Associate Planner

The Community Development Departmentplays a crucial role in shaping the physical and social fabric of the city and greater Grand Junction area, with the goal of creating a sustainable, livable, and inclusive urban environment that meets the needs of present and future generations. The work of the department is multidisciplinary with a focus on land use, housing, sustainability, and mobility.

• Perform professional level duties in the development, implementation, and modification of city plans and regulations.
• Provide information and assistance to City staff, the general public, and consultants/developers regarding City plans, zoning matters, and development requirements; conduct pre-application meetings with engineers, developers, architects, general public, and City staff regarding the development process and requirements.
• Perform planning and development review of subdivision site plans, vacations, and other permits of processes to ensure compliance with all requirements; provide recommendations on development proposals; assist developers to ensure all requirements comply within established time frames; inspect development sites to ensure compliance.
• Serve as staff on a variety of boards, commissions, and committees involved in the development, adoption, and implementation of City plans and planning regulations; prepare and present staff reports and other necessary correspondence.
• Assist in the preparation of grant proposals and applications for state and federal funds; administer and monitor programs and grant funds to achieve stated goals; prepare grant status reports as required.
• Participate in code administration; interpret City ordinances, zoning and development codes, and state and federal regulations regarding community development; conduct research of applicable statutes/regulations and other planning examples.
• Conduct field site inspections to gather data relevant to development projects and verify that the development complies with approved plans.
• Assist with planning studies to gather data for evaluating long-range and special planning and studies in the community; research applicable statutes, laws, and regulations to identify planning guidelines and restrictions placed on local planning activities by state and federal authorities.
• Compile and analyze statistical and descriptive data; prepare tables, graphs, and narratives.
• Attend and participate in professional group meetings; stay abreast of new trends and innovations in the field of community development and planning.

• One year of responsible professional urban planning and zoning experience.
• Equivalent to a Bachelors's degree from an accredited college or university with major course work in planning or related field.

Grand Junction, Colorado is the gateway to the mountains and canyonlands of western Colorado and eastern Utah. Centrally located between Denver, CO (250 miles east) and Salt Lake City, UT (270 miles west), Grand Junction is surrounded by 1.2 million acres of public land. Residents enjoy world-class whitewater rafting on the Colorado and Green Rivers, golfing, fishing, skiing and snowboarding, and exploring mountain bike and hiking trails through the Colorado National Monument and the Grand Mesa National Forest. Grand Junction has a robust downtown and hosts multiple art, music, food, and market events annually. With a population of over 150,000 in Mesa County (65,000 within the City limits) we have many of the big town amenities without the big town stresses such as traffic and trail congestion. With an average of 245 days of sunshine, Grand Junction is the perfect place to work and play.

Learn more about our area on Visit Grand Junction's website and Instagram!

At the City of Grand Junction, we proudly operate as an Equal Opportunity Employer, purposely building an inclusive workforce representative of various cultures, perspectives, and experiences. We believe in respect for all and do not discriminate based on hair, race, color, religion, creed, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity, gender expression and sexual orientation), national origin, age (40 or older), disability, genetic information, marital status, veteran status or any other status protected by applicable federal, state or local law is not allowed.