POSITION TITLE: SENIOR PLANNER – CURRENT & LONG-RANGE PLANNING 

FLSA: Exempt

Grade: 5

Thank you for your interest in Lone Tree! Please review the position overview below and review the full job description in the applicant portal for details on preferred knowledge, skills and abilities; the work environment; and our work schedule and benefits.

WHO WE ARE

Lone Tree prides itself on a system of “perfecting planning through the process.” Our goal is to develop plans that are resilient but flexible, and that guide Lone Tree toward a sustainable and inclusive future. Big-picture, outside-the-box thinkers thrive in this environment and find value in bringing new ideas to the table. We foster a fun, supportive culture that enables people to thrive professionally and personally. We work hard, we play hard, and above all else, we enjoy the support of a leadership team focused on employee health and providing a work-life balance.

WHO WE ARE SEEKING

This position requires a deep understanding of the principles and practices of local government and current and long-range planning and development processes and functions at an advanced level within the profession. Under supervision of the Planning Manager, this position works directly with the Principal Planner (the supervisor of the Current Planning team) and the Senior Long-Range Planner to achieve Planning Division objectives; depending on the current project workloads of the two teams, the focus of this position’s work may vary between current and long-range planning.

This position will manage complex projects, with substantial, independent, and direct influence on each project. The ideal candidate will be innovative, collaborative, possess long-range and technical planning competencies, be able to evaluate and apply current planning objectives within the context of long-range planning goals, and be capable of collecting and analyzing data and master plans to inform long-range planning decisions.

This job might be for you if:

• You have the desire and capacity to help build more livable places. You have passion, skills and experience that you want to apply towards building more resilient communities.
• You are a community development nerd. Do you find yourself taking pictures of public spaces or mixed-use projects when you travel?
• You geek out on research and analysis. You love to find and communicate the story behind the data.
• Collaboration is your jam. You enjoy working closely with a tight-knit team. You are comfortable playing a support role on some projects while collaborating as a leader or manager on others.
• You want to bring people together. You love community engagement and get excited thinking about ways to get more people meaningfully involved in shaping the future of their community.

Essential Responsibilities (Non-exclusive):

• Serves as project lead on land development applications, including site improvement plans, re-zonings, subdivisions, special use permits, variances and other land use entitlements. Ensures smooth and efficient processing of applications through effective communication, negotiation and facilitation. Conducts referrals to internal and external agencies, prepares staff reports graphic exhibits and presents findings and recommendations to elected officials.
• Provides interpretations of the Comprehensive plan, Zoning and Subdivision codes, and other land use and related laws, codes, regulations and ordinances to the public, developers and other interested parties.
• Analyzes land use and development data and issues pertaining to physical space and the built environment, environmental quality, hazard mitigation, transportation, cultural resources, economic and community development, housing, community facilities and services, and capital projects.
• Prepares development impact reports and supports the Senior Long-Range Planner in conducting economic, demographic, housing, and land use-related studies, projects, analyses, and forecasts, and in maintaining empirical databases and growth projection systems to support land use and other planning activities.
• Reviews local ordinances for consistency with state and federal law and initiates changes to ensure regulatory conformance. Analyzes proposed, existing, and new local, state, and federal legislation and makes recommendations for implementation or other action as necessary.
• Establishes positive working relationships with representatives of community organizations, state/local agencies and associations, City management and staff, and the public.

Desired Core Competencies: 

• Time Management – Uses time effectively and efficiently;

can independently prioritize tasks; can attend to a broad range of activities; makes decisions in a timely fashion.

• Learning on the Fly / Technical Learning – Picks up technical concepts

quickly, comfortable learning new information and processes quickly. Is comfortable asking questions. 

• Perseverance – Pursues tasks with curiosity, energy, and persistence.
• Organizational Agility – Comfortable learning the processes necessary to

complete tasks; knows how to organize tasks and people to get things done. Uses interpersonal skills and relationships to work through available processes and resources, using both informal and formal channels to achieve results.

• Patience – Is tolerant and sensitive with people and processes. 

• Teamwork / Working Independently – Is comfortable working in teams as well

as independently with limited supervision.    

Skills & Abilities for Success

• Strong interpersonal, oral and verbal skills.  Must have the ability to interact effectively with individuals of varying cultural, economic, professional and educational backgrounds.
• Demonstrated personal effectiveness, professionalism, integrity and credibility, thoroughness, flexibility, and collaboration skills.

• Must have outstanding presentation and public speaking skills including the ability to present information concisely at public meetings.
• Precision and attention to minute details when analyzing data, and when reviewing master plans, development proposals, maps and reports.

• Excellent writing skills: the ability to prepare clear, concise, and complete technical documents, reports, correspondence, and other written materials using proper spelling, grammar, and style.
• Critical and creative thinking skills with a focus on systems thinking: the ability to assess complex planning issues and problems, analyze data, evaluate alternatives, and recommend effective courses of action regarding zoning policies, land use ordinances, urban design, and community planning.
• Ability to interpret and apply laws, policies, procedures, regulations, specifications, site and building plans, environmental impact reports, data, and maps to development proposals.
• Capable of negotiating solutions among groups with diverse and conflicting needs.

Qualified Education/Experience:

Any combination of education and experience, which demonstrates the candidate possesses the required knowledge, skills and abilities to perform the Senior Planner’s essential duties and responsibilities is qualifying. American Institute of Certified Planners Certification (AICP) strongly preferred.