Salary : $106,896.00 - $129,924.00 Annually
Location : City Hall - 1414 Mission Street, South Pasadena, CA
Job Type: Full Time
Job Number: 2627-004
Department: Community Development Department
Opening Date: 08/13/2026
Closing Date: 9/3/2026 11:59 PM Pacific
Max Number of Applicants: 60

Position Overview
Associate Planner: $7,834.00 - $9,523.00 Monthly
Senior Planner: $8,908.00 - $10,827.00 Monthly

**The City may fill the vacancy at either classification depending on qualifications**

4% Cost of Living Adjustment July 1, 2027
The Ideal Candidate

The ideal candidate is an experienced planning professional who brings both technical expertise and strong customer service skills. Both the Associate & Senior Planner will serve as a subject matter expert to the Community Development Department staff, City departments, and the Community.
The City of South Pasadena is committed to fostering a culture of Collaboration, Accountability, Courage, Ownership, Professionalism, and Service Excellence. Candidates are expected to demonstrate these values in their work and interactions with colleagues and the community.
Associate Planner

Under direction of the Planning Manager, the incumbent will provided experienced current and advanced planning assistance to the City, exercise independent judgment on a variety of complex planning issues; performs related work as assigned.
Senior Planner

Under direction of the Planning Manager, the incumbent will initiate, organize, coordinate and manage major planning studies and complex planning, urban design or redevelopment projects; exercises independent judgment to develop recommendations on complex long range planning, urban design and redevelopment issues; performs related work as assigned.
Duties & Responsibilities
The duties listed below are examples of the essential job duties typically performed by employees in this class. An employee may not be assigned all duties listed and may be assigned duties that are not listed below:
Associate Planner

• Develops short and long-range plans; gathers, interprets, and prepares data for studies, reports, and recommendations; coordinates department activities with other departments and agencies as needed.
• Provides technical and professional advice; makes presentations to supervisors, boards, commissions, civic groups, and the general public.
• Provides information on land use applications, ordinances, codes, plans, and related planning programs, services or regulations to architects, engineers, developers, contractors, owners, community groups, and interested persons.
• Responds to local citizens inquiring about local planning, zoning, building code enforcement, regulations, and ordinances.
• Prepares a variety of studies, reports, and related information for decision-making purposes.
• Conducts technical research studies and prepares statistical reports and recommendations for drafting or revising local legislation and plans, projecting trends, monitoring socio-economic data, etc.
• Assist in the development and implementation of growth management, land use, economic development, utility, housing, transportation, facilities, solid waste or other plans and codes to meet the City's needs and any inter-governmental agreements or requirements.
• Evaluates land use applications and site plans for compliance with applicable local, state or federal laws. Monitors assigned land use applications through the approval steps, and prepares reports and related data as required.
• Provides staff support to the City Council, Planning Commission, Cultural Heritage Commission, Design Review Board and other boards as needed and assigned.
• Prepares planning reports and supporting data, including recommendations on various land use proposals.
• Evaluates environmental information and prepares appropriate documents according to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) on behalf of the City as lead agency. Prepares responses on behalf of the City as a responsible agency.
• Coordinates and assists in the enforcement of local ordinances and in interpreting City codes and master plans.
• May assist in designs for parks, streetscapes, landscapes, and other municipal projects.
• Updates a variety of maps. Prepares graphics and maps for a variety of reports, plans, grant applications, publications or meetings.
• Serves when assigned as a member of the planning task force composed of City, County or State groups in regional and sub-regional planning efforts.
• Prepares and writes grant application components relating to geographies, maps, plats, site plans or other planning processes. Assists in maintaining the City's planning and economic database.

