JOB DESCRIPTION

This position is responsible for managing complex planning projects that support the County's long-range vision and ensure the Zoning Ordinance remains current, effective, and aligned with the 2040 Comprehensive Plan, state legislation, and Board priorities.

The Principal Planner serves as a subject matter expert on zoning policy, ordinance development, and land use regulations while coordinating with County leadership, consultants, internal departments, the development community, and the public. This position requires exceptional project management, policy analysis, technical writing, and public presentation skills.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Serve as project manager for complex county-initiated Zoning Text Amendments (ZTAs).
• Research, evaluate, and draft amendments to the Zoning Ordinance and related development regulations.
• Analyze state legislation, court decisions, planning trends, and best practices to recommend policy changes.
• Prepare comprehensive staff reports, ordinance language, Board agenda items, presentations, and supporting documentation.
• Coordinate ordinance amendments with the Comprehensive Plan, Strategic Plan, and other adopted County policies.
• Lead consultant teams and manage project schedules, budgets, and deliverables.
• Coordinate with County departments, legal counsel, state agencies, and external stakeholders throughout the ordinance development process.
• Conduct stakeholder outreach, facilitate public meetings, and present recommendations before the Planning Commission, Board of County Supervisors, and advisory bodies.
• Provide technical guidance on zoning interpretation and ordinance implementation.
• Develop administrative procedures and best practices that improve ordinance usability and review efficiency.
• Assist with the Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance Update project progression
• Monitor legislative and regulatory changes affecting local planning and land use authority.
• Prepare or review Comprehensive Plan amendments, public facility reviews, special projects and other tasks that implement the Comprehensive Plan
• Other duties as assigned

High school diploma or G.E.D. and seven (7) years of related work experience in professional Planning (including preparation of zoning ordinances, development regulations, or land use policy). The equivalent combination of education and related work experience (including internships) may be considered.

Preferences:

• Master's degree in Planning, Urban Planning, Regional Planning, Architecture, Landscape Architecture, or a closely related field.
• American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP) certification
• In-depth experience in planning practices and principles, experience in developing Comprehensive Plans, reviewing development proposals, and managing projects/applications.
• Experience with GIS applications, development review, statistical analysis, and long-range planning initiatives is highly desirable.
• Experience leading comprehensive zoning ordinance updates or major development code revisions.
• Experience working directly with local government, including working with elected and appointed officials.
• Clear and effective presentation skills to communicate work and provide sound advice to County leadership, community stakeholders, and elected officials on elements of the Comprehensive Plan, land use policies, zoning regulations, and other implementation strategies; and
• Extensive experience collaborating among multi-disciplined professionals and stakeholders, contributing to high-level policy discussions, and identifying innovative opportunities;
• Experience with writing, facilitating, negotiating, explaining, planning terms and processes to customers, and working as a team member.
• Experience writing scopes of work for projects is highly preferred.