Planner II
Salary
$65,325.42 - $92,762.12 Annually
Location
Spotsylvania, VA
Job Type
Regular Full-Time (Exempt)
Job Number
02794
Department
Planning & Zoning
Opening Date
08/13/2026
Closing Date
8/27/2026 11:59 PM Eastern
Spotsylvania County is committed to maintaining a drug free workplace. Employees are prohibited from manufacturing, distributing, possessing or using controlled substances such as marijuana. A positive drug test result, confirmed use or impairment can be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination in accordance with our personnel policies.
A positive pre-employment drug test will also disqualify a candidate for hire.
General Statement of Job
Under general supervision, performs professional planning and land development review work for the County's Planning and Zoning Department. Reviews rezoning, special use, site plans, and plats for both residential and non-residential projects, and other development proposals to ensure compliance with relevant ordinances, standards, plans, policies, and the Comprehensive Plan. Assists in updates to the Comprehensive Plan and its implementation. Serves as a team member and/or team leader in self-directed work teams engaged in planning projects and or plan reviews. For public hearing involved cases, presents findings and recommendations to the Planning Commission and the Board of Supervisors and other commissions and committees, as assigned. Short Range (SR) Planner I reports to the Director of Planning and Zoning, and Long Range (LR) Planner II reports to the Long Range Planning Manager.
Special Duties & Responsibilities
SHORT RANGE (SR) PLANNER II
- Reviews plats and site plans ensuring compliance with the County's land use ordinances and standards.
- Manages and reviews rezoning and special use applications and certificates of appropriateness for compliance with regulatory standards and the County Comprehensive Plan's goals and objectives.
- Prepares staff reports and memos and makes oral presentations summarizing relevant issues and recommends action to the Planning Commission, County Board of Supervisors, Historic Preservation Commission, and other commissions as warranted. Presents reports and recommendations to the Commissions and Board at regularly scheduled public meetings.
- Coordinates the review of applications by regulatory agencies to determine impacts on current and planned public services, infrastructure, and operations and recommends ways to mitigate any negative or adverse impacts.
- Assists in the update of the Comprehensive Plan and its implementation.
- Receives and responds to a variety of inquiries from the Board of Supervisors, Planning Commission, County staff, applicants, developers and real estate professionals, market researchers, and the general public. Provides information, answers questions, and explains policies, procedures, standards, and related regulations.
- Serves as a team member in performing special studies and reports.
- Assists with writing land use policies and regulations for inclusion into ordinances and Comprehensive Plan; researches and prepares information on various planning-related topics.
- Participates in and/or assists in the support of various County and regional committees, as needed.
- Acts as a technical resource to Planning Technicians and assists in the orientation and training of Planner I positions.
- Performs a variety of administrative duties in support of assigned duties including setting up and maintaining files; preparing forms, handouts, and checklists, preparing correspondence, etc.
- Participates in training and continued education, reviews legislation, journals, and periodicals to remain abreast of the latest laws, trends in the market, and the latest techniques for skill enhancement.
- Meets with other staff members, departments, outside agencies, and community contacts to gather information necessary to help gain input to formulate a variety of County planning initiatives.
- Conducts internet and County intranet-based GIS analysis at minimum.
- Attends evening meetings as necessary.
- Performs other related duties as required.
LONG RANGE (LR) PLANNER II
- Reviews rezoning and special use applications and certificates of appropriateness for compliance with regulatory standards and the County Comprehensive Plan's goals and objectives.
- Prepares staff reports summarizing relevant issues and recommends action to the Planning Commission, Board of Supervisors, Historic Preservation Commission, and other Boards and Committees as warranted. Presents reports and recommendations to the Commissions and Board at regularly scheduled public meetings.
- Prepares Comprehensive Plan consistency reviews to ensure capital infrastructure project (CIP) compliance and support for utility infrastructure projects.
- Prepares Comprehensive Plan consistency reviews for proposed land conservation easements.
- Updates and maintains various demographics, housing, development pipeline, levels of service, and the County cemetery database.
- Occasionally manages development and processing of County code amendments from conceptualization to public hearing.
- Coordinates the review of long range projects by appropriate regulatory agencies to determine impacts on current and planned public services, infrastructure, and operations and recommends ways to mitigate any negative or adverse impacts.
- Assists in the update of the Comprehensive Plan and its implementation.
- Receives and responds to a variety of inquiries from the Board of Supervisors, Planning Commission, County staff, applicants, developers and real estate professionals, market researchers, and the general public. Provides information, answers questions, and explains policies, procedures, standards, and related regulations.
- Serves as a team member in performing special studies and reports.
- Assists with writing land use policies and regulations for inclusion into ordinances and Comprehensive Plan; researches and prepares information on various planning-related topics.
- Participates in and/or assists in the support of various County and regional committees, as needed.
- Acts as a technical resource to Planning Technicians and assists in the orientation and training of Planner I positions.
- Performs a variety of administrative duties in support of assigned duties including setting up and maintaining files; preparing forms, handouts and checklists, preparing correspondence, etc.
