Intermediate City Planner
March 20 2025
Industries
Consulting services
Categories Urban Planning, Architecture, Real estate
Toronto, ON • Full time
Job Description
- (Internal Title- Property Services II)
- Reporting to the Associate Director of Land Use Planning & Capital Projects, the Intermediate Planner is responsible for reviewing, advise and processing various applications under the Planning Act and Condominium Act (including subdivisions and site plans) and more in-depth applications. This role involves assisting with planning studies, research projects, and providing advice on planning matters
- The Intermediate Planner collaborates with other divisions within the Cities staff, including Building, Bylaw, Clerks and Infrastructure Services (Engineering), and engages with external agencies and stakeholders
- The Intermediate Planner represents the clients in various land-use planning forums and contributed to maintaining high ethical standards and positive public perception of the City's planning activities
- Supports client staff and/or directly provides technical and professional planning advice and information to the public, developers, lawyers, and other stakeholders pertaining to land-use and zoning matters, including, responding to inquiries in-person, by phone and email regarding zoning, and general planning related matters. To support proactive community education, lead or participate in preparing plain language communications and/or making presentations to the public regarding planning, zoning, and other programs
- Assists and provides professional input and advice in the administration and enforcement of the Ontario Planning Act and related statutory regulations, municipal by-laws and other relevant and applicable law, and to a secondary extent, the Ontario Building Code Act and engineering standards/requirements.
- Reviews and confirms submitted application and materials for accuracy and completeness
- Provides clarification when needed to other staff on payments and transactions including licenses, invoices, development charges, and permits
- Provide guidance/direction on, or directly process more complex/unique/contentious short-term planning applications (ex. minor variances, consents, site plans). Process more complex applications (official plan amendments, complex zoning by-law amendments, subdivision and condominium plans)
- Review letters of zoning compliance when needed, evaluate applications under relevant by-laws, and ensure compliance and conformity with zoning, site plan, and against the City's Official Plan and other guidelines, standards, and policies
- Provides professional support and guidance when needed on submitted applications and/or plans, studies, reports. Apply file management and complex issue resolution to meet process timelines
- Prepare reports and recommendations on planning and development proposals
- When requested by the Senior Staff, coordinates, prepares agendas and takes notes for various planning/development-related meetings
- Attend public consultation meetings to present, respond to questions from Committee, Council, the public and stakeholders
- Assists, coordinates, and/or responds to questions and complaints, especially regarding more complex land-use planning-related matters
- Confers with and provides information to clients and partners including: engineers, architects, property owners, contractors, committees established by Council, and others regarding more complex land-use planning-related matters
- Conduct site visits and inspections as required
- Ensure development proposals conform with the Official Plan, Provincial policies, and Council Guidelines
- Assist in developing implementation policies and preparing amendments to the Official Plan and Zoning By-law
- Prepares complex agreements related to planning matters (e.g., development, site plan, and subdivision)
- Coordinate and, and in consultation with more senior planning staff, negotiate input from applicants, consultants, service areas, agencies, and the public on planning proposals and amendments
- Assist senior planning staff with studies and research projects relating to the immediate and long-term planning of land, facilities, and services
- Participates as needed on background research, preparing data, and other tasks relating to the development and reviews for Development Charges and/or Community Benefits Charges Studies/By-laws as governed by the Planning Act
- When directed, assigned to work closely with more senior staff on key projects/assignments, ensuring alignment with overall planning objectives and strategies, and supporting their management of major projects and studies
- Provide planning information and advice on principles and policies to applicants, consultants, citizen groups, government agencies, and the public
- Supports senior staff in compiling background research and data required to accurately account for and recover costs associated with various planning activities
- Support divisional work plans and direct, train, and advise junior planning staff and students
- As a "Registered Professional Planner" (RPP), provide professional planning evidence at the Ontario Land Tribunal (OLT) and other hearings conducted under Provincial legislation on behalf of the City
- Prepares appeal records, affidavits, witness statements, and evidence with little to no supervision
- Assist in the preparation of urban design and planning visions and documents, including Urban Design Rationale Reports, Official Plan & Zoning By-law Amendments, Draft Plans of Subdivisions and Minor Variances
- Assist in the production of urban design projects including preparation of Campus Master Plans, Downtown Plans, Corridor Plans, Mobility Hubs, Community Plans, Urban Design Guidelines, Master Plans, Peer Reviews, etc
- Assist in the production of Witness Statements and supporting documents in relation to Ontario Land Tribunal proceedings
- Prepare materials for public workshops, client meetings, internal workshops, and Council meetings
- Support a multidisciplinary team of planners, urban designers, architects, and landscape architects on planning and urban design projects
- Assist in the preparation of proposals in response to RFQs and RFPs
- Support other project work within the studios as needed
- Working Conditions
- Office-based or Hybrid
Qualifications
- Experience:
- 5 years working as an land use, urban or policy planner
- Ability to read, understand and advise on zoning by-laws, planning policy documents (including the Planning Act, the TOC Act, the Provincial Policy Statement, Official Plans, etc.)
- Working knowledge of urban design best practices
- Education:
- Master's degree in urban planning
- Licenses OR Certifications:
- OPPI membership & RPP designation
- Registered for and seeking certification with relevant professional associations including OPPI, etc. or other relevant to applicable certifications
- Skills and Competencies:
- Motivated, flexible, and enthusiastic team player able to work in an open studio format
- Experience in the preparation of urban design and planning projects
- Skills in software applications including MS Office, Adobe Suite, and Bluebeam. Skills in Photoshop, AutoCAD, ArcMap, and SketchUp will be viewed as an asset
- Willingness to travel within North America
- In-depth understanding of general construction methods as they relate to property
- Proficient in the entire Property Acquisition, the Expropriation Act and processes
- Experience with infrastructure projects is required
- Readiness to apply the knowledge of real estate or property, development, and infrastructure is required
- Hands-on experience in development projects including heritage, planning policies, and approvals
- Ability to arrange priorities and escalate competing risks to meet deadlines with minimum input from leadership
- Keen eye for detail and adept problem-solving abilities
- Must have demonstrated experience relaying and receiving information (written and verbal)
- Expert ability to work collaboratively and independently on creative and analytical tasks in a structured, disciplined, technology-driven environment
- Strong people skills and confidence to engage with a variety of internal and external stakeholders
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