Planner II/III

$48 - $66/Yr

County of Napa, California - Napa, CA

Full-time - Entry Level

Napa, CA

Executive, Legislative, and Other General Government Support

About the position

Napa County is home to 140,000 residents who share a strong sense of community and a legacy of preserving and protecting our rich agricultural heritage. Located in the heart of California's preeminent wine region, the Napa Valley is also part of the dynamic San Francisco Bay Metropolitan Area. With its sunny Mediterranean climate and proximity to the mountains and ocean, the Valley offers residents easy access to virtually unlimited shopping, dining, cultural and recreational opportunities. The Napa Valley's strategic location, natural and cultural resources, history of responsible land use planning and attractive quality of life provide the ideal mix of small town living and big city amenities. As an organization, Napa County is dedicated to improving the lives of our citizens and reflecting the best of the community's values: Respect, Accountability, Dedication, Integrity and Innovation. The Planning, Building, and Environmental Services (PBES) department partners with the community to promote the health, safety, and sustainability of Napa County by providing a range of development services while balancing agricultural, environmental, and economic vitality. PBES is comprised of nine divisions: Planning, Building, Engineering & Conservation, Environmental Health, Natural Resources, Code Compliance, Parks, Administrative and Technical Support. The Department is supported by an $24+ million budget and 100+ full-time employees. Planning is responsible for the review of development applications for consistency with the County's General Plan, County Code, and State and Federal law, including local implementation of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). The Planning division is charged with charting the orderly growth and development of the unincorporated areas of Napa County, while maintaining its quality of life, agricultural heritage, and natural environment. Division staff maintain and update the County Code, General Plan, and the Zoning Ordinance, as well as provide staff support to the Planning Commission, the Airport Land Use Commission, and other advisory boards and commissions. There are four sub-disciplines within which a Planner I/ II may work: Current and Advanced Land Use Planning; Conservation Planning; Groundwater and Water Resources Planning, and Sustainability Planning. The current vacancy is in the Current and Advance Planning sub-discipline. Planners II and III perform a variety of responsible professional planning duties in the field of current and advance planning; prepares, processes and presents environmental analysis reports, reviews technical reports, conducts zoning research, and prepares findings and planning agenda items; disseminates zoning/regulatory and permitting process information to the public and provides assistance to the public and developers on complex planning matters; and, as assigned, performs business process analysis and oversees interdepartmental permitting coordination and ensures the efficiency of the Department's permit tracking systems.

Responsibilities

• Review development applications for consistency with the County's General Plan, County Code, and State and Federal law.
• Prepare, process and present environmental analysis reports.
• Review technical reports and conduct zoning research.
• Prepare findings and planning agenda items.
• Disseminate zoning/regulatory and permitting process information to the public.
• Provide assistance to the public and developers on complex planning matters.
• Perform business process analysis and oversee interdepartmental permitting coordination.
• Ensure the efficiency of the Department's permit tracking systems.

Requirements

• Two years of professional experience in the planning, natural resources, water resources, or sustainability/energy field for Planner II.
• Three years of responsible professional experience in the planning field or related field for Planner III.
• Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with a major in city, regional, land use or environmental planning, environmental policy, environmental science, hydrogeology, or related field.
• Possession of a valid California Driver's License.
• Active membership in the American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP) is preferred for Planner III.

Nice-to-haves

• Master's degree in planning or related field may substitute for one year of required experience for Planner III.

Benefits

• 3.5% COLA increase effective 7/01/25
• 3.5% COLA increase effective 7/01/26
• 32.0 hours of paid Winter Time Off (WTO)