Senior Planner - Department of Planning and Development

Salary : $114,050.56 - $138,014.24 Annually
Location : San Jose Metropolitan Area, CA
Job Type: Full-Time
Job Number: 25-L83-A
Department: Department of Planning and Development Services
Opening Date: 02/17/2025
Closing Date: 3/11/2025 11:59 PM Pacific
Bargaining Unit: 01

Description

The Department of Planning and Development is currently recruiting for two (2) Senior Planner vacancies:

This Senior Planner will play a crucial role in reviewing complex professional-level tasks related to land use and planning laws, zoning, housing, discretionary entitlements with associated report writing for consideration by the County Zoning Administrator and/or Planning Commission, and the review of building permits and environmental analysis under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). The Senior Planner will also serve as the lead on assigned projects, which may include overseeing a number of programs (examples include: County General Plan & Housing Element, Surface Mining and Reclamation Act, Santa Clara Valley Ag Plan, and Habitat Plan) and works independently, assuming responsibility for more complex projects (such as Stanford master planning), and must be resourceful and responsive to specialized assignments from Executive Management or the Board of Supervisors. The Senior Planner may also be responsible for reviewing development and parcel maps/subdivision proposals, as well as building plans, and permits. The County will be embarking upon a comprehensive General Plan Update, and other various vision plans and may be expected to oversee and manage these efforts. The County also processes large and complex private development applications for large private institutional uses, new quarries, places of worship and agricultural processing campuses. A Senior Planner with areas of expertise related to long-range/comprehensive planning and/or major project development processing experience, coupled with strong CEQA experience is desired.
In addition to meeting the employment standards for a Senior Planner, candidates must possess in-depth knowledge and working experience in two (2) or more of the following areas:

• Preparing advanced California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) documents (e.g., Initial Studies, Mitigated Negative Declarations, Environmental Impact Reports).

• Experience in complex medium- to large-scale development entitlement projects such as campus planning, industrial, commercial, housing, agricultural housing or processing developments, or similar projects requiring advanced CEQA processing, staff report writing, data management and analysis, public outreach and public hearings.
• Experience in the management of CEQA and technical consultants, including meeting coordination, reviewing work products, and contracting/billing. Experience in managing consultants to ensure the project is completed within the approved timeline and budget with the proper deliverable is required.
• General requirements of the Surface Mining and Reclamation Act (SMARA), preparation of annual surface mining inspection reports, and review and approval of Financial Assurance Cost Estimate (FACE), Reclamation Plans, and Mining Plans (desired, not required).
• Analytical understanding of State laws and regulations impacting land use and local government, with directly related work products that include major ordinance revisions and creation and processing of new programs. This would include preparation of professional staff reports of summarized data, conclusions and recommendations.
• Have conducted as a lead project manager or co-project manager long-range, comprehensive planning projects; e.g., general plan updates, major zoning ordinance amendments, specific plans, vision plans, etc., with working knowledge of the principals and practices of such working documents.
• Agricultural Permitting Ally: General requirements of building permit processing, resolving code violations, and maintaining compliance with land use and building codes and standards as it relates to agricultural worker housing and other agricultural-specific permitting.

Under limited direction, to provide service to the public and permit applicants, to coordinate the review and analysis of development applications for cities, agencies and other county departments, to conduct planning studies, feasibility studies, master plans and concept plans, to research and analyze planning data, to make policy, ordinance and program recommendations, and to administer zoning, planning or parks and recreation development programs. The Senior Planner will be working for the Department of Planning and Development.
Typical Tasks

