Senior Planner (Public Realm)

POSITION TITLE: SENIOR PLANNER

FLSA: Exempt

Hiring Range: $74378 - $92946

Anticipated closing date is December 29 2025 however applications will be continued to be accepted until the position is full

INTRODUCTION TO THE POSITION

Lone Trees planning team manages a wide variety of current development and long-range planning projects and activities in fulfillment of the Citys Comprehensive Plan. This position will support that work and lend senior-level expertise in the areas of the public realm specifically. This includes urban and natural public spaces as well as parks trails and open space systems. This position will conduct both development review and long-range master planning activities. Lone Tree has over 1300 acres of dedicated open space over 200 acres of parkland over 75 miles of public trails and other recreational and cultural assets such as the Schweiger Ranch historic property. Additionally Lone Trees open space system abuts the Douglas County Open Space system which includes Bluffs Regional Park - an important recreational anchor for the Lone Tree community. Lone Trees public lands and recreational assets are projected to grow significantly in the next decade as the city continues to implement its master plans in conjunction with collaborative partnerships with its metropolitan and service district providers. We look forward to welcoming a Senior Planner to the team to guide this important work.

INTRODUCTION TO PLANNING DIVISION

At the City of Lone Tree we lead the way with exemplary service collaborative partnerships and continuous improvement. The Citys Six Big Ideas are demonstrated by our mission to do things the best way- not just the expected way our ability to work together using all areas of expertise to achieve a common goal and our commitment to fulfilling the needs of our community through thoughtful interactions. Our team members serve with integrity respect and work inclusively with an appreciation for individual differences and diverse backgrounds. We achieve organizational goals through collaborative problem solving planning and decision-making.

Lone Trees Planning Division prides itself on a system of perfecting planning through the process; this means we apply a flexible and collaborative development review process when City regulations allow and when such an approach will result in a better project for the community. Our goal is to develop plans that are visionary resilient innovative and practical and that guide Lone Tree toward a vibrant future. Big-picture outside-the-box thinkers thrive in this environment and find value in bringing new ideas to the table.

The Lone Tree Planning Division functions as a dynamic team; we work closely together to accomplish objectives and undertake projects large and small. Successful team members possess excellent organizational and oral and written communication skills as well as the ability to proactively solve problems redirect priorities and participate in process improvement.

We foster a fun supportive environment that enables people to thrive professionally and personally. We work hard we play hard and above all else we enjoy the support of a leadership team focused on employee health and providing a work-life balance.

GENERAL OVERVIEW OF POSITION:

Under the direction of the Planning Manager this position is responsible for the following primary functions:

• Ensuring a deliberate and coordinated approach to the planning and management of Lone Trees public realms and implementing important community goals such as the preservation and activation of open spaces in a site sensitive manner;
• Implementing the Comprehensive Plans strategic action items associated with public lands management and public spaces to include developing a Parks Trails and Open Space Master Plan and associated design and maintenance standards;
• Engaging in public realm design with a focus on creating public spaces that provide opportunities for creative expression social connection business vitality and vibrant public life; and
• Supporting other current and long-range planning functions within the Planning Division as needed.

This position requires an understanding of the principles and practices of local government and current and long-range planning and development processes to include an understanding of the functions and benefits of public lands and public spaces. This position reports to the Planning Manager and collaborates with the current and long-range planning teams to achieve Planning Division objectives. The ideal candidate will understand both current and long-range planning functions and will enjoy applying innovative ideas and progressive concepts to manage projects and implement city objectives associated with open space preservation development of parks and trail networks and the curation of innovative urban public spaces and amenities.

This position will manage complex projects and will make recommendations for action on land use projects and policy proposals to the Planning Commission and City Council. The ideal candidate will be innovative collaborative possess a background in public realm design and/or public lands and/or natural resource planning and development have the ability to evaluate and apply current planning objectives within the context of long-range planning goals and be capable of collecting and analyzing data and master plans to inform long-range planning decisions. Regional relationships are integral to Lone Trees success. Lone Tree relies on numerous service districts to provide park and open space programming and maintenance; the ideal candidate for this position is a diplomatic professional who understands the important nuances of relationship management and who can collaborate with numerous departments and agencies to innovatively solve problems and achieve shared objectives.

