Town of La Plata MD - Planning Director

The Town of La Plata is in search of a skilled and forwardthinking professional to take on the position of Planning Director. The Planning Director is responsible for overseeing all planning zoning and development activities in the Town ensuring that growth occurs in a way that meets the communitys needs while adhering to regulatory and environmental standards. This includes reviewing and approving site plans subdivision applications and building permits and ensuring that all developments comply with the Towns zoning laws and land use regulations. The Planning Director reports to the Town Manager and supervises a small dynamic planning team with two planners guiding them in reviewing development projects and other planningrelated activities.

As the head of the department the Planning Director will play an integral role in the development implementation and regular updates to the Towns Comprehensive Plan and Zoning Ordinance. This includes ensuring that the Towns zoning regulations remain relevant in the face of changing growth patterns regional trends and environmental considerations. The Director will work closely with the Town Manager the Town Council and external agencies like Charles County government the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) and the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission (WSSC) to address key challenges such as water capacity and infrastructure expansion. The Planning Director will also provide expert guidance on annexation requests and work with developers to ensure that new developments align with the Towns longterm vision.

The Planning Director will manage the departments budget ensuring efficient allocation of resources to support planning development reviews and enforcement functions. The next Director will also prioritize key projects such as revising zoning codes updating the Towns planning documents and advancing the Towns sustainability initiatives. The Planning Director will ensure the staff have the training and tools to perform their duties effectively and efficiently. The next Director will also support the Town Council and other decisionmaking bodies such as the Planning Commission and Design Review Board by providing expert advice on land use issues zoning changes and economic development strategies.

The next Director will collaboratively work with staff members from various departments to review development applications. The Planning Director will ensure that the Technical Review Team (TRT) operates smoothly further facilitating communication between departments and providing feedback to applicants. The Director will represent the department at Town Council and Planning Commission meetings providing updates on planning activities advocating for the Towns development goals and advising the Council on planning and zoning matters. With a focus on these priorities the Planning Director will ensure that the Towns development is sustainable aligning residential commercial and environmental goals.

Priorities

• Initiate the fiveyear cycle to update the Towns Comprehensive Plan ensuring alignment with growth and development goals while reviewing and recommending updates to address the expansion needs of the hospital and other downtown zoning issues. Develop a clear process for ongoing updates to the Plan.
• Implement standardized processes for development review and approvals to enhance predictability and facilitate smoother project timelines.
• Leverage existing technological tools to enhance operational efficiency and support modern development processes.
• Facilitate the timely hiring of a planner to support departmental goals.

The Successful Candidate

The ideal Planning Director will be a forwardthinking detailoriented leader with a strong ability to anticipate community needs and develop longterm sustainable growth strategies. With a personable and approachable demeanor the successful candidate will foster collaboration with colleagues developers and the public while maintaining a focus on residential and commercial development and environmental preservation. The Director will have a visionary mindset ensuring that planning initiatives align with the Towns broader goals and future growth.

Strong project management skills will be essential as the Planning Director will oversee multiple development projects including issuing permits and ensuring compliance with Town regulations. The candidate must be adept at managing contract inspections ensuring quality control and resolving issues promptly. With excellent communication skills the Director will effectively explain complex planning processes and regulations to diverse stakeholders including staff elected officials and the public while addressing challenges tactfully and diplomatically.

The successful candidate will be an effective leader and coach committed to fostering a collaborative growthoriented work environment. Technologically savvy the Director will leverage modern tools and systems to improve departmental efficiency and service delivery. By mentoring staff prioritizing professional development and driving innovation in planning practices the Director will help the department meet both immediate and longterm objectives ensuring that the Towns growth is managed efficiently and thoughtfully.

Strong communication skills are essential for this role. The successful Planning Director will be able to explain complex zoning laws environmental regulations and development processes in clear understandable terms for a wide range of stakeholders including Town staff elected officials developers and the public. The successful candidate will be skilled at navigating challenging situations with tact and diplomacy effectively resolving conflicts while keeping a broader vision for the Towns growth in focus. The ability to lead and mentor staff fostering a culture of learning and continuous improvement will be a key asset in driving the success of the Planning Department.

Qualifications

Minimum requirements include any combination of education and experience equivalent to a bachelors degree in urban planning or a closely related field. Five years of progressively responsible planning experience supervisory experience and local government experience are also required.

Preferred qualifications include a masters degree in urban planning public administration or a closely related field and/or an AICP certification. At least five years of experience in a planning department within a town city or county setting is preferred. Experience handling growth and development a proven track record of managing comprehensive plan updates and demonstrated experience with plan review.

Inside The Organization

The Town of La Plata incorporated on April 4 1888 operates under a CouncilManager form of government reflecting its commitment to accountable and professional local governance. An independently elected Mayor and four Councilmembers each representing one of the Towns wards serve fouryear terms and work collaboratively to establish La Platas strategic direction. The Council relies on the Town Manager to implement policies and ensure efficient highquality service delivery that meets the needs of its residents.

