Planner-Zoning Office

PLANNER

CITY OF FALLS CHURCH ZONING OFFICE

Closing Date: October 31, 2022

The City of Falls Church-"The Little City"-is a special place: a small independent city in the national capital region with a strong sense of history and community. It prides itself on its schools, neighborhoods, and parks. The Zoning Division is responsible for the interpretation, enforcement, and administration of the Zoning and Property Maintenance Ordinances of the City, as well as providing technical assistance to City staff, citizens and the development community.

The City of Falls Church is recruiting for a Planner to assist in general enforcement and administration of Zoning and Property Maintenance Codes. This position will operate under general supervision and report to Zoning Administrator.

This is an entry to mid-level position. Successful candidate will have demonstrated some experience of Zoning Code enforcement and has knowledge of Planning and Zoning principles and practices. Successful candidate should have knowledge of Zoning Ordinance and legal procedures related to the enforcement of ordinances and codes, demonstrate ability to read, interpret and apply said codes and regulations.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Assist Zoning Administrator in general enforcement and administration of Zoning and Property Maintenance Codes by performing related functions and tasks;
• Conducts research, analysis, and prepares reports on land use, zoning and other related issues;
• Facilitate coordination between Permit Counter and Zoning Division by providing administrative and technical support in receiving, processing and reviewing of permits and zoning inquiries;
• Evaluate sign applications for Code compliance; investigates Sign Ordinance violations and advises applicants of necessary corrective measures;
• Provide information and technical assistance to the public, city staff, developers, and city officials; responds to zoning emails, telephone calls and walk-in inquiries at the counter.
• Investigate general zoning complaints and non-conformities, and works with homeowners on necessary corrective measures to obtain compliance; conducts site inspections and other fieldwork as needed to ensure compliance with City's Zoning Ordinance;
• Serve as the Board of Zoning Appeals (BZA) Clerk and staffs monthly regular public hearings;
• Perform related tasks as required;

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's Degree preferred in Urban Planning, Engineering, Construction Management, Architecture, or related field;
• General knowledge of municipal planning and zoning principles and practices, and knowledge of zoning codes with the ability to interpret and apply said codes and regulations;
• Ability to review plans and apply provisions of the ordinances and codes to determine compliance with such regulations and to apply regulations to field conditions.
• Critical thinking skills to research and gather relevant information to solve vaguely defined practical problems.
• Considerable knowledge of the principles and techniques of customer service skills, ability to deal diplomatically with difficult individuals.
• Basic statistical, algebraic or geometric knowledge and ability to apply such knowledge in practical situations. Ability to read maps, evaluate plans and understand legal descriptions.
• Communication skills and the ability to present information in written, graphic, and spoken form. Ability to within and across departments, maintain effective working relationships with associates and members of the general public.
• Technical skills including computer literacy in common office software, research methodology and standard statistic procedures, and preparation charts and graphs;
• Possession of or ability to obtain Virginia Association of Zoning Officials (VAZO) Certification within one year of employment is preferred.
• For a complete list of qualifications, see attached job description

Hours: Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Evening attendance at BZA meetings.

Salary & Benefits: The salary range is $60,655 - $100,141, commensurate with qualification and experience. Includes comprehensive benefits package including health insurance, dental insurance, pension plan, deferred compensation plan, flexible spending account, college savings plan, life and long-term disability insurance, paid holidays, vacation and sick leave, free parking, credit union membership, and more. See https://www.fallschurchva.gov/Benefits for more information.

Reasonable Accommodation: During the selection process, applicants with disabilities may request reasonable accommodation with the agreement of the Human Resources Division. Requests should be directed to the Human Resources Division. The City of Falls Church does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, religion, age, or disability.

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