Job Description

Posting number: 202400317

Department: Development Services

Division: Land Development

Job classification: Planner I- Development

Posting type: Open

Categories: Planning and Development, Land Use, Community Development

Summary

As a Transportation Planner for the Town of Holly Springs, you will have the opportunity to shape the future of multi-modal transportation for our community. The Planner position provides leadership, expertise, and direction in planning activities with focus on long-range transportation planning, policies, funding, and coordination of transportation improvements with new development. The position falls within the Development Services Department, which brings together planners, engineers, and building code officials to promote collaboration, innovation, and efficiency for the development process.

This position performs professional and technical planning activities such as development review, special plans or projects related to long-range planning, land use, urban design, affordable housing, transportation, and sustainable development. This position may specialize in one or more areas of technical expertise (i.e. transportation); and provides technical assistance to support various boards, commissions and committees.

Holly Springs is a fast-growing community located in the dynamic Research Triangle region of North Carolina. Our town’s vision is to provide an unmatched quality of life that reflects the joys of small-town living in a safe, family-friendly community that residents and businesses are proud to call home.

SUPERVISORY RELATIONSHIPS

Reports to the Senior Planner.

The work schedule is business hours with occasional evenings and weekends. The starting salary range is $66,631-$79,322.62 (Grades J/K/M).

Examples of duties

POSITION INFORMATION

The Planner (I/II/III) is a career ladder position and could be filled as a Planner I, II, or III depending on the chosen candidate’s qualifications. The career ladder offers great opportunities for professional growth and development within this position and the town. The focus of this Planner position is transportation planning.

• The Planner I position is the entry-level position. This position performs professional-level transportation planning assignments and receives considerable supervision from the Senior Long-Range Planner. The salary grade for this position starts at $66,631.00.
• The Planner II position requires a Certified Zoning Official (CZO) Certification, GIS Certification, or AICP candidate status and 3 years of experience in transportation planning. This position performs transportation planning assignments of moderate difficulty independently. A Planner II will receive general supervision from the Senior Long-Range Planner. The salary grade for this position starts at $70,614.50.
• The Planner III position requires AICP certification. This position performs transportation planning assignments at an advanced level and often leads with larger, more complex assignments. A Planner III exercises greater independence and judgment, receiving general supervision from the Senior Long-Range Planner. The salary grade for this position starts at $79,322.62.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

The following duties are normal for this position. These are not to be construed as exclusive or all-inclusive. To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each duty satisfactorily. Other duties may be required and assigned.

Not all duties may be assigned to each position. The allocation of duties for this position will vary and will be dependent upon the complexity of work assigned and credentials obtained. This position level may be specialized to one or more areas of technical expertise (i.e. development review, long-range planning or transportation).

1.Serves as point of technical contact within the Land Development Division in providing support for customer inquiries that are more complex than can be handled by Customer Service & Compliance Division staff regarding planning and development from the public, town staff, and development professionals in-person, by phone, and through e-mail. This may involve providing general information, assistance with development processes, technical guidance, etc.

2.Leads or participates in workshops, meetings, community outreach events, and public hearings to explain planning proposals and provide technical support. Provides presentations to interested community groups. Prepares materials for community outreach events.

3.Participates in and/or conducts general inquiry meetings, sketch plan (pre-submittal meetings) and developer conference meetings with developers, design professionals and owners for discussion of current and future development projects; provides Unified Development Ordinance interpretations; meets with and guides developers and design professionals on site design, aesthetics, and Town policy issues.

4.Assists the public, developers, design professionals, contractors, and others with information, processes, technical guidance, and other needs regarding presentations.

5.Attends regular regional and local multidisciplinary offsite working groups to support ongoing efforts in the planner’s designated field.

Additional Duties– Long-Range (General):

6.Develops, coordinates, and drafts a variety of small area, corridor, and other plans related to the growth, development, and redevelopment of the Town, its extraterritorial jurisdiction, and its long-range planning area. Topic areas include but are not limited to: Land use, urban design, historic preservation, affordable housing, transportation, and sustainable development.

7.Assists with development and revisions to the Town's overall land use and development programs related to long-range planning, including the Comprehensive Plan, Unified Development Ordinance, and Development Procedures Manual.

8.Participates in multidisciplinary long-range planning projects such as transportation planning, community engagement, comprehensive or small area planning.

9.Assists in the management of consultant contracts related to long-range planning programs.

10.Assists in the implementation of the Town Council’s strategic plan initiatives for the Development Services Department.

11.Prepares demographic statistical data, analyses, reports, and graphics.

12.Identifies grants and other non-municipal funding sources, prepare grant applications and proposals, and assist in the administration of grants.

Additional Duties and Responsibilities – Transportation

13.Update the Town’s Comprehensive Transportation Plan and support interdepartmental short- and long-range planning projects.

14.Review traffic studies, site and subdivision plans, construction documents, area and corridor plans, capital projects, and private work in the public right-of-way; recommend multimodal transportation improvements.

