REGIONAL PLANNER

County of Los Angeles, CA

$85K — $108K *
Education, Government & Non-Profit
Less than 5 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Bachelor's degree in Urban or Regional Planning or related field from an accredited institution.
  • 1 year of professional urban or regional planning experience interpreting zoning regulations and advising the public on land use.
  • 15 semester or 22.5 quarter units in relevant planning courses (for specific degree options).
  • Familiarity with California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) compliance processes.
  • Valid California Class C Driver License.

Responsibilities

  • Conduct research and engage the public in discussions on county planning policies.
  • Draft zoning, subdivision, and land use regulations.
  • Analyze complex planning problems and prepare relevant projections and studies.
  • Process subdivision applications and evaluate zoning compliance.
  • Conduct field inspections and prepare reports for public hearings.
  • Review and prepare environmental documents according to CEQA standards.
  • Investigate zoning regulation violations and communicate with various stakeholders.

Benefits

  • Comprehensive health insurance plans.
  • Retirement plan options available.
  • Paid vacation and sick leave benefits.
  • Opportunities for professional development and training.
  • Collaborative work environment with diverse planning issues.
Full Job Description
Salary : $85,178.16 - $108,729.84 Annually
Location : Los Angeles County, CA
Job Type: Full time
Job Number: 54430B-R
Department: REGIONAL PLANNING
Opening Date: 07/28/2026
Closing Date: 8/27/2026 5:00 PM Pacific

The team member we are searching for:
An individual who participates in planning and zoning studies, analyses and research; communicates with the public concerning planning issues and engages in other planning and zoning activities.
For more information, please view the classification specification:
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Essential Job Functions
Participates in the research, writing, and public engagement and discussion regarding the adoption of the County's general plan, area, coastal, community, and neighborhood plan policies, and other specialized plans and studies such as the County's Sustainability Plan.

Participates in the research and drafting of zoning, subdivision, and other land use regulations.
Participates in the analysis of complex planning problems, the preparation of population and other planning projections, housing needs, and parking studies.

Responds in writing or orally to inquiries from the public on General Plan policy, and subdivision and zoning regulations.

Processes applications for subdivisions, zone changes, variances, and conditional use permits.

Evaluates applications for consistency with General Plan policy, and compliance with zoning and subdivision regulations.

Conducts field inspections, prepares staff reports and public notices, coordinates with other public agencies, and follows all other necessary procedures for public hearings.

Analyzes, reviews and prepares environmental documents including Initial Studies, Negative Declarations, and both the draft and final versions of the Environmental Impact Reports in compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).

Explains County and State environmental regulations to the general public and project applicants.

Investigates and analyzes property ownership, recorded property ownership and zoning histories; gathers and consolidates data from public records and other sources to assist in the development of written staff reports in support of recommendations for official action.

Investigates violations of zoning regulations, and discusses alleged violations with property owners, complainants, community groups, the Board of Supervisors, County Counsel, the District Attorney, and other enforcement agencies, and may make court appearances.

Prepares and makes oral presentations of planning development applications, zoning and other planning related information to the Regional Planning Commission, and civic, community, governmental, professional, and other interest groups.

Prepares graphics, exhibits, maps, and other audio-visual illustrations to present findings and critical issues of planning studies in support of the department's recommendations.

Uses computer programs or planning applications to accept applications and process fees and prepare reports, maps, spreadsheets, data bases and/or graphics in carrying out planning activities.

Works collaboratively with other Sections and Divisions within Regional Planning, other County departments, and public and private organizations in coordinating project activities and resolving problems pertaining to planning matters related to the department such as homelessness, sustainability, climate change, and equity.

Requirements
REQUIREMENTS TO QUALIFY:
OPTION I:

A bachelor's degree in Urban or Regional Planning from an accredited college or university
OPTION II:

A bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university, with specialization in Environmental Studies, Geography, Urban Studies, Public Administration, Public Policy, Landscape Architecture, Architecture, or Urban Design with 15 semester or 22.5 quarter units of upper division courses in Urban or Regional Planning, Cartography, Urban Geography and/or Environmental Planning.