This job might be for you if:

• You have the desire and capacity to help build enduring sustainable equitable and vibrant public spaces. You have passion skills and experience that you want to apply to building innovative accessible and dynamic public spaces and to manage public lands to protect environmental resources and preserve such lands for the benefit of future generations.
• You are a public spaces you find yourself drawn to parks or public plazas when you travel Do you look for native plants on your hikes Does conducting a trail user assessment sound exciting Does your heart pound for equitable engagement
• You geek out on research and love to find and communicate the story behind the data.
• You enjoy communicating ideas have skills and appetite to make our maps and presentations eye-catching and easy to understand through graphics and crisp design.
• Collaboration is your enjoy working closely with teams. You are comfortable playing a support role on some projects while collaborating as a leader or manager on others.
• You want to bring people together. You love community engagement and get excited thinking about ways to get more people meaningfully involved in shaping the future of their public lands and spaces.
• You have an eye for detail and the customer service skills required to guide developers in refining project design to achieve the communitys vision.
• You have project management are organized love checking boxes off your to-do list and are excited by complex projects.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

The following essential job functions and examples of duties are illustrative only and are not intended to be all inclusive. Duties may be modified added or deleted at the discretion of Planning Manager.

• Communicate with a variety of internal and external customers prepare professional reports and provide presentations to community organizations and elected officials.
• Process/oversee landscaping parks open space and trails development applications and construction documents.
• Draft review implement and update parks open space trails placemaking wayfinding and landscaping plans and design standards and guidelines for the City.
• Serve as liaison to parks open space and trails service providers.
• Review and process applications for murals and art installations and work with the Lone Tree Arts Center to implement and oversee the land use elements within the Public Art Master Plan.
• Analyze a variety of complex data to evaluate potential impacts on current and future properties including parks trails and open space lands and make recommendations concerning future planning to promote quality and maximize value to the Lone Tree community.
• Articulate and embody the core values of the organization. Seek to connect current work assignments to the goals and objectives of the organization.
• Establish positive working relationships with representatives of community organizations state/local agencies and associations City management and staff and the public.
• Coordinate with developers and special districts on pending land use applications and development plans to ensure city parks open space and trails objectives are achieved and high-quality civic spaces are created.
• Collaborate with the Public Works Department on mobility and accessibility planning efforts. Oversee the Planning Divisions implementation and application of the mobility and accessibility master plans.
• Serve as liaison to the citys Recreation Advisory Committee.
• Coordinate public lands and natural resources management/conservation efforts and policies with internal and external stakeholders to include those associated with the Community Wildfire Protection Plan and the Regional Hazard Mitigation Plan.
• Support the current Planning team by guiding/mentoring their review of parks open space trails landscaping art and/or public lands and natural resource design elements within development applications and by reviewing and processing such development applications as needed.
• Serve as project lead on land development applications including site improvement plans subdivisions park master plans and other land use entitlements by acting as the applicants main point of contact and identifying and facilitating discussion about any development conflicts and issues. Ensure smooth and efficient processing of applications through effective communication negotiation and facilitation. Conduct referrals to internal and external agencies prepare staff reports graphic exhibits and present findings and recommendations to the Planning Commission and City Council. Ensure proper follow-up of all approval criteria conditions plans and inspections and coordinate resolutions if needed to achieve project compliance.

• Review and analyze major development projects for conformance with municipal state and local laws regulations and design standards and guidelines.

• Analyze environmental land use and development data and issues pertaining to the use and/or preservation of parks trails and open spaces.

• Conduct research and/or special studies as directed by the Community Development Director or Planning Manager or as issues require.
• Provide support to the Planning Manager as requested.

CORE COMPETENCIES:

The successful candidate will possess the following competencies:

• Time Management Uses time effectively and efficiently; can independently prioritize tasks; can attend to a broad range of activities; makes decisions in a timely fashion.

• Technical Learning Picks up technical concepts quickly takes initiative to ask questions and comfortable learning new information and processes quickly as necessary to complete tasks.

• Perseverance Pursues tasks with curiosity energy and persistence.
• Organizational Agility Ability to organize tasks and people to get things interpersonal skills and relationships to work through available processes and resources using both informal and formal channels to achieve results.
• Patience Is tolerant and sensitive with people and processes.
• Teamwork / Independent Work Works effectively in teams as well as independently with limited supervision.

KNOWLEDGE SKILLS & ABILITIES TO SUPPORT SUCCESS:

Interpersonal and Technical Skills:

• Strong interpersonal oral and verbal skills. Must have the ability to interact effectively with individuals of varying cultural economic professional and educational backgrounds.
• Demonstrated personal effectiveness professionalism integrity and credibility thoroughness flexibility and collaboration skills.

• Must have outstanding presentation and public speaking skills including the ability to present information concisely at public meetings.

• Precision and attention to minute details when analyzing data and when reviewing master plans development proposals maps and reports.

• Excellent writing skills: the ability to prepare clear concise and complete technical documents reports correspondence and other written materials using proper spelling grammar and style.
• Critical and creative thinking skills with a focus on systems thinking: the ability to assess complex planning issues and problems analyze data evaluate alternatives and recommend effective courses of action regarding zoning policies land use ordinances public lands management and community planning.