• Provides advanced level customer support for the preparation and processing of moderate to major development applications, re-zonings and plan amendments;
• Serves as a project manager for the preparation and review of master plans, concept plans, feasibility studies, development applications, zoning and plan amendments and annexations, and other planning-related documents by leading the process, supervising professional and technical staff, establishing procedures, setting goals, and assuming responsibility for the final outcomes;
• Supervises consultants and negotiates, executes and administers third-party consultant contracts, including fiscal controls such as budget tracking and verification of invoices;
• Serves as a program manager for a specialized portion of the planning program such as zoning administration, architectural review, Stanford administration, surface mining, historic resources, agriculture and park and open space related projects, and airport land use;
• Develops and manages complex planning studies, master plans, concept plans or feasibility studies and reports on topics, such as land use, housing, historic resources, environmental impacts and economic development, in support of new or updated plan policies, regulations or programs;
• Performs field inspections to gather data relevant to planning projects and the development review process, to verify that development projects comply with approved plans or to initiate actions necessary to correct violations of regulations or project conditions;
• Enters development permit information and permit process workflow data in a central database;
• Abstracts information from aerial photographs, subdivision maps, census reports, building permits, etc., for analysis in planning studies;
• Analyzes geographic information systems data and creates maps;
• Prepares plans, maps, graphs and other visual aids;
• Leads or serves on advisory committees or boards such as Bay Trail, Bay Area Ridge Trail Council South County Committee or zoning decision-making bodies, schedules and conducts meetings, assists elected officials and their staff with planning matters and constituent concerns;
• Prepares or manages personnel who prepare environmental documents in compliance with environmental laws such as the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) or the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA);
• Conducts in-depth property specific research including the review of deeds and other legal documents;
• Prepares recommendations and presents detailed written and oral reports on complex development applications, standards, zoning ordinances, General Plan amendments or local or regional planning initiatives to decision-making bodies such as Board of Supervisors, Parks and Recreation Commission, Planning Commission, Airport Land Use Commission, Historical Heritage Commission, Housing, Land Use, Environment and Transportation Committee, and San Martin Planning Advisory Committee;
• Assists in the training and supervision of subordinate staff; Analyzes and reviews complex land development applications, site plans and building permit applications for completeness and conformance with policies, ordinances, master plans, concept plans, County General Plan, conditions of approval, and State and Federal regulations, prepares conditions of approval where necessary, and takes discretionary action on certain land development projects that reviewed at the staff level, making required findings;
• Prepares and delivers presentations to community organizations, clubs, planning seminars, homeowners groups, etc.;
• Participates in meetings, conferences and workshops at local, regional and state levels;
• Assists in the administration of a functional unit;
• Conducts advanced outreach to community organizations, government agencies, developers and the public to encourage participation, resolve problems or obtain input;
• Answers inquiries and provides general information to the public regarding land use projects, permitting procedures, development policies, plans, zoning ordinances and other regulations;
• Provides information to the public regarding the permitting and development review requirements of other County departments such as Fire Marshal's Office, Environmental Health, Land Development Engineering, Geology, Roads and Airports, and Building, and County programs such as Williamson Act, Historic Preservation, and the Santa Clara Valley Habitat Plan;
• Resolves issues and complaints from the public or neighbors and permit applicants;
• Attends evening meetings;
• May be assigned as a Disaster Service Worker, as required;
• Performs related work as required.

Employment Standards

Possession of a Bachelor's degree from an accredited college with a major in planning, architecture, engineering, landscape architecture, natural resources, social science or related field;
-AND -
Three (3) years of professional planning experience. A Master's degree in planning may be substituted for two (2) years of the required experience. A Master's degree in a closely related field may be substituted for one (1) year of the required experience.

Possession of a valid California Driver's License prior to appointment and the ability to qualify for and maintain a County Driver's Permit.

Possession of license, registration or certification in a related field, such as American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP), is desirable.

