Prior Job Duties and Responsibilities at Jefferson County

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Generally as Chief Planner

 

Plan, direct, organize and oversee the operational activities of the Department and staff in the areas of planning, zoning, subdivisions, construction plan review, permitting, geographic information systems, cartography and addressing for Jefferson County, and selected municipalities therein.

 

Provide assistance, support and direction, at all levels and as necessary and/or appropriate, in the administration and enforcement of zoning, subdivision, and other development-related regulations, policies and programs in unincorporated Jefferson County.

 

Consult and coordinate with the Director and/or Deputy Director on administrative matters applicable to the entire department, and implement same; develop and facilitate the cooperation and carrying-out of personnel, policy and procedural directives; and otherwise assist in the overall daily administrative operations of the department.

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Major Responsibilities

 

Planned, organized and scheduled staff activities and projects, including short-range, long-range, cyclical and on-going work assignments of planning, zoning, cartographic and computer/GIS personnel; and reviewed such work to assure timely completion, proper presentation, attainment of the highest possible levels of accuracy and completeness, etc.

 

Developed, implemented and monitored planning activities and projects; departmental as well as divisional policies and procedures; new and revised zoning regulations, and other development requirements; and other departmental activities or program operations.

 

Oversaw and reviewed the development, preparation, implementation and updating of the comprehensive plan; the updating and maintenance of the zoning district and corporate limit boundaries on the official zoning map; and the conversion of both to digital form on the County’s Geographic Information System.

 

Oversaw and reviewed all other planning projects, programs, reports and documents, including municipal and county land use plans, zoning ordinances and subdivision/development regulations; departmental investigation, analysis and reports on rezoning, variance and subdivision cases; the scheduling of meetings and public hearings, and the preparation of agendas and items same for the Jefferson County Commission, the Planning & Zoning Commission and the Board of Zoning Adjustment; etc.

 

Designed and implemented a database program for tracking and monitoring rezoning, variance and subdivision case progress and results, including overseeing the integrity and maintenance of both the new and historical information on the cases; directed follow-up inspections and other subsequent actions; executed dismissal of outdated cases; and carried out the reversion of zoning actions in cases where conditions of use/development are not met.

 

Coordinated, directed and monitored the departmental review of construction plans for subdivisions (including plats), and for all non-single-residence development; issued determinations of compliance (or non-compliance) with all regulations and requirements within the jurisdictional authority of Land Development (including zoning requirements, the flood plain regulations, Commission-mandated development policies, etc.).

 

Designed and implemented a database program for tracking departmental staff’s progress on reviewing construction plans, and to provide a means of constantly monitoring the status of every set of plans that is submitted for the Department’s review; and to cross-reference the construction projects with any related zoning, subdivision and/or variance cases.

 

Served as advisor on land use, site development, zoning and subdivision matters to technical committees; other County departments, other agencies and other counties; the Jefferson County Commission; the Jefferson County Planning & Zoning Commission; the Jefferson County Board of Zoning Adjustment; and to the mayors, councils, legal counsel, staff, planning commissions and boards of adjustment of cities and towns, both within and outside of Jefferson County.

 

Consulted with other departments and agencies, engineers, architects, contractors, developers, property owners and other individuals on matters relating to planning, zoning, and the subdivision and development of land; and facilitated overall interaction, coordination and cooperation between our Department and all other County departments.

 

Developed, prepared and made oral and written presentations of strategies, recommendations and proposals to County and other government agencies, planning organizations, etc.; prepared various correspondence and reports regarding departmental and Commission policies on planning, zoning and other development-related matters.

 

Participated in the development or revision of other new ordinances, regulations and programs not necessarily directly related to the Department or zoning, including the construction regulations, flood plain ordinance, hazard mitigation programs, a County-wide integrated/centralized permitting system, etc.

 

Monitored the assignment of addresses to properties and developments in unincorporated and selected incorporated areas; the updating and maintenance of address information (by street centerline) in the County’s geographic information system; and the updating of corporate limit boundaries through the processing of annexations and de-annexations.

 

Oversaw the development and maintenance of the Department website (intranet/internet page), and the overall inter-departmental administration of office computers and equipment; developed, implemented and monitor computer applications pertinent to departmental operations; and otherwise oversaw and reviewed the development and/or purchase of computer software, equipment, etc.

 

Reviewed plans and issued Zoning Approvals to permit construction of individual residences, and also of larger projects, as needed in the absence of the Zoning Administrator and Zoning Supervisor; also issued Zoning Certification Letters, and performed any and all other functions of the Zoning Administrator as requested or otherwise made necessary – including making interpretations and determinations as to the applicability of zoning and subdivision regulations and requirements.

 

Responsible for the Jefferson County Zoning Regulations, including the development, preparation and implementation thereof; the preparation and implementation of amendments and other re-writes; the overall care and on-going maintenance of the document, in both paper and electronic form; and the direction and overseeing of publication and distribution, including the provision of updates to registered copy-holders.

 

Responsible for the Jefferson County Subdivision Regulations, including the development, preparation and implementation thereof; the preparation and implementation of amendments and other re-writes; the overall care and on-going maintenance of the document, in both paper and electronic form; and the direction and overseeing of publication and distribution.

 

Served as the County’s representative/expert witness consulting with County attorneys, and providing testimony in court on planning, zoning and development matters in contested rezoning and variance cases.

 

Monitored departmental involvement in coordinated, multi-jurisdictional and/or multiple-agency planning efforts involving Jefferson County.

 

Served as Chairman for one of 20 specific goal groups organized into a Health Action Partnership coordinated by the Jefferson County Department of Health, and consisting of an extensive cooperative network of 160+ agencies and organizations from all across Jefferson County. Land Development joined this Partnership by taking a lead role under the “Livable Communities” Goal Group of the Health Action Plan – specifically, Goal 4, to develop a county plan that includes all of the municipalities, and which promotes the development of livable communities and healthier developments. And while our Department was assisting the Health Department in the accomplishment of this and the other goals of the Health Action Plan, it was also my function to identify and solicit assistance from the Health Department and other Partnership agencies in the implementation of the County’s own Comprehensive Plan.

 

Supervised staff and otherwise participated in the compilation, development, preparation and implementation of the departmental budget as required.

 

Coordinated and facilitated on-going continuing education opportunities for members of the Planning & Zoning Commission and Board of Adjustment as well as staff; provided training and orientation for new board/commission members, and for municipal staff, board/commission and council members as appropriate.

 

Implemented and oversaw the departmental time-sheet and work-reporting program; maintained records and prepared reports on personnel, project and program activity; evaluated the work of professional, technical and clerical staff, as well as the overall operation of the department; and prepared and presented proposals for, and then implemented, new programs or procedures, or improvements to existing programs and procedures, at both the intra-departmental and inter-departmental level, including staffing, equipment and budgeting as well as the operational parameters themselves.