ASSISTANT PLANNING DIRECTOR
POSITION: Assistant Planning Director
DEPARTMENT: Planning & Zoning Department
SUPERVISOR: Planning Director
LOCATION: John R. Watson Community Resource Center, Harbor Springs
RATE OF PAY: $56,768 – $63,595 annually
POSITION SUMMARY:
The Assistant Planning Director works under the general supervision of the Planning Director, becoming involved in all phases of the department’s operations, commensurate with the education, skill and particular specialty of the individual employed in the position. The position includes close involvement with the administration of the County Zoning Ordinance and implementation of the County Master Plan.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES:
The position entails assistance to the Planning Office for the following principal department functions:
• Assist in the daily administration of the County Zoning Ordinance
• Be able to process zoning permit and zoning action applications
• Assist in administration of the Planning Commission and Zoning Board of Appeals
• Assist in preparing legal notices and zoning cases for public hearings and reviews
• Perform Zoning Ordinance enforcement responsibilities as may be required under the direction of the Zoning Administrator
• Write proposed zoning ordinance text amendments and prepare illustrations for proposed text and map changes
• Attend Planning Commission and Zoning Board of Appeals night meetings monthly
• Prepare zoning evaluation reports, visual aids, and research case facts to facilitate decisions, and present materials
• Be able to read property legal descriptions
• Coordinate review efforts with related agencies
• Assist with meeting minutes
• Assist in the preparation of the County Master Plan, updated every five years, to remain compliant with the Michigan Planning Enabling Act
• Conduct studies, and/or special research and design work related to the planning function in the County
• Assist in the preparation of the Emmet County Recreation Plan, updated every five years, to remain eligible for grant funding
• Perform research and prepare sub area plans or special project plans, such as highway corridors, trail ways, greenways, commercial centers, industrial parks, etc. as needed
• Administer the County Brownfield Redevelopment Authority
• Answer inquiries from the public regarding planning and zoning issues
• Assist with field inspections as a follow-up to approved site plans, zoning changes and Special Use Permit requests
• Attend public meetings as necessary
• Coordinate planning and zoning educational activities for planning commissions, zoning boards of appeals, and others
• Attend continuing education programs, to remain current with planning techniques, laws, and retain credentials
• Assist in maintaining communication with private, government, non-profit agencies and media in order to be poised to work cooperatively and efficiently on planning projects
• Assist the Director with economic development projects and be able to answer public inquiries and work with Federal and State offices responsible for economic development
• Assist with writing grants to further projects in community planning, recreation, housing, economic development and related. Able to administer approved grant projects
• Able to take full responsibility for administering the Planning Department in the absence of the director
• Other duties as may be assigned by the Planning Director
• Perform work safely
DESIRED BEHAVIORAL TRAITS:
• Must be a self-starter and independent worker while providing and receiving input from other team members
• Must possess a positive attitude
• Must remain professional and calm in stressful situations
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, & ABILITIES:
• Knowledge of Emmet County policies, ordinances, and land-use processes to be able to answer inquiries from the public accurately and confidently
• Working knowledge of land use and recreation grant and proposal writing and grant administration
• Must be able to multi-task yet be organized and detail-oriented
• Must be a good listener and clear communicator, with the ability to provide written and oral reports
• Computer literacy and familiarity with word processing, GIS, and other software applications
• Working knowledge of planning and zoning principles
• Ability to work with the public in a professional manner
• Able to effectively handle and cope with stress from many sources
• Ability to attend to details while keeping the community goals in mind
EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE:
• The Assistant Planning Director should hold a degree in land use planning or in a related planning field from an accredited planning school, or have a minimum of 6 years’ experience in a combination of a planning, zoning or ordinance enforcement field
• Candidate must have the ability to attain AICP certification within 3 years
• Additional related fields include, but are not necessarily limited to GIS, natural sciences, engineering, architecture, or landscape architecture
• Communication skills, writing, and an ability to work with the public are important qualifications
• Preference will be given to candidates with land use planning experience.
The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work performed by employees assigned this classification. They are not to be construed as an exhaustive list of all job duties performed by personnel so classified.