Senior Zoning Review Planner

Statement of Duties

This position is responsible for administration and review of projects under the Somerville Zoning Ordinance. Work duties include professional and technical work in planning, including project review, plan review for zoning consistency, assignment of work to other staff, and site inspections for consistency with zoning approvals and special permit approvals, and training of other Zoning Review Planners. The Senior Zoning Review Planner also participates in development review, provides input into zoning amendments and serves as the principal liaison between the ISD building inspectors, OSPCD planners, and other City agencies to ensure streamlined review of development projects and consistent and fair application of the zoning ordinance.

Essential Functions:

The essential functions or duties listed below are intended only as illustrations of the various types 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. (Note: not all duties are performed by all incumbents in each division).

• Serve as the primary designee of the Director of Inspectional Services/Building Commissioner for compliance with the Somerville Zoning Ordinance
• Conducts reviews of project plans for consistency with the Zoning Ordinance
• Serve as principal liaison between the Planning Division and ISD at OSPCD
• Responsible for training Zoning Review Planners on the zoning review process and municipal ordinances
• Assigns cases as needed to Zoning Review Planners and manages/oversees assigned cases
• Assigns cases as needed to case reviewers in OSPCD Planning and Zoning
• Researches and analyzes data
• Manages events/initiatives relating to zoning and development
• Reviews plans going before the Planning Board, Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA), and/or Conservation Commission
• Reviews projects during construction and upon completion, for compliance with ZBA and Planning Board conditions
• Prepares zoning opinions for ISD
• Serve as liaison for all zoning related matters
• Develops and recommends by-law and ordinance amendments
• Provides information to public regarding City ordinances, state laws, and regulations
• Provides professional and technical administrative approval on City processes, in accordance with local and state regulations

Recommended Minimum Qualifications

Education and Experience: College Degree and minimum five (5) years of 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. Master’s degree in Planning or related field required.

Knowledge, Abilities and Skill

Knowledge: Knowledge of planning, conservation, preservation, economic development, transportation and infrastructure is required.

Abilities: Ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing with state and federal agencies, architects, contractors, developers, owners, supervisors, employees, and the general public. Ability to read, review and understand technical, civil and architectural drawings.

Skill: Skill in facilitating and public presentations is required.

Work Environment

The work environment involves everyday discomforts typical of offices, with occasional exposure to outside elements. Noise or physical surroundings may be distracting, but conditions are generally not unpleasant. Employee may be required to work beyond normal business hours in response to attend evening meetings or complete work assignments. When in the field or attending meetings, the environment can be at construction sites and outdoors.

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 Skills

Minimal physical demands are required to perform the work. Work effort principally involves sitting to perform work tasks, with intermittent periods of stooping, walking, and standing. Work requires some agility such as moving in or about construction sites or over rough terrain. There may also be some occasional lifting of objects such as office equipment or photocopy paper (up to 30lbs.). When in the field, more physical skill may be required to accomplish the duties required.

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, personal computer and/or most other office equipment including word processing, filing and sorting of papers.

Visual Skills

Visual demands require constantly reading documents for general understanding and analytical purposes.

Hours: Full-Time
Salary: $1,769.36 weekly, plus benefits
Union: Non-Union
FLSA: Exempt
Date Posted: February 23, 2024

City of Somerville residents are especially encouraged to apply.

The City of Somerville is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, age, national origin, disability or any other protected category. Women, minorities, veterans, and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply.

Auxiliary aids and services, written materials in alternative formats, and reasonable modifications in policies and procedures will be provided to qualified individuals with disabilities free of charge, upon request. Persons with disabilities who need auxiliary aids and services for effective communication (i.e., CART, ASL), written materials in alternative formats, or reasonable modifications in policies and procedures in order to access the programs, activities, and meetings of the City of Somerville should please contact Adrienne Pomeroy at 617-625-6600 x 2059 or apomeroy@somervillema.gov.

Pre-Employment Requirements for All Employees:

• MA Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) clearance
• Completition of Conflict-of-Interest Law Education training for municipal employees

Overview of Total Rewards:

• 4 weeks annual vacation (for non-union positions) union positions vary by contract
• Medical insurance through the Group Insurance Commission (GIC) - 80% of premium costs paid by City
• Dental coverage low and high plans through Cigna
• Vision care through Vision Service Plan (VSP)
• Long term disability through Sun Life
• Group and voluntary life insurance through Boston Mutual
• Health Care and Dependent Care flexible spending through Benefit Strategies
• Deferred compensation plans through a choice of three vendors
• Free, confidential services through the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) provided by E4Health
• Annual cancer screening & wellness release
• Somerville Retirement Pension System
• Tuition reimbursement
• MBTA pass program
• FREE Blue Bikes membership
• Eligible employer for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program (PSLF)

Benefits listed are for benefits-eligible positions and the above information is meant to be a general overview of the benefit programs offered by the City of Somerville and not a binding contract.