County Planner

Why Work for Jefferson County?

• Meaningful Work: Serve your community and contribute to projects that make a
  difference.
• Career Growth: We invest in your success with training and development opportunities.
• Extensive Benefits Package: We offer health/prescription, vision, dental, and life
  insurance coverage, as well as enrollment in the West Virginia Public Retirement
  System.
• Education Assistance: Take advantage of tuition reduction programs with Shepherd
  University and American Public University.
• Diverse Opportunities: Whether you’re skilled in administration, planning and
  development, or public safety, we have a place for you!

Jefferson County Employee Benefits
Excellent employee benefits package includes West Virginia Public Employees Retirement
System plan; health/prescription, vision, dental, and life insurance plans; reduced tuition rates
with local partner schools; paid vacation leave, paid sick leave, and thirteen to fifteen paid
holidays per year.

The Jefferson County Department of Engineering, Planning, and Zoning is located at 116 E. Washington St.
Charles Town, WV, 25414. Normal hours of operation are 9:00am -5:00pm, Monday-Friday

Position Title: County Planner

Grade Level: VII

Department: Engineering, Planning & Zoning

Date: January 2025

Reports to: Director/Chief County Engineer

FLSA Status: Exempt

Statement of Duties: This position oversees, supervises and is responsible for all aspects of the
administration and enforcement of the Subdivision and Land Development Regulations ordinance,
and other regulations related to land development. Other responsibilities include the supervision
of other professional and clerical staff members engaged in administration and enforcement of the
Subdivision and Land Development Regulations ordinance, as well as the site plan and land
development project review and approval processes.

The County Planner also works under the guidance of State and Federal regulation, and County
ordinances, regulations, policies and procedures.

Representation at various meetings/boards/commissions, including the Planning Commission, is
required by the County Planner. Employee is requir

ed to perform all similar or related duties, as
directed by the Chief County Engineer/Director.

Supervision Required: Employee works under the administrative direction of the Chief County
Engineer/Director to enforce the Subdivision and Land Development Regulations and administer
land planning related functions for the county. Employee works from county policies and
objectives; individual establishes short-range plans and objectives, own performance standards
and assumes direct accountability for the planning staff results. Consults with supervisor only
where clarification, interpretation, or exception to county policy may be required. The employee
is responsible for the development and implementation of office policies, goals, objectives and
budgets. The employee is also expected to attempt to resolve conflicts which arise and coordinate
with others as necessary.

Supervisory Responsibility: Employee, as a regular and continuing part of the job, is
accountable for the quality and quantity of work done by subordinates and assures the
accomplishment of the assigned work in the prescribed manner. Supervisory functions typically
consist of most of the following: plans, schedules and coordinates work operations to meet
schedules, deadlines and priorities; revises work schedules to meet changes in workload or
availability of manpower; recommends and justifies to higher levels of management changes in
the organization of work, work methods or assignment of functions to positions that may affect
staffing patterns, costs, work standards, etc.; assigns work based on varying capabilities of
employees; assures that completed work meets the required standard of quality, timeliness and
cost, taking corrective actions as necessary, including rejecting the work; recommends
promotions, reassignments, pay increases or other personnel actions; oversees attendance and
leave, typically including approval of ordinary sick and vacation schedules; advises employees of
performance requirements and prepares formal evaluations of performance; gives advice and
instruction on both administrative and work matters; informs subordinates of organizational
policies, goals and procedures; resolves employee complaints and effects disciplinary actions,
such as oral warnings and reprimands; has substantial responsibility for technical soundness of
subordinates’ work.

Confidentiality: Access to some confidential information, not department-wide that is obtained
during performance of essential functions, where the effect of any disclosure would probably be
negligible or where the full significance of the overall confidential matter would not be apparent
in the work performed. Employee mainly has access to confidential law suit information and land
development applicant’s confidential information and plans.

Accountability: The nature of the professional or technical work means that errors in analysis,
techniques or recommendations would probably be difficult to detect. Consequences of errors,
missed deadlines or poor Judgment could result in excessive costs, delay of service delivery, or
legal repercussions to the County.

Judgment: The work requires examining, analyzing and evaluating facts and circumstances
surrounding individual problems, situations or transactions, and determining actions to be taken
within the limits of standard or accepted practices. Guidelines include a large body of policies,
practices and precedents which may be complex or conflicting, at times. Judgment is used in
analyzing specific situations to determine appropriate actions. Employee is expected to weigh
efficiency and relative priorities in conjunction with procedural concerns in decision making.
Requires understanding, interpreting and applying federal, state and local regulations.

Complexity: The work consists of the practical application of a variety of concepts, practices and
specialized techniques relating to a professional or technical field. Assignments typically involve
evaluation and interpretation of factors, conditions or unusual circumstances; inspecting, testing or
evaluating compliance with established standards or criteria; gathering, analyzing and evaluating
facts or data using specialized fact finding techniques; or determining the methods to accomplish
the work.

Work Environment: The work environment involves everyday discomforts typical of indoor
environments such as office settings, with infrequent exposure to outside elements. Noise or
physical surroundings may be distracting, but conditions are generally not unpleasant.

