Salary: $79,908.00 – $101,052.00 Annually
Location: 435 Martin St, Blaine
Job Type: Full-Time
Job Number: 202300017
Department: Community Development Services
Division: Planning
Opening Date: 01/09/2024
Closing Date: 2/9/2024 4:30 PM Pacific
Bargaining Unit: IAM

Learn more about this position and apply today at City of Blaine’s Government Job page.

Job Description:

Under the general direction of the Director of Community Development Services, the Senior Planner holds a high-profile position within a collaborative work team that performs a broad range of professional planning and community development functions. General responsibilities include assisting the community with both legislative and current planning land use decisions; reviewing permits for all applications submitted to the City; managing the City’s ongoing permit review system; and providing staff assistance to the Planning Commission. Work is characterized by excellent customer service; an expectation of coaching and leadership to fellow team members; and maintenance of professionalism and poise in a variety of situations. 

Essential Job Duties:

  1. Independently performs and leads professional level planning activities and assists in the formulation of departmental goals and objectives, interprets and prepares planning studies, reports, and recommendations.
  2. Resolves complex planning and permitting issues that have broad potential impact and may involve competing interests, multiple clients, conflicting rules or practices, a range of possible solutions or other elements that contribute to complexity.
  3. Assists with day-to-day implementation of the City’s land use and other development codes while employing expertise, credibility, and effective partnering to help clients identify, evaluate, and resolve complex or sensitive issues, problems, and service needs.
  4. Provides customer service, inter-departmental service, and in-depth management of land/development permits and serves as the primary point of contact on assigned projects; Interprets and explains complex rules, policies, and operating procedures, and develops solutions and/or recommendations.
  5. Reviews residential and commercial building permits, pre-application requests, code enforcement violation notices and land-use discretionary applications; Prepares staff reports, monitors project review timelines, seeks expertise outside of the Community Development Services department as necessary and communicates with project stakeholders to resolve issues.
  6. Coordinates Community Development Services Department public meetings by scheduling, noticing, setting agendas, testifying, and presenting complex data and ideas in non-technical ways and attends evening and weekend meetings as required.
  7. Serves as SEPA Official, Shoreline Administrator, Critical Areas Administrator and/or Zoning Administrator as designated by the Director and represents the city for applications on appeal to the Hearing Examiner or Superior Court.
  8. Assists with and participates in community planning initiatives to include but not limited to comprehensive planning, capital facilities planning, citywide planning polices, legislative code updates, transportation planning and shoreline management planning.
  9. Coordinates assigned work within the department, other departments, other agencies, and consultants, and reviews technical work products of same.
  10. Excel at helping the customer navigate through complex or sensitive issues, advising on best practices and important trends while identify resources and potential solutions that are practical and effective, understanding when, where and how to implement those options.
  11. Use information in clear and rational thought process to assess and understand issues, evaluate options, form accurate conclusions, and make decisions regarding actions to be taken.
  12. Performs other work as assigned that may not be specifically listed in the position description but is within the general occupational grade and responsibility level typically associated with the employee’s classification.

Qualifications:

Education and/or Experience:

  • Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited college or university with course work in Planning, Environmental Design, Public Policy/Administration, Geography, Urban Design, or related field.
  • Minimum of four (4) years of planning experience. 
  • Certification by the American Institute of Certified Planners is preferred. 
  • Equivalent combinations of education and experience that provide the incumbent with the necessary qualifications may be considered.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

  • Knowledge of principles and techniques of City planning, zoning and permit review processes including the ability to translate land use law into an efficient and user-friendly land use permit system.
  • Knowledge of State subdivision regulations.
  • Knowledge of site development fundamentals and records management.
  • Knowledge of and/or familiarity with State Growth Management Act, State Environmental Policy Act, and Shoreline Management Act.
  • Strong planning and organizational skills, including facilitating, problem solving, and decision making.
  • Ability to plan, manage, monitor and meet deadlines while working on multiple projects at any given time. 
  • Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with professionals, public officials, employees, and the public. Requires the ability to interact with people beyond giving and receiving instructions. Must be adaptable to performing under stress and when confronted with persons acting under stress.
  • Ability to communicate effectively, including orally, in writing, and with visual media, in clear, concise language appropriate for the purpose and parties addressed. Use tact, discretion and courtesy to gain the cooperation of, and establish and maintain effective working relationships with public officials, consultants, vendors, co-workers, other departments, and diverse members of the public. Work independently or cooperatively as a team member.
  • Ability to work with MS Office products including Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook.
  • Knowledge of and/or familiarity with GIS. Proficiency with GIS preferred. 
  • Ability to recognize and analyze problems and develop and recommend changes to deal with those problems.
  • Ability to read, analyze, and interpret general business periodicals, professional journals, technical procedures, and governmental regulations. 

Licenses/Certificates/Registration:

  • Possess a valid State of Washington Driver’s License and appropriate insurance at the time of hire for work-related travel and operation of city vehicle. Driving record free of any significant moving violations.
  • Pass appropriate background checks.