With four departmentsPlanning Finance Public Works and PoliceLa Platas organizational structure is designed to provide focused responsive services across critical areas of municipal operations. The Towns General Fund Budget for FY2025 is $15.57 million which supports a dedicated workforce of 80 full and parttime employees. This budget enables the Town to prioritize public safety infrastructure and financial health while the Towns Enterprise Funds support essential services including sanitation water sewer and stormwater management programs. These enterprise programs ensure La Platas resilience in maintaining its environmental and public health standards aligning with the Towns longterm strategic priorities.

Inside The Department

The Planning Department coordinates all of the developmentrelated functions across the Town and oversees planning development and permitting activities. The Department also works to update and implement the Comprehensive Plan and Zoning Ordinance to ensure the Towns vision is achieved.

The Planning Department provides planning advice to the Mayor and Town Council La Plata citizens Planning Commission Design Review Board Board of Appeals and Parks and Recreation Commission. The Department staff helps to create communities that offer better choices for where and how people live.

The Town of La Plata ordinances protect and preserve the Towns property rights and privileges preserve peace and good order secure people and property from violence danger or destruction and protect and promote the health safety comfort convenience welfare and happiness of the Towns residents and visitors.

The department includes the following functions:

• Building Permits
• Development Review
• Zoning
• Long Range Planning
• Annual Reports

Planning Department Mission Statement

Planning and Community Development (PCD) strives to create an efficient and effective organization that provides planning advice to the Mayor and Town Council La Plata citizens Planning Commission Design Review Board Board of Appeals and Parks and Recreation Commission. PCD engages the community empowers staff and cultivates leadership continuing the Service is our Business tradition.

The Town of La Plata Planning Department plans to:

• Maintain and improve the character of our residential and commercial communities by making them more livable walkable accessible and sustainable.
• Focus on customer service and development process.
• Balance infrastructure needs and growth as the Towns population increases.
• Provide planning analysis and recommendations that enable the best planning and development decisions.

The Community

La Plata was originally founded in 1888 as the Pennsylvania Railroad was granted a right of way to build its tracks and station. Since then it has grown into a vibrant community of over 9000 residents with hundreds of small businesses that serve southern Maryland. La Plata is conveniently located in southern Maryland about 30 miles southeast of Washington D.C.; 60 miles south of Baltimore; 45 miles southwest of Annapolis; and 80 miles north of Richmond Virginia. La Plata serves as the county seat for the Charles County Government.

According to the 2020 US Census American Community Survey the ethnic makeup of the community is 63.5 White 30.5 Black 3.2 Hispanic and 2.8 Asian. In addition the median household income is $117065 and the median age is 40.4 years old. The Town has a total area of 7.63 square miles and is located just two miles from the shores of the Potomac River.

La Platas central location in southern Maryland provides excellent access to some of the midAtlantics most popular destinations. Despite this central location La Plata retains its smalltown charm and naturalistic beauty. Framed by the Clark Run Nature Area Laurel Springs Regional Park and Hawthorne Country Club La Plata is within a fiveminute drive of Chapel Point State Park and the banks of the Potomac River. Highway 301 which brings northsouth travelers directly through La Plata connects Virginia and Maryland via the Harry W. Nice Memorial Bridge a span across the Potomac that provides amazing views of the river.

The Town is located on land that was originally part of a 6000acre land grant given to Colonel Samuel Chapman a member of the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War. Colonel Chapman traveled widely during his life to the western United States as far as Colorado and to South America as far as Argentina. It was during these travels that he encountered the beautiful La Plata River (or River of Silver in English) on the border of Argentina and Uruguay. Upon returning to his home in Maryland he named a portion of his property La Plata because of its similarity to the shimmering river.

The Town of La Plata has many mature old growth trees which gives the area a sense of being far away from urban city life. Unfortunately this idyllic location was the site of a major F4 tornado in 2002 a natural disaster that destroyed parts of the downtown and damaged Town Hall. But the spirit of the community was reaffirmed as damaged structures were rebuilt with a new vision for the future of La Plata. In fact the communitys new Town Hall became southern Marylands first LEEDcertified building.

Residents of La Plata enjoy several community events throughout the year including the Friday Night Concert Series during the summer and the Fall Festival in October where neighbors come together to enjoy music crafts and great food. The community boasts a vibrant cultural scene highlighted by the Port Tobacco Players a renowned community theater group offering quality productions in Charles County Maryland. Just outside the town limits Saint Ignatius Church founded in 1641 stands as the longest continually serving Catholic parish in the United States. Additionally the Dr. Samuel A. Mudd House and Museum the historic home of the physician who treated John Wilkes Booths broken leg offers a glimpse into a pivotal moment in American history. Major employers of La Plata residents include the Charles County government University of Maryland Charles Regional Center (formerly Civista) the College of Southern Maryland and the Naval Support Facility Indian Head. La Plata is truly in the center of it all.

Quick Facts

• Population: 10284
• Median Household Income: $117065
• Median Home Value: 368000
• Median Age: 40.4

All demographic information was sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau.

Compensation and Benefits

The expected hiring range is $115000 $130000 depending on qualifications with an excellent benefits package. Learn more about our options and employeebased benefits here.

How to Apply

Applicants complete a brief online form and are prompted to provide a cover letter and resume. The position will be open until filled. Please apply immediately.

Questions

Please direct questions to Catherine Tuck Parrish at and Niayla Hairston at .

RECRUITMENT BROCHURE