Assistant/Associate Planner at County of Riverside in Riverside, California

Job Description:

ABOUT THE POSITION

A list of eligible candidates will be established to fill current and future vacancies.

The Riverside County's TLMA Planning Department has multiple opportunities for an Assistant/Associate Planner, that will be located in Riverside. This position is akin to the Assistant/Associate Planner level with most cities, and will be responsible for performing all aspects of project management, technical analysis, and public presentations primarily related to the current development projects, housing programs, community plans, and other various County ordinances. Differences between the Assistant and Associate positions are primarily related to the complexity of assigned tasks, and the degree of autonomy afforded in their completion.

The incumbent will participating in implementation of goals, objectives, policies, and priorities of the Planning Department; participating in zoning administration and application to a variety of projects, including providing technical assistance to the public by phone, email and at the public counter; attending meetings of the Planning Commission and/or Board of Supervisors as required; making presentations to the Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors as required; coordinating environmental review for assigned projects; establishing good working relationships and working cooperatively with all County departments; and other duties as assigned.

Competitive candidates will possess k nowledge of Land use planning, principles, methods and procedures applicable to land use planning activities; the physical, social, environmental and economic implications of land use planning; local, State and Federal legislation governing land use development and planning activities; ability to work in a team environment; proficient with MS Office programs; strong writing skills; ability to plan, organize and carry out assigned work independently; conduct research, collect and analyze data, generate and evaluate alternatives, reach logical conclusions and formulate consistent recommendations; compose well written and thorough project reports and recommendations; provide oral presentations to community groups and government bodies; work effectively with the general public, community, government board and commissions; interpret and apply laws and regulations pertaining to planning projects and cases.

The level at which the position will be filled is at the Department's discretion and is contingent upon the candidate's experience, qualifications, and educational attainment.

Meet the Team!

The Planning Department is responsible for Riverside County General Plan, a comprehensive long-range plan intended to guide the growth and development of unincorporated areas within the County. This department formulates growth management plans and zoning for the County.

EXAMPLES OF ESSENTIAL DUTIES
ASSISTANT PLANNER • Conduct less complicated studies necessary to meet urban/regional planning objectives for social, physical, environmental, economic, and/or governmental resources, by researching, compiling, synthesizing, analyzing, and interpreting information and data, either in the course of routine work (e.g., processing development applications), or for purposes that are described in a specific assignment (e.g., assisting in the preparation of developmental policy guidelines or to support higher level planning staff assigned to prepare sections of the general plan and area plans), the results of which are submitted for review and acceptance by a project lead worker or supervisor, and may be consolidated with other research.

• Contact other parties (individuals, groups, sections, divisions, departments, and regional or state agencies) to discuss/review various technical or legal aspects of projects or programs (i.e., applications for zoning changes, conditional uses, variances, plot plan approvals, and subdivision approvals), which are generally not controversial or politically sensitive, in order to define problems and alternative solutions by guiding reviews for consistency with the general plan or other policy plans, compliance with local ordinances and regional and state requirements, and extent of environmental impact; or to exchange or clarify information used in developing regional plans, including analysis of existing plans and definition of areas for policy consideration and decision, using coordination efforts and/or a negotiation process to achieve the desired outcome, as part of the direction in an ongoing planning process.

• Accompany staff to property sites and surrounding areas to gather facts and conduct investigations of proposed project sites in order to have direct knowledge of the location or project under study. The incumbent will normally use a County vehicle to arrive at the site, and then may have to walk or use other means to access portions of the property as necessary to examine features requiring detailed evaluation; assignments could include direction to carry out specific tasks (i.e., record field notes or take photographs and other preparations to assist with related visual displays).

• Prepare written reports on less complex matters, used to communicate information, findings and recommendations (often as part of a decision-making process), by assembling pertinent facts in a directed format (e.g., public hearing case reports), with completed work subject to review by a supervisor.

• Make oral presentations as requested to governmental administrative and hearing bodies to explain and clarify planning reports and recommendations, with presentations supported by subject matter research and data consistent with the needs of the administrative/hearing body.

ASSOCIATE PLANNER

• Conduct studies necessary to meet urban/regional planning objectives for social, physical, environmental, economic, and/or governmental resources, by researching, compiling, synthesizing, analyzing, and interpreting information and data, either in the course of routine work (e.g., processing development applications), or for purposes that are described in a specific assignment (e.g., drafting parts of developmental policy guidelines or assigned sections of the general plan and area plans) the results of which are submitted for review and acceptance, or for consolidation by a supervisor.

