecting development regulations and makes recommendations for updates, amendments, and rewrites of zoning and subdivision regulations, as needed.
Works on long-range planning initiatives, including sub-area planning, comprehensive planning, special projects, and updates to maps as needed.
Works with the City Manager's office, Public Works, and the City Engineer on parks & trails planning, parks and trails projects, and facilities planning.
Answers, responds to, and manages development and zoning inquiries, requests, and complaints from the general public; handles and works to resolve issues that require a higher level of authority.
Researches and stays current with all state and national planning practices, laws, and AICP standards; makes and recommends changes to policies, practices, and protocols for the success of short and long-range planning and Development Services activities.
Manages ETJ planning/platting review and enforcement, including coordination with County Development Services, Fire Marshal's office, and Environmental Enforcement staff on development in and around the ETJ.
Coordinates with the Planner and the County's 911 GIS Addressing division on addresses and street names in the City.
Serves as a direct liaison to the Planning and Zoning Commission and Zoning Board of Adjustments.
Prepares and updates maps and databases, maintains inventories of development projects, maintains housing/population counts and projections, and gives presentations on development-related matters to City Boards & Commissions, City Council, local organizations, and other groups as needed.
Performs other duties as assigned.

EDUCATION, DEGREES, CERTIFICATES AND/OR LICENSES
Experience:

At least 3-5 years in increasingly responsible experience in municipal and urban planning and plan review, architecture, engineering, or landscape and design, with a preference for some supervisory experience; OR an equivalent combination of education, training, and experience that meets the needs of the position.

Education:

Bachelor's Degree in Planning, Architecture, Geography, or related field, Master's Degree preferred.

License/Certificate:

A valid Driver's License is required. American Institute of Certified Planners, AICP Certification preferred.

KNOWLEDGE AND ABILITIES
Knowledge of:

City organization, operations, policies, and procedures.
General purposes and techniques of planning, zoning, and land use development.
Inspections, Code Enforcement, and general engineering.
Local, state, and federal codes and ordinances.
GIS software applications and file management procedures.
Customer service practices and methods.
Computer and software applications, including but not limited to Microsoft Office products (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, etc.) and Adobe Acrobat and Creative Suite products.
Virtual meeting applications including Microsoft Teams and Zoom.
Agenda and website portals such as CivicPlus.
Permitting and plan review portals, such as myGov, Accela, Avolve ProjectDox, and BlueBeam.
File-sharing systems, such as Dropbox.
Budgeting applications, such as OpenGov.

Skill In:

Reading, interpreting, and explaining laws and regulations.
Plan review and engineering.
Collecting, tabulating, organizing, evaluating, analyzing and presenting data and information.
Interpreting legal records, technical documents, and map specifications.
Interpreting and applying department standards and City policies.
Assessing and prioritizing multiple tasks, projects and demands.
Establishing and maintaining effective working relationships.
Communicating effectively both verbally and in writing.

WORKING CONDITIONS
Work is performed in a standard office environment with some work done in the field traversing uneven terrain. Frequent walking is required while conducting assessments.



The City of Kaufman, Texas is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We prohibit discrimination and harassment of any kind based on race, color, sex, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, genetic information, pregnancy, or any other protected characteristic as outlined by federal, state, or local laws