Knowledge of:

• Principles, practices and legal requirements of planning and zoning administration;
• Environmental protection regulations such as California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), Clean Water Act, National Historic Preservation Act, and Endangered Species Act;
• State and local laws pertaining to land use such as Williamson Act, Historic Preservation Program, and Santa Clara Valley Habitat Plan;
• Relationship of land use planning to the requirements of other County departments such as Fire Marshal's Office, Environmental Health, Land Development Engineering, Geology, Roads and Airports, and Building;
• Principles of effective customer service;
• Statistics and math applicable to planning and property development;
• Planning implications to the community's physical, economic, and social characteristics;
• Environmental impacts and property development and construction practices;
• Governmental organizations and operations and community interrelationships;
• Advanced research, report writing and presentation techniques;
• Common computer applications such as word processing, spreadsheet, database management, internet, econometric or transportation modeling, and geographic information systems.

Ability to:

• Review project descriptions, plans or field conditions and apply policy and code provisions to determine performance;
• Interpret the zoning ordinance and other policy documents;
• Organize and conduct planning studies including supervising the work of others;
• Prepare and present complex staff reports, planning studies, policies and ordinance to the public and decision-making bodies;
• Conduct analysis and make recommendations based on findings in studies, field observation and public input;
• Efficiently administer planning policies, ordinances and permit processes;
• Build relationships and work respectfully, tactfully and creatively with the public, agencies and staff;
• Provide effective project management and staff leadership;
• Manage multiple projects and issues effectively and meet firm deadlines;
• Facilitate large meetings and community workshops.

The County offers comprehensive first-class medical, dental, and vision benefits plans for County employees and their dependents, including plans with no deductibles, no co-pays, no co-insurance, and no prescription drug co-pays. Learn more

The County also offers generous paid time off with significant vacation, sick time, and 13 paid County holidays annually! Details are included in the with the bargaining unit applicable to the job classification.

In addition to the amazing perks above, the County also offers the additional benefits below.

Retirement Benefits
The County offers robust retirement plans including a (similar to the private sector's 401(k) plan) and the In addition to lifetime retirement income available through the CalPERS pension plan, the 457(b) Deferred Compensation plan provides a great way to save for retirement and supplement the defined benefit pension available to employees. These plans help our employees build a plan for their future and contribute to their family's long-term financial well-being.

Health Flexible Spending Account
The empowers employees to manage healthcare expenses efficiently with tax-free contributions (up to $3,200 for the 2024 calendar year). Secure tax-free solutions for your healthcare expenses and enjoy the flexibility to manage your healthcare finances effectively with the HFSA.

Dependent Care Assistance Program (DCAP)
The enables employees to utilize tax-free funds for dependent care services, facilitating a convenient and cost-effective approach for managing your dependent care expenses. The County also offers the , an employer-funded DCAP, for employees with annual income under $120,000.

Life and AD&D
The County offers life and disability benefits including , Insurance, These benefits ensure financial security and income support when you and your family need it most.

Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
The County prioritizes employee mental health and well-being and offers a top-tier through Concern providing confidential counseling sessions covering stress, anxiety, relationships, grief, as well as financial/legal services, personal coaching, child and elder care referrals, and comprehensive crisis support.

Employee Wellness
The offers free wellness programing, fitness classes and resources; including Elevate My Wellness an all-in-one platform designed to elevate your well-being journey.

Education Reimbursement
A generous program is available, including Education Reimbursement for employees seeking additional training and professional development.

NOTE: Benefit and Retirement information may vary from bargaining unit to bargaining unit. Due to changes in State Law, current pension provisions described in the union contracts are not automatically applied. Specific pension benefits for new hires who start on or after January 1, 2013 may be different than indicated in the union contracts.

Click here to access all Memoranda of Understanding and most recent Summary of Changes.
01

Please answer the following questions. Completion of the following supplemental questions is REQUIRED and is an integral part of the evaluation process. Initially, it will be used to determine minimum qualifications. For those applicants meeting the employment standards, this information will be critical in the subsequent competitive assessment to identify those candidates to be invited to continue in the examination process. Your responses to the questions may also be reviewed and scored in a Competitive Rating evaluation process based on pre-determined rating criteria. Your answers should be as complete as possible, as no additional information will be accepted from applicants once the Competitive Rating evaluation has begun. A response of "see resume" or "see application" will deem your application incomplete. Do you understand the requirement to provide complete answers in order to determine relevant experience for each area in question?

