Associate Planning Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Salary : $84,032.00 - $112,403.20 Annually
Location : South Lake Tahoe, CA
Job Type: Full time regular
Job Number: 202600032
Department: Development Services / 03710 Planning
Opening Date: 08/18/2026
Closing Date: 9/13/2026 11:59 PM Pacific
Description
Have you dreamed about working in the amazing beauty of the Tahoe Basin?
Do you have the experience and education to serve the community as a City Planner?
Would you like to work for an agency with top-tier benefits including a pension plan?
The City of South Lake Tahoe has two open positions in the Development Services Office in the roles of Assistant / Associate Planner. These roles are responsible for working under general supervision (Assistant Planner) or direction (Associate Planner) of assigned management staff, performing a variety of professional level duties and responsibilities in support of the City's current and advanced planning functions including research and analysis for residential and commercial development projects, environmental review and preparation of environmental documents, and research and preparation of general plan amendments and zoning ordinance amendments for presentation to the Planning Commission and City Council; and provides information and assistance to applicants, developers, consultants, the general public, and outside agencies and organizations regarding City codes, policies, standards, and processes related to planning related matters.
The Ideal Candidate will possess:

• A Bachelor's or Master's degree from an accredited college or university with major course work in urban or regional planning, architecture or a closely related field.
• Two years of increasingly responsible professional planning experience in a local government at a level comparable to an Assistant Planner with the City of South Lake Tahoe.
• Certification from the American Institute of Certified Planners
• Experiences with an environmentally sensitive region, a geographically isolated locality served by few key entry points, and a travel & tourism dependent economy are very desirable

The selected candidate may be offered either the Assistant Planner or Associate Planner position based on demonstrated skill strength and experience.

• To be hired as an Assistant Planner, a candidate must have a bachelor's degree and two years of responsible work experience with some professional planning or related experience.
• To be hired as an Associate Planner, a candidate must have a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with major coursework in urban or regional planning, architecture or a closely related field and two years of increasingly responsible professional planning experience in a local government at a level comparable to an Assistant Planner.

To see the full job descriptions, click the respective position below:
Assistant Planner: $7,002- $8,514 per month
Associate Planner: $7,706 - $9,366 per month
Applicants are encouraged to apply early. The recruitment will close on Sunday, September 13 at 11:59 p.m.
The expected timeline for the recruitment is:
Round 1 interviews of selected candidates: late September
Round 2 interviews of advancing candidates: week of early October
Pre-employment checks will commence in early October with an anticipated start date of late-October.
Examples of Duties
The following duties are typical for this classification. Incumbents may not perform all of the listed duties and/or may be required to perform additional or different duties from those set forth below to address business needs and changing business practices.

1. Plans, organizes, and conducts research studies; maintains, updates, and analyzes demographic and other data required for community planning; prepares reports and analysis regarding land use, zoning, urban design, population trends, transportation, community needs, housing, and environmental issues.
2. Recommends the use of land for residential, commercial, industrial, and community uses; participates in the review, development, revision, and maintenance of general plan elements, plans, zoning ordinances, and other policies and procedures.
3. Reviews and processes various plans and applications for subdivision and commercial developments; collects and evaluates information related to the application process and determines conformity with laws, regulations, policies, and procedures; recommends approval, or alternative approaches; conducts project site checks and field inspections.
4. Coordinates and assists in the management of the development review process; communicates and coordinates with other City departments, developers, and outside agencies throughout the development process to create the best possible development.
5. Plan checks building and engineering plans for adherence to approved projects.
6. Prepares final resolutions, ordinances, environmental notices, plan approvals, and file cleanup after project completion; monitors conditions of approval after project completion for compliance.
7. Provides information and assistance to developers, property owners, the public, other departments, and outside agencies regarding laws, regulations, standards, policies, and procedures related to the submission of plans, processing of applications, and implementation requirements; investigates and responds to complaints of zoning code violations.
8. Performs a wide range of duties in support of the Planning Commission as well as the City Council and other boards and commissions; coordinates preparation of meeting agendas for various commissions, boards, and community groups including reviewing draft materials and preparing comments; organizes meetings and work sessions; prepares public hearing notices ensuring timely notification of appropriate parties; prepares and presents staff reports and other presentations for the City Council, Planning Commission, and other commissions, boards, and community groups.
9. Coordinates the setup and maintenance of zoning and development modules in the project tracking system.
10. May provide work coordination and project direction for other planning personnel and contract consultants.
11. Performs related duties as required.