• Contact other parties (individuals, groups, sections, divisions, departments, and regional or state agencies) to discuss review of various technical or legal aspects of projects or programs (i.e., applications for zoning changes, conditional uses, variances, plot plan approvals, and subdivision approvals), some of which may be controversial or politically sensitive, in order to define problems and alternative solutions, by guiding reviews for consistency with the general plan or other policy plans, compliance with local ordinances and regional and state requirements, and extent of environmental impact; or to exchange or clarify information used in developing regional plans, including analysis of existing plans and identification of deficiencies in policy or legal authority, and definition of areas for policy consideration and decision, using coordination efforts and/or a negotiation process to achieve the desired outcome, as part of the direction in an ongoing planning process.

• Make field trips to property sites and surrounding areas to gather facts and conduct investigations of proposed project sites, or in order to have direct knowledge of the location or project under study. Incumbents will normally use a County vehicle to arrive at the site and may have to walk or other means to access portions of the property as necessary to examine features requiring detailed evaluation; assignments could include direction to carry out specific tasks (i.e., record field notes or take photographs and other preparations to assist with related visual displays).

• Prepare written reports used to communicate information, findings and recommendations (often as part of a decision-making process), by assembling pertinent facts in a format adopted for the specific purpose (e.g., public hearing case reports), with completed work subject to review by a supervisor.

• Make oral presentations to public groups and governmental bodies to explain and clarify planning reports and recommendations, with presentations supported by subject matter research and data consistent with the needs of the forum or audience.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

ASSISTANT PLANNER
$33.22 - $46.29Hourly
$69,104.88 - $96,272.80 Annually

OPTION I
Education: Graduation from an accredited college or university with a bachelor's degree, preferably with a major in urban/regional planning, transportation planning, public administration, architecture, environmental science, geography (with related course concentration), landscape architecture, or a closely related field.

OPTION II
Certification by and full membership in the American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP).

OPTION III
Experience: Two years as a Land Use Technician I/II with Riverside County, of which at least one year must have been at the Land Use Technician II level.

ASSOCIATE PLANNER

$37.99 - $53.15 Hourly

$79,011.09 - $110,550.96 Annually

OPTION I One year of experience at the level of Assistant Planner with Riverside County. (Certification of qualifications by the Department Head may substitute for up to six months of the required experience.)

OPTION II Education: Graduation from an accredited college with a bachelor's degree, preferably with a major in urban/regional planning, transportation planning, public administration, architecture, environmental science, geography (with related course concentration), landscape architecture, or a closely related field.

Experience: Three years of professional environmental planning, land use planning and/or transportation planning experience which must have included performing one of the following kinds of planning activities associated with a planning agency: comprehensive, regional, area, or community planning; plan/proposal review; general plan amendments; zoning; land division; information services; urban renewal; planning administration or transportation planning. (A master's degree in planning may substitute for one year of the required experience. A master's degree in public administration, architecture, environmental science, geography (with related course concentration), landscape architecture, or a closely related field may substitute for six months of the required experience. No more than one master's degree may be used to substitute for the required experience.)

OPTION III Certification by and full membership in the American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP).

ALL OPTIONS Knowledge Skills and Abilities: An understanding of the organizational structure and jurisdiction of governmental agencies involved in the planning process and their interrelationship; knowledge of mandated General Plan elements and factors that must be considered in evaluating proposals for consistency with these elements.

Desired Qualifications:

• Strong writing skill

• Knowledge of State laws, guidelines, and local ordinances pertaining to planning and development. Knowledge of environmental protection regulations such as California Environmental Quality Act ("CEQA")

• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Publisher.

• Working understanding of thematic mapping tools such as ArcGIS.

• Certification by and full membership in the American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP).

Other Requirements

License/Certificate: Possession of a valid Class C California Driver's License is required at the time of employment.

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION

Application Deadline
Applications will be reviewed in the order in which they are received. Based on the number of applications received, this posting may close without notice.

Reasonable Accommodations
The County of Riverside is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to applicants as required by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA). Qualified individuals with disabilities who need a reasonable accommodation during the application or selection process should contact the recruiter for the position noted above. For additional information and/or to obtain the appropriate form for requesting a reasonable accommodation, please visit the Disability Access Office web page located at: http://dao.rc-hr.com/ .

Degree Verification:Prior to the closing date, upload a copy of any license(s), official/unofficial transcript(s), degrees, and/or related employment documents to your NeoGov account. If your education was completed outside of the United States, you will need to provide a copy of your Foreign Education Equivalency evaluation from a member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services( NACES ) or Association of International Credential Evaluators, Inc. ( AICE ).
***Prior to the closing date, upload a copy of your official/unofficial transcripts or Foreign Education Equivalency report. ***

Veterans' Preference
The County has a Veterans Preference Policy. Upload a copy of your (or your spouse's) Member-4 Form DD-214 (or NGB-22) indicating dates of service, and a copy of your spouse's letter of disability (if applicable) with your application. For privacy reasons, it is recommended that you remove your social security information from the document(s). A Human Resources Representative will review the materials and determine if you qualify for veterans' preference. See the policy here .