15.Research best practices and recommend transportation policies, ordinance updates, designs, specifications, models, forecasts, and funding allocations.

16.Identify local, state, and federal funding; prepare and coordinate grants for transportation improvement projects.

17.Respond to transportation inquiries and coordinate with citizens, developers, public officials, and regional and state partners, including CAMPO, Wake Transit, and NCDOT.

18.Lead public meetings and brief Senior Leadership and Town Council; prepare accessible reports, presentations, maps, memoranda, and correspondence.

19.Oversee long-term operations and performance metrics for the Holly Springs Hopper microtransit service and report results regularly to Town Council.

KNOWLEDGE SKILLS AND ABILITIES

·Demonstrated experience enforcing technical ordinances, codes, and regulations pertaining to land use planning and development including the Unified Development Ordinance, Development Procedures Manual, Comprehensive Plan, Town Code, and Town Policies and Procedures.

·Knowledge of the principles, practices and current trends of land use planning, urban design, historic preservation, affordable housing, transportation and multimodal design, and sustainable development.

·Ability to translate goals and objectives into workable plans, programs, and activities and initiate ideas and recommendations.

·Technical skills in land use planning, urban design, historic preservation, affordable housing, transportation, and/or sustainable development.

·Specialized knowledge of transportation systems including transit, pedestrian, bicycle, delivery, parking and automobiles to ensure a safe, walkable and public transit-oriented Town.

·Skill in the collection, analysis, and presentation of technical data and recommendations related to Traffic Studies.

• Knowledge of the local, state and federal laws, regulations, zoning, land use, and other ordinances and codes.
• Working knowledge or ability to gain knowledge and understanding of the Town’s technical ordinances, codes, and regulations pertaining to land use planning and development including the Unified Development Ordinance, Development Procedures Manual, Comprehensive Plan, Town Code, and Town Policies and Procedures.
• Working knowledge of the principles and practices of public sector planning.
• Ability to manage multiple projects, deadlines, and stakeholders simultaneously.
• Ability to read and interpret construction plans and specifications.
• Skill in the collection, analysis, and presentation of technical data and planning recommendations.
• Skill in community engagement strategies, conflict resolution, meeting facilitation, and public presentations that reach all communities.
• Perform detailed and accurate work independently in compliance with stringent time limits requiring minimal direction and supervision.
• Ability to discuss the application of regulations with firmness and tact.
• Ability to communicate clearly, concisely and effectively in English in both written and verbal form.
• Skill in conflict resolution, meeting facilitation, and public presentations.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with community groups, citizens, developers, property owners, federal, state, regional, Town officials, and the general public.
• Knowledge of computer software consistent for this position (MS Office Suite, Abode Creative Suite, Sketch-Up, Community VIZ, CityView, Blue Beam, and/or ArcGIS Online).
• Skill in organization and time management to prioritize duties to accomplish a high volume of work product while adapting to constant changes in priority.
• Ability to think quickly, maintain self-control, and adapt to stressful situations.
• Knowledge of current office practices and procedures.
• Ability to perform mathematical calculations required of this position.
• Skill in researching and understanding complex written materials.
• Ability to prepare and maintain accurate and concise records and reports.
• Ability to apply sound judgment and discretion in performing duties, resolving problems, and interpreting policies and regulations.
• Ability to handle sensitive interpersonal situations calmly and tactfully.
• Ability to maintain professionalism at all times.
• Ability to maintain effective working relationships with individuals within and outside the organization.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and discretion regarding business-related files, reports and conversations, within the provisions of open records laws and other applicable State and Federal statutes and regulations.

Qualifications

PHYSICAL AND WORK ENVIRONMENT

The physical and work environment characteristics described in this description are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions or as otherwise required by law. Employees needing reasonable accommodation should discuss the request with the employee’s supervisor.

• This work requires the occasional exertion of up to 25 pounds of force; work regularly requires sitting, frequently requires standing, speaking or hearing, using hands to gesture, handle or feel and repetitive motions and occasionally requires walking, stooping, kneeling, crouching or crawling and reaching with hands and arms.
• Work has standard vision requirements.
• Vocal communication is required for expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word.
• Hearing is required to perceive information at normal spoken word levels.
• Work requires preparing and analyzing written or computer data and observing general surroundings and activities.
• Work has no exposure to adverse environmental conditions.
• Work is generally in a moderately noisy office setting.

MINIMUM REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Planner I

Graduation from a college or university with a degree in urban or regional planning, geography, landscape architecture, engineering, or closely related field. Specialized positions must demonstrate technical expertise in a related field of study or experience.

Planner II

• All requirements for Planner I.
• Three (3) years progressively responsible planning experience.
• AICP Candidate preferred, or other certification can be reviewed for equivalency.

Planner III

• All requirements for Planner II.
• AICP Certification.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP) certification preferred for Planner II, required for Planner III
• Master’s degree from an accredited college or university in Urban Planning, Landscape Architecture, Public Administration, or a closely related field.