Knowledge of:

• Objectives principles procedures standards practices information services and trends in the field of parks/open space planning and public lands management.
• Land use urban design demographic environmental and social/economic concepts and principles as applied to local government planning.
• Special districts to include a basic understanding of how special districts function as well as the relationship between special districts and local governments in providing services to communities.
• Working knowledge of GIS and/or graphic programs such as SketchUp.
• Research mapping and data collection techniques.
• Terminology symbols methods and techniques used in planning urban design site plans and plats.
• Purposes roles and authorities of councils commissions and others involved in the planning process.
• Requires solid knowledge of the federal state and local regulations related to planning.
• Citizen involvement principles and techniques.

Ability to:

• Manage project stakeholders deliverables and deadlines.
• Prepare revise and evaluate technical land use reports and plans.

• Coordinate and participate in major projects including the collection and analysis of data and preparation of reports and recommendations pertaining to the planning process.
• Interpret and apply laws policies procedures regulations specifications site and building plans environmental impact reports data and maps to development proposals.

• Ability to negotiate solutions among groups with diverse and conflicting needs.

SUPERVISION RECEIVED

Works under the general supervision of the Planning Manager.

SUPERVISION EXCERCISED

Provides daily technical assistance and general oversight to other planners on staff.

QUALIFICATIONS

Education/Experience

Any combination of education and experience which demonstrates the required knowledge skills and abilities to perform the Public Lands Planners essential duties and responsibilities is qualifying. Common ways to demonstrate such capabilities include:

• Bachelors degree in Land Use Planning Natural Resource Management Landscape Architecture Public Administration or a closely related field AND a minimum of three (3) years of progressively responsible work experience in local government or private sector planning. Direct experience in urban planning and/or long-range planning strongly desired.
  • Masters degree in Land Use Planning or Community Development is preferred and may substitute for two (2) years of work experience.
• Associates degree in Geography Geographic Information Systems Landscape Architecture Environmental Sciences or a closely related field AND eight (8) years of progressively responsible experience in local government or private sector planning may substitute for a bachelors degree.

Equipment Used Work Environment and Physical Activities:

• Driving: Must be physically capable of operating motor vehicles safely in the normal course of assignments.
• Office equipment: Daily use of a copier scanner and printer.

• Computer equipment and software: Daily use of a personal computer MS Office software Adobe Acrobat Pro and virtual meeting and presentation software. Experience with Esri GIS software platforms (either online or desktop) strongly desired. Experience with Smartsheet Bluebeam and Accella preferred.
• Physical activities: Primarily sitting standing and walking. May bend stoop reach climb carry and lift for varying periods. Requires continuous and repetitive arm-hand-eye movement. Field work includes walking in construction sites developed and undeveloped sites and conducting walking assessments of parks trails and open space areas that may have varied topography and grades.
• Requires continuous and repetitive arm-hand-eye movement.
• Lifting: May involve lifting and carrying up to 25 lbs. for short periods of time.
• Vision and hearing: Must have visual acuity to see and read paper and electronic documents; must be able to answer telephones communicate conversation and respond to verbal inquiries.
• Exposure to environmental conditions: Work is mainly in an office setting but some outside fieldwork is required.

Position Type and Expected Hours of Work

This is an exempt full-time position. The City of Lone Trees business hours are Monday through Friday 8:00 a.m. to 5 p.m. Actual work schedule will be determined upon hire and will require availability to work evenings and weekends. Flextime and hybrid remote work schedules are offered for employees at the discretion of managers consistent with City policies; the Planning Division offers a hybrid schedule (three days in the office two days remote work typically following orientation period) that is coordinated by the Planning Manager to ensure daily in-office.

Comprehensive Benefits Package

At the City of Lone Tree we understand the value of investing in our employees well-being and financial security. Thats why we offer a robust benefits package designed to support you and your family.

Our benefits include:

• Health & Wellness: Comprehensive medical dental and vision coverage plus flexible spending accounts (FSAs) and supplemental health plans.
• Work-Life Balance: Access to an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) and wellness initiatives to support your overall well-being.
• Financial Security: Employer-paid basic life insurance short- and long-term disability coverage and voluntary life insurance options.
• Retirement Planning: Multiple retirement savings options including 457 401(k) and Roth IRA plans as well as participation in PERA and FPPA pension plans.
• Commuter Perks: Enjoy the convenience of an RTD EcoPass for public transportation.

The City of Lone Tree provides equal opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race color religion national origin sex sexual orientation gender identity national origin disability genetic information age or any other status protected under federal state and/or local law.

It is your right to access oral or written language assistance sign language interpretation real-time captioning via CART or disability-related accommodations. To request any of these services at no cost to you please contact Human Resources at within three business days notice.

Required Experience:

Senior IC