• Yes
• No

02

Please indicate if you possess a Bachelor's Degree or higher from an accredited college or university in any of the following fields.

• Architecture
• Engineering
• Landscape Architecture
• Natural Resources
• Planning
• Social Science
• Other related field
• None of the above

03

If you selected made a selection in the previous question, please provide the degree level and the school attended. If you selected "Other related field" in the question above, indicate the degree level, major or field of study, and school attended. If not applicable, type N/A.
04

How many years of professional planning experience do you possess?

• No experience
• Less than one year
• One to less than two years
• Two to less than three years
• Three to less than four years
• Four to less than five years
• Five to less than six years
• Six to less than seven years
• Seven to less than eight years
• Eight to less than nine years
• Nine to less than ten years
• More than ten years

05

Describe your professional planning experience. Be detailed and specific in your response. Include the name of employer(s), job title(s), dates of employment, number of hours worked per week, and job duties. If no experience, type N/A.
06

Select the areas you possess experience in preparing reports (select all that apply):

• Development Applications
• Zoning Amendments
• General Plan or Housing Element Updates (Such as Lead Project Manager)
• Surface Mining and Reclamation Act Management
• Master Plan Preparation for Large Campus (Example: University, Major Agricultural Processing)

07

Describe your experience preparing reports in the areas you selected in the previous question. Be detailed and specific in your response. Include the name of employer(s), job title(s), dates of employment, number of hours worked per week, and job duties. If no experience, type N/A.
08

Do you have direct experience in managing a large, controversial project (and technical consultants) that required an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) through the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) through the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), staff report writing, data management and analysis, public outreach and public hearings?

• Yes
• No

09

If you responded "Yes" to the previous question, describe your role (lead project manager, focus area or support) and specific responsibilities, along with a brief description (5 sentences) of the scope of the project. Examples of projects include, but are not limited to, private institutional developments, industrial, commercial and/or agricultural processing developments, and/or housing or agricultural worker housing projects.Please also describe whether you oversaw the EIR from the preparation of a Draft EIR through completion of a Final EIR. If no experience, indicate N/A.
10

Do you have experience or knowledge relating to the general requirements of the Surface Mining and Reclamation Act? Examples of related tasks include preparation of annual surface mining inspection reports; review and approval of Financial Assurance Cost Estimate (FACE), Reclamation Plans, and Mining Plans.

• Yes
• No

11

If you responded "Yes" to the previous question, describe your experience and level of involvement. Be detailed and specific in your response. Include the name of employer(s), job title(s), dates of employment, number of hours worked per week, and job duties. If no experience, type N/A.
12

Do you have direct experience in interpreting State laws and regulations impacting land use and local government and creating or updating a General Plan, ordinance, or another comprehensive long-range planning document?

• Yes
• No

13

If you responded "Yes" to the previous question, describe your experience and level of involvement. Be detailed and specific in your response. Include the name of employer(s), job title(s), dates of employment, number of hours worked per week, and job duties. If no experience, type N/A.
14

How did you find out about this job?

• Contacted by County Recruiter
• Contacted by a Recruitment Firm
• County Employee Referral
• County of Santa Clara Career Website
• County of Santa Clara Job Interests Email Notification
• Facebook
• Instagram
• LinkedIn
• Indeed
• Virtual Job Fair
• In Person Job Fair
• In-Person Networking Professional Event
• Virtual Networking Event
• Community Event
• Glassdoor
• Governmentjobs.com
• Professional Association
• Search Engine (Google, Bing, online search, etc.)
• Hospital Website: SCVMC, O'Connor Hospital, St. Louise Regional Hospital Website
• Handshake
• Student Career Center
• County Text Message
• Other (Specify in the next question)

15

If you selected an event/fair or other in the question above, please specify. If not, type N/A.
Required Question