Senior Planner

• Develops short and long-range plans; gathers, interprets, and prepares data for studies, reports and recommendations; coordinates department activities with other departments and agencies as needed.
• Schedules and reviews interdepartmental planning, development and redevelopment projects and studies; conceptualizes innovative alternatives to long range planning, urban design or redevelopment issues; works directly with consultants and the public in implementing planning, urban design and/or redevelopment policy; assists with the coordination of economic development and business assistance activities.
• Provides technical and professional advice; makes presentations to supervisors, boards, commissions, civic groups and the general public.
• Provides information on land use applications, ordinances, codes, plans and related planning programs, services or regulations to architects, engineers, developers, contractors, owners, community groups and interested persons.
• Responds to local citizens inquiring about local planning, zoning, building code enforcement, regulations and ordinances.
• Staffs appointed advisory groups, committees and task forces; provides technical assistance or responds to information requests from other employees, the public and other agencies.
• Initiates contact with and confer with property owners, developers, business and civic leaders on current and future developments
• Prepares a variety of studies, reports and related information for decision-making purposes.
• Develops and implements major planning, urban design and/or redevelopment studies and complex research projects; works on project teams in solving specific planning, urban design or redevelopment problems; oversees and participates in completing environmental studies.
• Independently manages complex planning, urban design or redevelopment projects and monitors project implementation for compliance with approved conditions. Develops Requests for Proposals, coordinates consultant selection processes and oversees the work of consultants.
• Coordinates or assists with the various phases of project development including evaluation of developer's proposals and urban design and plan review.
• Conducts technical research studies and prepares statistical reports and recommendations for drafting or revising local legislation and plans, projecting trends, monitoring socio-economic data, etc.
• Provides direct research assistance to upper management in developing and adopting procedures, regulations and projects; independently conducts original research and interpretive work on special planning, urban design or redevelopment issues.
• Assists in the development and implementation of growth management, land use, economic development, utility, housing, transportation, facilities, solid waste or other plans and codes to meet the City's needs and any inter-governmental agreements or requirements.
• Evaluates land use proposals and site plans for conformity to established plans and local, state or federal laws; evaluates proposals' development impact as they relate to the adopted plans of the City and makes recommendations.
• Facilitates the review of major development and land use projects and ensures timely completion of assigned projects.
• Monitors assigned land use applications through the approval steps, prepares reports and related data as required.
• Develops or directs the development of environmental studies in accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act.
• Provides staff support to the City Council, Planning Commission, Cultural Heritage Commission, Design Review Board and other boards as needed and assigned.
• Prepares planning reports and supporting data, including recommendations on various land use proposals.
• Evaluates environmental information and prepares appropriate documents according to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) on behalf of the City as lead agency.
• Prepares responses on behalf of the City as a responsible agency.
• Coordinates and assists in the enforcement of local ordinances and in interpreting City codes and master plans.
• Assists in the designs for parks, streetscapes, landscapes and other municipal projects.
• Updates a variety of maps & prepares graphics and maps for a variety of reports, plans, grant applications, publications or meetings.
• Serves when assigned as a member of the planning task force composed of City, County or State groups in regional and subregional planning efforts.
• Prepares and writes grant application components relating to geography, maps, plats, site plans, or other planning processes.
• Assists in maintaining the City's planning and economic database.
• Serves as acting department head in the department head's absence, as assigned.

Qualifications
Associate Planner

Education:

Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with a degree in regional planning, urban planning, architecture, landscape architecture, or a related field. Highly desired candidates will possess a Master's degree and/or an American Institute of Certified Planners certification.
Experience:

Three years of increasingly responsible municipal experience. Any equivalent combination of education and experience will be considered. Additional education may substitute for required experience on a year-for-year basis.
Knowledge of:

State land use, development, and environmental law, comprehensive planning, and zoning, including their formation, adoption, and enforcement; familiarity with urban design principles and standards; planning programs and processes; working knowledge of computers and GIS applications; drafting; familiarity with today's techniques and public information and

involvement.
Ability to:Read architectural drawings and plans; communicate clearly and effectively verbally and in writing with the general public, architects, contractors, developers, owners, supervisors, and employees; establish effective working relationships; manage multiple tasks and projects in a timely manner; use a computer, motor vehicle, calculator, phone, copy and fax machine, and various graphic design tools and software.
Senior Planner

Education:

Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with a degree in regional planning, urban planning, architecture, landscape architecture, or a related field. Highly desired candidates will possess a Master's degree and/or an American Institute of Certified Planners certification.
Experience:

Four years of increasingly responsible municipal experience and progressively complex professional urban planning experience. Any equivalent combination of education and experience will be considered. Additional education may substitute for required experience on a year-for-year basis.
Knowledge of:

State land use, development and environmental law, comprehensive planning, and zoning, including their formation, adoption, and enforcement; architecture and urban design principles and standards; historic preservation; planning programs and processes and the operations of a public agency; site planning and development; problem-solving; principles of meritorious customer service; familiarity with today's techniques for community participation and public information; working knowledge of personal computers and GIS operations; and, drafting.
Ability to:

Create alternative site plan and development solutions; interpret design guidelines and reach conclusions that are reasonable, supported by factual information and findings; prepare oral, written, and graphic reports and present information to community groups, commissions and elected officials; maintain effective working relationships with diverse community groups elected officials, individuals, and other staff; apply an understanding of urban and regional planning, principles and techniques to assignments; interpret a the Secretary of Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation and criteria to evaluate the significance of historic and cultural resources; interpret and apply design guidelines for new construction and ability to read and interpret architectural drawings; structure development feasibility analyses and research for staff or consultants; read architectural drawings and plans; communicate effectively orally and in writing with the general public, architects, developers, owners, supervisors and employees; to manage multiple tasks and projects in a timely manner; use a personal computer, motor vehicle, calculator, phone, copy, and fax machine, various graphic design tools.
Other
Special Requirements:Possession of a valid Class "C" California driver's license and a satisfactory driving record.
Physical Demands

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 essential functions.
Work is performed mostly in office settings. Some outdoor work is required in the inspection of various land use developments and construction sites. Specific vision abilities required by this job inc