Nature and Purpose of Public Contact: Relationships are constantly with co-workers, the
public, groups and/or individuals such as civic leaders, peers from other organizations,
representatives of professional organizations, and the news media. The employee serves as a
spokesperson or recognized authority of the organization in matters of substance or considerable
importance. The employee on behalf of a department may communicate departmental practices,
procedures, regulations or guidelines. May be required to discuss controversial matters where tact
is required to avoid friction and obtain cooperation.

Occupational Risk: Duties of the job present little potential for injury. Risk exposure is similar
to that found in typical office settings. Work is performed under tight deadlines at times.

Essential Functions:
The essential functions or duties listed below are intended only as illustrations of the various type
of work that may be performed. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude
them from the position if the work is similar, related, or a logical assignment to the position.

1. Responsible in the administration of land use regulations and ordinances and the
   Comprehensive Plan for the County.
2. Review and evaluate all Site Plans and Subdivision Plats, including Concept Plans,
   Community Impact Statements, and environmental assessments/determinations, for
   conformance with County Subdivision and Land Development Regulations and County
   Zoning and Land Development Ordinance.
3. Coordinate land development project reviews with department staff, including the County
   Engineers, Ordinance Compliance Officer, and administrative staff to ensure projects
   comply with county regulations, and to ensure projects are tracked throughout the review
   process. Conduct site visits for all projects and other planning endeavors.
4. Prepare staff reports for all projects requiring Planning Commission or County
   Commission approval to provide analysis and recommendations for land development
   projects; creates written and visual documentation in the form of maps, reports,
   electronic/digital files, power point presentations, etc.
5. Serve as Staff to the Planning Commission in the review, presentation, and
   recommendation of all development applications at Planning Commission meetings.
   Attend regular night meetings at least twice monthly in addition to other special meetings
   as scheduled.
6. Facilitate staff review meetings between staff and the consultants and developers for new
   land development projects in order to facilitate an efficient processing of projects. This
   includes coordination with staff engineers, other review agencies, and the applicant and
   presenting issues to the applicants, informing them of necessary paperwork and other
   pertinent documents needed and timelines for the application process.
7. Assist the public, surveyors, engineers, and developers with questions regarding land-use
   regulations relating to properties and projects via meetings, letters, phone calls, and e-mail
   correspondence. This involves research of properties for prior land uses, subdivision,
   zoning, violations, and other pertinent data in order to provide the customers with accurate
   and thorough information.
8. Give public presentations to boards and commissions including the Planning Commission
   and County Commission.
9. Assist the Director, Zoning Administrator, and Engineering staff with other zoning and
   planning related duties and special projects.
10. Conduct research and analysis for special projects and planning-related issues and provide
    recommendations and reports to various groups. Examples include analysis of planning
    theories, forms of zoning and other regulatory processes, growth trends, and planning
    policies of other jurisdictions in relation to Jefferson County.
11. Assist the Director and Zoning Administrator with updates of the Comprehensive Plan,
    Subdivision Regulations, and Zoning Ordinances by reviewing existing ordinances and
    plans and recommending changes for correcting inconsistencies and updating the
    documents to conform to the policies as dictated by the County Commission and Planning
    Commission.
12. Attend seminars, conferences, and meetings to keep abreast of new laws, research,
    technologies, and trends in planning, GIS, zoning, as well as more specific issues as they
    relate to Jefferson County and the region.
13. Establish and maintain professional relationships with colleagues in planning and other
    related fields in order to foster open communication and coordination of efforts as they
    relate to Jefferson County and the region.
14. Assist with other planning duties as needed by the Director and Zoning Administrator.
15. Willingness to take on additional duties as needed in support of Departmental and County
    goals and objectives.

Recommended Minimum Qualification

Education and Experience: Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with at
least five to seven (5-7) years related work experience; or any equivalent combination of
education, training and experience which provides the required knowledge, skills and abilities to
perform the essential functions of the job.

Special Requirements: Valid driver’s license required. Member in good standing of the
American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP) preferred.
Knowledge, Abilities and Skill

Knowledge: Common principles and theories related to land use and planning and zoning laws;
department and office operations; laws and regulations pertinent to position functions; working
knowledge of the Internet and Microsoft Office Suite in support of department operations.

Abilities: Good judgment and decision making abilities; able to work independently with minimal
supervision, able to communicate professionally with people of diverse backgrounds and levels of
education. Must be an analytical thinker and detail-oriented. Supervise, assign, and evaluate the
work of employees. Ability to prioritize and complete work tasks in an efficient and timely manner.
Ability to read construction plans, survey plats and maps, and interpret and enforce ordinances.

Skills: Good writing and oral presentation skills, Strong writing skills, including experience in
writing local land use ordinances; strong written and verbal communication, effective record
keeping, time management skills and effective customer service skills are required.

Physical and Mental Requirements
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee
to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be
made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the position’s essential functions.

Physical Demands: Work requires some agility and physical strength, such as moving in or about
construction sites or over rough terrain, or standing or walking most of the work period.
Occasionally, work may require lifting heavy objects and carrying them (up to 40lbs). There may
be need to stretch and reach to retrieve materials. Usually, the work will require extended
physical effort over a significant portion of the work day.

Motor Skills: Duties are largely mental rather than physical, but the job may occasionally require
minimal motor skills for activities such as moving objects, operating a telephone system,
computer and/or most other office equipment, typing and/or word processing, filing, and sorting.

Visual Demands: Visual demands include constantly reading documents, construction plans, and
maps for general understanding and for analytical purposes. Employee is required to distinguish
colors.

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