What's Next?
This recruitment is open to all applicants.

Applicants who are currently County of Riverside employees and/or current employees of the TLMA Planning Department may be considered before other applicants depending on the volume of the applications received.

Qualified applicants may be considered for future vacancies throughout the County.

Applications received prior to the closing date will be considered based on the information submitted. Changes or alterations cannot be accepted. No late applications will be permitted.

For specific questions regarding this position, contact the Ebelyn Skinner at eskinner@rivco.org.

BASED ON THE NUMBER OF APPLICATIONS RECEIVED, THIS POSTING MAY CLOSE WITHOUT NOTICE.

GENERAL APPLICATION INFORMATION:

Please read and follow any special application instructions on this posting. Click the 'Apply' link located on this page to submit your application. For instructions on the application process, examinations, Veteran's preference, pre-employment accommodation or other employment questions, please refer to our web site, www.rc-hr.com . A pre-employment physical examination and background check may be required.

MEDICAL/DENTAL/VISION INSURANCE: A choice of different medical, dental and visions plan are available to elect. The County provides a Flexible Benefit Credit contribution as governed by the applicable SEIU Memorandum of Understanding to contribute towards the cost of these plans.

Note: Employees on assignment through the Temporary Assignment Program (TAP) receive different benefits. See the list here .
MISCELLANEOUS RETIREMENT: County of Riverside has three retirement Tiers through the California Public Employees' Retirement System (CalPERS).

• 
  Tier I (Classic Member - Formula 3% @ 60): Applicable to current and former County of Riverside local miscellaneous employees hired prior to 08/24/2012 and did not withdraw CalPERS contributions. The employee contribution is eight (8%) percent.


• 
  Tier II (Classic Member - Formula 2% @ 60): Applicable to local miscellaneous employees 1) hired after 08/23/2012 through 12/31/2012; 2) Previously employed with another CalPERS contracting public agency or a reciprocal retirement system, with a break in service of less than six months between the separation date with the previous employer and the appointment date with the County of Riverside. The employee contribution is seven (7%) percent.


• 
  Tier III (PEPRA New Member - Formula 2% @ 62): Applicable to CalPERS local miscellaneous new members hired on or after the implementation of the Public Employees' Pension Reform Act of 2013 (PEPRA) which took effect January 1, 2013. Effective July 1, 2023 employee contributions are 7.25% and will increase to 7.75% effective July 1, 2024.
  

A new member is defined as any of the following:

A new hire who enters CalPERS membership for the first time on or after January 1, 2013, and who has no prior membership in any California Public Retirement System.

A new hire who enters CalPERS membership for the first time on or after January 1, 2013, and who was a member with another California Public Retirement System prior to that date, but who is not subject to reciprocity upon joining CalPERS.

A member who first established CalPERS membership prior to January 1, 2013, and who is rehired by a different CalPERS agency after a break in service of greater than six (6) months.

CalPERS refers to all members that do not fit within the definition of a new member as "classic members".

Contribution rates are subject to change based on the County of Riverside annual actuarial valuation.

Note:

This summary is for general information purposes only. Additional questions regarding retirement formulas can be sent to retirement@rivco.org or by calling the Benefits Information Line at (951) 955-4981,
Option 2.

If you have prior service credit with another CalPERS agency or within agencies, please contact CalPERS at (888) 225-7377 to determine which retirement tier would be applicable to you. CalPERS is governed by the Public Employees' Retirement Law. The Retirement Law is complex and subject to change. If there's any conflict between this summary and the law, the law will prevail over this summary.
DEFERRED COMPENSATION: Voluntary employee contribution with a choice between two 457 deferred compensation plan options.

VACATION ACCRUAL (Bi-Weekly Accrual):

0< 3 year = 80 Hours (10 Days)

4< 9 years = 120 Hours (15 Days)

10 or more years = 160 Hours (20 Days)

Maximum Vacation leave accumulation is 480 hours.

SICK LEAVE: Four (4) hours Sick Leave accrual per pay period with unlimited accrual.

HOLIDAYS: Normally 12 paid holidays per year.

BEREAVEMENT LEAVE: Allowed 5 days (3 days are County paid; 2 additional days can be taken from accrued Sick Leave balance).

BASIC LIFE INSURANCE: Equal to one times annual base salary not to exceed $50,000 of term life coverage. Premiums are paid by the County. Additional Supplemental Life plan is available for employee purchase.

DISABILITY: Short-term Disability benefit pays up to a maximum of $461.54 weekly, payable up to a maximum of 52 weeks.

POST RETIREMENT MEDICAL CONTRIBUTION: A monthly contribution is made by the County towards retiree health insurance offered through the County as governed by the applicable SEIU Memorandum of Understanding.

OTHER: There may be other benefit provisions as specified in the applicable Memorandum of Understanding. Please contact the recruiter listed on the job posting directly for more information.

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