- Participates in training and continued education, and reviews legislation, journals, and periodicals to remain abreast of the latest laws, trends in the market, and latest techniques for skill enhancement.
- Meets with other staff members, departments, outside agencies, and community contacts to gather information necessary to help gain input to formulate a variety of County planning initiatives.
- Conducts internet and County intranet-based GIS analysis at minimum.
- Attends evening meetings as necessary.
- Performs other related duties as required.
Minimum Training & Experience
Bachelor's Degree in Urban Planning or closely related field and three (3) years of experience in professional planning work and/or any equivalent combination of education, training, and experience which provides the requisite knowledge, skills, and abilities.
LICENSES AND CERTIFICATIONS
Must possess a valid Commonwealth of Virginia driver's license.
A member of the American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP), Virginia Association of Zoning Officials (VAZO) Certified Zoning Official, or other related professional certification including but not limited to American Institute of Architects (AIA) or American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) preferred.
Special Requirements
LR: LONG RANGE, SR: SHORT RANGE
- Knowledge of the principles and practices of land use planning, zoning, and land development. [LR/SR]
- Knowledge of County zoning ordinances, VA State Code, standards, policies, and procedures pertaining to the review and approval of zoning and special use applications. [LR/SR]
- Knowledge of the geographic layout, transportation system, development character, and land use distribution of the County preferred. [LR/SR]
- Ability to use computer-driven word processing, spreadsheet, and file maintenance programs. [LR/SR]
- Ability to read and interpret plans, applications, and regulations. [LR/SR]
- Ability to apply the Code, ordinances, elements of the Comprehensive Plan, and other guidelines and regulations to applications for land development and to make recommendations regarding rezoning and special use applications. [LR/SR]
- Ability to explain orally and in writing the processes, recommendations, and interpretations of planning policies and practices. [LR/SR]
- Ability to exercise tact and courtesy in contact with landowners, developers, governmental officials, and the general public. [LR/SR]
- Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships as necessitated by work assignments. [LR/SR]
- Ability to speak and/or signal people to convey or exchange information. Includes receiving instructions, assignments, or directions from supervisors. [LR/SR]
- Ability to read rezoning and special use applications, site plans, various reports, ordinances, County Code, zoning and tax maps, plans, studies, etc.
- Ability to prepare analytical reports and recommendations considering development applications; correspondence, case files, zoning interpretations, etc., using a prescribed format and conforming to all rules of punctuation, grammar, diction, and style. [LR/SR]
- Ability to apply principles of logical or scientific thinking to define problems, consider historical precedent, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions; to interpret an extensive variety of technical instructions in mathematical or diagrammatic form; and deal with several abstract and concrete variables. [LR/SR]
- Ability to record and deliver information, explain procedures, to follow oral and written instructions. Must be able to communicate effectively in a variety of technical and professional languages, including engineering, legal, zoning, and land development terminology. [LR/SR]
- Ability to utilize mathematical formulas; to add and subtract totals; multiply and divide; to determine percentages and decimals; and perform calculations involving variables, formulas, and polynomials. [LR/SR]
- Ability to communicate professionally and respectfully. Must be adaptable to performing under moderate to high levels of stress. [LR/SR]
- Familiarity and experience with ArcMap, ArcGIS Pro, ArcGIS Urban for planning-related applications. [LR]
- Visual content creation, urban design, and graphic design skills. [LR]
- Ability to construct and/or maintain demographic, housing, development pipeline, and levels of service-related databases. [LR]
- Familiarity with both rural and urban planning preferred. [LR/SR]
PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS
Must be physically able to operate a variety of office equipment including a computer, calculator, copier, etc. Must be able to exert up to 50 pounds of force occasionally, and/or a negligible amount of force constantly to move objects. Physical demand requirements are those for light work. Requires the ability to inspect items for proper length, width, and shape. Requires the ability to coordinate hands and eyes rapidly and accurately in using automated office equipment. Requires the ability to handle a variety of items, office equipment, control knobs, switches, etc. Must have minimal levels of eye/hand/foot coordination. Does not require the ability to differentiate between colors and shades of color. Requires the ability to talk and/or hear: (talking: expressing or exchanging ideas by means of spoken words; hearing - perceiving the nature of sounds by ear).
The following programs offered by Spotsylvania County provide our employees with benefits that promote employee health, well-being and financial stability, now and in the future. The Countys variety of comprehensive and competitive benefit programs* include:
Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance
Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)
Life Insurance
Opt-Out Program
Paid Holidays
Paid Leave
Sick Leave Bank
Supplemental Insurance Plans
Tuition Assistance Program
Retirement Plan
Deferred Compensation - 457 Plans
- Some benefits are exclusive to full-time employees. To learn more, please contact the Department of Human Resources.
Employer Spotsylvania County
Address 9104 Courthouse Road
P.O. Box 605
Spotsylvania, Virginia, 22553
Phone (540) 507-7290
Website http://www.spotsylvania.va.us