Typical Qualifications
The following generally describes the knowledge and ability required to enter the job and/or be learned within a short period of time in order to successfully perform the assigned duties.
Knowledge of:

• Principles and practices of planning.
• Research and investigation procedures.
• Drafting and graphic presentations.
• Statistical methods and research techniques applicable to the collection, analysis and presentation of data for municipal planning studies.
• Methods and techniques of effective technical report preparation and presentation.
• Methods and techniques of eliciting community participation in planning and development issues.
• Modern office procedures, methods, and equipment including computers and supporting software applications.

In addition to the above knowledge, of the following is desirable:

• ArcGIS

Ability to:

• Perform professional-level planning duties in the development, implementation, and modification of City plans and regulations.
• Apply policies, procedures, and standards pertaining to the municipal planning process.
• Understand all aspects of the job.
• Demonstrate tact and diplomacy with the public.
• Prepare accurate maps, plans, charts, and tables.
• Interpret maps, site and building plans and specifications, graphs and statistical data.
• Interpret, analyze, apply, implement, and explain pertinent federal, state, and local laws, codes, and regulations including City codes and departmental policies and administrative directives; learn applicable environmental laws and regulations.
• Interpret planning and zoning programs to the general public.
• Develop recommendations regarding the use of property.
• Process routine development applications and coordinate necessary communication between staff, developer, and other agencies.
• Process Tentative Subdivision Maps for consistency with the Subdivision Map, General Plan, and applicable development standards.
• Analyze and compile technical and statistical information and prepare reports.
• Analyze projects and potential projects for consistency with planning regulations, general planning principles, and architectural quality.
• Prepare and analyze technical and administrative reports, statements, and correspondence.
• Present technical data in verbal, written, graphic, and map form to City management staff and variety of boards and commissions.
• Effectively present information and respond to questions from groups of managers, council members, committee and commission members, and the general public.
• Work under steady pressure with frequent interruptions and a high degree of public contact by phone or in person.
• Operate modern office equipment and computers including specialized computer applications.
• Communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of work.

Education and Experience Guidelines- Any combination of education and experience that would likely provide the required knowledge and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to obtain the knowledge and abilities would be:
Assistant Planner
Education/Training:
A Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with major coursework in urban or regional planning, architecture, or a closely related field.
Experience:Two years of responsible work experience. Some professional planning experience is desirable.
Associate Planner
Education/Training:A Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with major coursework in urban or regional
planning, architecture or a closely related field. A Master's degree is desirable.
Experience:Two years of increasingly responsible professional planning experience in a local government at a level comparable to an Assistant Planner with the City of South Lake Tahoe.
License or Certificate:Certification from the American Institute of Certified Planners is highly desired.
Possession of, or ability to obtain, a valid California or Nevada driver's license.
Supplemental Information
The conditions herein are representative of those that must be met by an employee to perform the essential functions of this job successfully. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential job functions.
Environment: Work is performed primarily in a standard office environment with some travel to different sites; occasionally works in outside weather conditions; incumbents may be required to work extended hours including evenings and weekends.
Physical: Primary functions require sufficient physical ability and mobility to work in an office setting; to stand or sit for prolonged periods of time; to occasionally stoop, bend, kneel, crouch, reach, and twist; to lift, carry, push, and/or pull light to moderate amounts of weight; to operate office equipment requiring repetitive hand movement and fine coordination including use of a computer keyboard; to travel to other locations using various modes of private and commercial transportation; and to verbally communicate to exchange information.
Vision: See in the normal visual range with or without correction.
Hearing: Hear in the normal audio range with or without correction.
Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Employer
The City of South Lake Tahoe is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) employer. All employment actions shall be administered regardless of race, color, national origin, ancestry, religion, age, physical or mental disability or medical condition, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, genetic information, marital status, pregnancy, political affiliation, veterans' status, or any other status protected under federal, state, or local law.
Disaster Service Worker
All full-time, permanent City employees are required to provide services as Disaster Service Workers in the event of an emergency/disaster.
01
Do you have a Bachelor's or Master's Degree in urban planning, regional planning, or architecture?

• Master's Degree in Urban Planning, Regional Planning or Architecture
• Bachelor's Degree in Urban Planning, Regional Planning or Architecture
• My degree is not in these fields, but I have complete the coursework listed in Question 2

02
If you indicated that you did not have a degree in planning or architecture above, please list your related coursework.
03
How many years of experience do you have in professional regional planning?

• 18 months or less
• 2 - 4 years
• 5+ years

Required Question