OPTION III: A bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university and one year of professional urban or regional planning experience applying land use planning principles by interpreting and implementing zoning regulations, advising the public on land use and development requirements, resolving zoning and code compliance issues, and developing or implementing long-range planning policies, General Plans, or other legislative land use initiatives.
WITHOLD INFORMATION:

No withhold will be allowed. Required experience and or education must be fully met by the last day of filing and clearly indicated on the application.
LICENSE:

A valid California Class C Driver License or the ability to utilize an alternative method of transportation when needed to carry out job-related essential functions.
PHYSICAL CLASS:

Physical Class II - Light: This class includes administrative and clerical positions requiring light physical effort that may include occasional light lifting to a 10-pound limit and some bending, stooping, or squatting. Considerable ambulation may be involved.
SPECIAL REQUIREMENT INFORMATION:

To receive credit for your education, include a legible copy of all relevant official documents. For Option I and III, include a legible copy of your diploma, official transcript, or letter/certificate from an accredited institution demonstrating your specialization. For Option II, you must include a copy of your transcript demonstrating the date the degree was conferred, number of units and the type of unit system used (e.g., semester, quarter). All documents provided must be in English. If not in English, then translation is required. International degrees must be evaluated for equivalency to US standards and indicate the number of units and unit system. Documents marked as unofficial will not be accepted. For more information on our standards for educational documents, please visit: ;

If you are unable to attach the document to your application, please send the document to within seven (7) calendar days from the last day of filing and indicate the exam name and number on the subject line.

We do not accept password-protected documents. Ensure documents are unlocked before attaching to your application or sending to the exam analyst.

Additional Information
Once we have identified that you meet our requirements, an invitation regarding the following assessment processes will be sent:

EXAMINATION CONTENT

This examination will consist of TWO (2) parts:

PART I: A multiple choice test weighted 65% measuring:
  • Professional Potential
  • Achievement
  • Coping with Uncertainty
  • Responsibility
  • Working to High Quality Standards
  • Willingness to Learn
  • Working Relationships
  • Analyzing Information
  • Learning Quickly
  • Generating New Ideas
  • Using Time Efficiently
  • Adapting to Change
  • Deductive Reasoning

Applicants must meet the requirements and achieve a passing score of 70% or higher on Part I (multiple choice and/or simulation assessments) in order to proceed to Part II (technical writing project).

MULTIPLE CHOICE TEST/SIMULAR ASSESSMENTS ARE NOT REVIEWABLE BY CANDIDATES PER CIVIL SERVICE RULE 7.19.
PART II: A technical writing project weighted 35% measuring:
  • Written Expression
  • Professional/Technical Knowledge
  • Critical Thinking
Candidates must achieve a passing score of 70% or higher on each part of the examination in order to be placed on the eligible list.
TRANSFER OF TEST COMPONENTS:

If you recently took identical components for other exams, the test responses may be automatically transferred to this examination. This exam contains test components that might be used on future exams, and your responses could be transferred to that exam.

TEST PREPARATION:

We provide study guides and other test preparation resources to help candidates prepare for employment tests. While the guides may help in preparing for the test, we recommend reviewing all related materials that seem necessary. Various information can be found on our website at https://hr.lacounty.gov/job-search-toolkit/. The section dedicated to test preparation is "Employment Test Assistance." Online practice tests are available at https://www.shldirect.com/en-us/practice-tests. You can also visit our Los Angeles County Online Assessment Preparation Series webpage at https://lacounty.attract.neogov.com/la-county-online-assessments-prep-series for information about common online assessment types, sample questions, and test-taking tips.
ELIGIBILITY AND VACANCY INFORMATION:

Candidates who passed the assessment are placed on a list in the order of their score group for a period of 12 months. Regional Planning will use this list to fill vacancies as they occur.
APPLICATION AND FILING INFORMATION:

We only accept applications filed online. Applications submitted by U.S. mail, fax, or in person are not accepted. Apply online by clicking on the "Apply" green button at the top right of this posting. This website can also be used to get application status updates.

Please fill out the application completely. Provide relevant job experience including employer's name and address, job title, beginning and ending dates, number of hours worked per week, and description of work performed.

We may verify information included in the application at any point during the examination and hiring process, including after an appointment has been made. Falsification of information could result in refusal of application or rescission of appointment. Copying verbiage from the Requirements or class specification as your work experience will not be sufficient to demonstrate meeting the requirements. Doing so may result in an incomplete application and may lead to disqualification.

We will send notifications to the email address provided on the application, so it is important that you provide a valid email address. If you choose to unsubscribe or opt out from receiving our emails, it is possible to view notices by logging into Governmentjobs.com and checking the profile inbox. It is every applicant's responsibility to take steps to view correspondence, and we will not consider claims of missing notices to be a valid reason for re-scheduling an exam part. Register the below domains as approved senders to prevent email notifications from being filtered as spam/junk mail.

New email addresses need to be verified. This only needs to be done once per email address and can be done at any time by logging in to govermentjobs.com and following the prompts. This is to enhance the security of the online application and to prevent incorrectly entered email addresses.

Federal law requires that all employed persons have a Social Security Number, so include yours when applying.

For those who do not have access to a computer or the internet, we provide access to complete an application at public libraries throughout the county.

All applicants must file their application online using their own user ID and password. Using a family member's or friend's login information may erase a candidate's original application record.

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