Planner

The Office of Equitable Development (OED), an office located within Department of Planning & Development Review (PDR) that works cross city departments to develop planning policy and implement the comprehensive plan is hiring for the position of Planner.

The selected applicant will be an integral part of implementing the Richmond 300 Master Plan, and updates to the City's land use ordinances, leading and managing area-wide rezonings and the development of Small Area Plans. The selected candidate will be the lead on Department projects that will require the coordination of multiple City agencies and disciplines.

• Leading City-initiated updates to the Zoning Ordinance and Map for areas of the City where the existing zoning is outdated and not in compliance with the City's Master Plan recommendations, and when funded, leading the comprehensive rewrite of the Zoning Ordinance. 
• Leading and/or assisting with the creation of Small Area Plans.
• Managing planning processes and implementing expansive engagement strategies including coordination of contractors and consultants, interdisciplinary staff, stakeholders and representatives from outside organizations. 
• Analyzing, preparing, developing and presenting ordinances, plans and projects to City Council, boards and commissions. 
• Conducting research and analysis on land use and development topics using ArcGIS, Excel and other software tools and summarizing findings in reports using PowerPoint, Word, the Adobe Creative Suite, and other reporting and presentation tools. 
• Evaluating and helping draft capital improvement proposals affecting the City of Richmond's long-range Richmond 300 Master Plan. 
• Serving on various planning teams and working on various projects and issues, including environment, transportation, land use, development and real estate; 
• Representing the City and the department on internal and external committees, boards and working groups; 
• Communicating on an ongoing basis with neighborhood groups, City staff, citizens and the private and public development community around planning and development issues. 

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:

Knowledge (some combination of the following):

• Basic knowledge in rezoning and special use permit processes
• Plan of Development Review Process and Subdivision Review Process
• Proficiency in developing community plans, corridor plans, comprehensive plans, and/or housing plans
• Understanding of the real estate development process from entitlement to financing and construction administration and permitting
• Using software to make graphically pleasing and easy to understand maps, graphs, charts, and report layouts 
• Knowledge of form-based codes and the latest trends in zoning ordinances 
• General knowledge of: urban planning and design; federal preservation laws and regulations; preservation planning; zoning ordinances; historic preservation principles; master planning; traditional neighborhood development; transportation planning; ordinance preparation; land title surveying; and engineering principles
• Expertise with some  combination of the following computer programs: Microsoft Office Suite; Energov; Legistar; Blue Beam; SharePoint; word processing programs; AutoCAD; SketchUp; ArcGIS; and Adobe Creative Suite (i.e. InDesign, Illustrator, and Photoshop).

Skills (some combination of the following):

• Providing excellent customer service, including dealing with unhappy customers
• Being a clear and effective facilitator, including public speaking skills and defending recommendations/positions
• Managing databases
• Composing documents
• Negotiating and balancing the needs of citizens with economic demands, health and human service needs, goals of private corporations, and land use regulations
• Preparing documentation according to state and federal standards
• Conducting research
• Reading and understanding building plans
• Leading effective meetings
• Conducting site inspections

Abilities (some combination of the following):

• Analyze information
• Learn new programs quickly
• Communicate planning and local government policy issues to a range of audiences
• Interact and work with different groups of people
• Undertake complex projects with multiple deadlines and stakeholders
• Adapt to unique variables (i.e. physical, regulatory, political)
   
  

MINIMUM TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE:

• Bachelor's degree in urban planning, civil or environmental engineering, landscape architecture, or a related field
• Three years of experience or an equivalent amount of graduate level training.
• An equivalent combination of training and experience (as approved by the department) may be used to meet the minimum qualifications of the classification

 
 
LICENSING, CERTIFICATIONS, and/or OTHER SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:

• None required

Preferred Qualifications:

• Over five years of experience and a Master's degree in urban planning, architecture, landscape architecture, urban design or historic preservation; 
• Direct experience in the preparation of Small Area Plans and writing zoning ordinances; 
• Demonstrated experience working in current planning, zoning, and with boards and commissions; 
• Experience working in an urban environment; 
• Excellent public presentation, leadership, time management and organizational skills; 
• Significant experience with code development, Traditional Neighborhood Development (TND), new urbanism and both downtown and neighborhood revitalization techniques;
• Demonstrated experience in Arc-GIS, SketchUp, InDesign, Illustrator, and graphics packages; and
• Certified planner with AICP credentials.

Salary : $47,640 - $85,540