Landscape Inspector at City of Chattanooga

Work Hours: Monday - Friday, 8:00 A.M. - 4:30 P.M. (EST)
*Hours may vary due to work assignments or projects.*

FLSA Status: This is a Non Exempt position.

Salary: GS.09 $24.76/hour - $29.91/hour

Department: Public Works- Land Development Office

CLASSIFICATION SUMMARY:  

Incumbents in this classification are responsible for inspecting and directing the management of trees and vegetation on public and private property to ensure compliance with relevant regulations, a high level of public safety, and research-backed vegetation management practices. Duties include conducting inspections and risk assessments of landscape installations on construction sites, and for trees citywide by citizen and City Forester request, and creating work orders to address maintenance needs. Work requires regular communication with City officials, regulatory agencies, developers, and citizens. Work is performed with limited supervision. 

SERIES LEVEL: 

This is a stand-alone classification. 

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:
(The following duties ARE NOT intended to serve as a comprehensive list of all duties performed by all employees in this classification, only a representative summary of the primary duties and responsibilities. Incumbent(s) may not be required to perform all duties listed and may be required to perform additional, position-specific duties.)

Confirms ownership and location of trees and plant material using site plans, surveys, GIS, and other tools. 

Inspects trees and plant material for correct species, proper planting, health, and structure.

Conducts risk assessments of City- and privately-owned trees. 

Inspects construction sites for compliance with City tree planting, tree protection, and tree provisioning standards.

Communicates with Developers, Contractors, Homeowners, and Regulatory Agencies.

As needed, attends pre-submittal meetings to inform architects, owners and contractors of City landscape ordinance and design issues. 

Assists in the selection, care, and maintenance of City trees in local parks and in other public areas. 

Performs various manual tasks associated with tree protection activities, which may include: planting trees; measuring trees; taking samples from trees; spraying pesticides; cutting tree limbs; removing trees/branches from roadways; dragging brush; and, performing other related activities.

Operates a variety of equipment and tools associated with work activities, which may include a utility truck, hand saw, drill, spray pump, increment borer, hypsometer, measuring devices, shovel, hand tools, or mechanic tools.

Prepares, reviews, completes and stores various forms, reports, correspondence, permits, or other documents. 

Receives various forms, reports, correspondence, site plans, grading plans, specifications, ordinances, textbooks, technical journals, manuals, reference materials, or other documentation; reviews, completes, processes, forwards or retains as appropriate.

Must meet regular attendance requirements. 

Must be able to maintain good interpersonal relationships with staff, co-workers, managers, contractors, property owners, and citizens. 

Must accomplish the essential functions of the job, with or without reasonable accommodations, in a timely manner. 

Work is performed with limited supervision 

Performs other duties as assigned. 

DEPARTMENT SPECIFIC DUTIES (if any):

Urban Forestry Duties

Reviews and inspects 311 requests relating to maintenance of City-owned trees.

Writes detailed ANSI A300-compliant urban forestry work orders to be completed by City of Chattanooga and contract crews. 

Assists with scheduling of work orders by City of Chattanooga and contract crews.

Creates, mails, and tracks code enforcement actions.

Reports to the Municipal Forester, and communicates directly with the Forestry Supervisor and Tree Canopy Coordinator regarding upcoming maintenance work.

LDO Duties

Ensure that local construction sites comply with Federal, State and City Landscape and Stormwater (Vegetated Green Infrastructure/Water Quality Buffer Vegetation) permits, requirements, laws and regulations via inspections. 

Reads, interprets, and reviews land disturbing and building permits for compliance and/or restoring of Water Quality buffers and any required trees or vegetated elements. 

Inspects and ensures compliance for installation and maintenance of Stormwater Control Measures (SCMs) as related to vegetation when appropriate. 

Creating and implementing new specifications and standards for City departments where native plants are used.

Reviews development plans to ensure plans are in compliance with applicable landscape and

urban tree ordinances; conducts related site inspections to monitor compliance of work activities

with approved site plans, traffic plans, and grading plans.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: 

Bachelor’s Degree in Forestry, Horticulture, Natural Resource Management, Arboriculture, Landscape Architecture, Landscape Design, or Landscape Construction, or a related field, and four (4) years related experience, including experience with GPS or GIS; or any combination of equivalent experience and education. 

LICENSING AND CERTIFICATIONS: 

Valid Driver’s License.

ISA Arborist certification is preferred on hire.

ISA TRAQ certification is preferred on hire.

For Urban Forestry hire, ISA Arborist Certification is required within six (6) months of hire.  

For Urban Forestry hire, ISA TRAQ Certification is required within one (1) year of hire. 

For LDO hire, State of Tennessee Erosion Prevention Sediment Control Certificate Level 1 within six months of hire. 

For LDO hire, Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Professional Accreditation is preferred. 

For LDO hire, a Certificate in Native Plants is preferred within six (6) months of hire.

KNOWLEDGE & SKILLS:

Knowledge of applicable Federal, State, and Local laws, ordinances, codes, rules, regulations, standards, policies, and procedures; site development; forestry, landscape, and horticulture principles and practices. 

Skill in plant identification. Skill in interpreting, applying, and communicating applicable laws, ordinances, codes, rules, regulations, standards, policies, and procedures; selecting, caring for, and maintaining trees; identifying tree species; and, communication and interpersonal skills as applied to interaction with coworkers, supervisor, and the general public, sufficient to exchange or convey information and to receive work direction. 

Ability to read, interpret, and understand construction documents, including plans, details, and specifications.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS: 

Positions in this class typically require: reaching, standing, walking, fingering, grasping, feeling, talking, hearing, seeing and repetitive motions. 

WORK ENVIRONMENT: 

Light Work: Exerting up to 20 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 10 pounds of force frequently, and/or negligible amount of force constantly to move objects. If the use of arm and/or leg controls requires exertion of forces greater than that for Sedentary Work and the worker sits most of the time, the job is rated for Light Work. 

Incumbents may be subjected to extreme temperatures. 

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:

Safety Sensitive: Y 

Department of Transportation - CDL: N 

Child Sensitive: N 

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION:

This position requires pre-employment screening(s) that include: background check / drug screening / lift test / TB screening questionnaire / TB Skin Test / Complete Physical screening / DOT Clearinghouse / HepB Titer / fingerprinting / CJIS check.
 

The City of Chattanooga, Tennessee is an Equal Opportunity Employer. In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, the City will provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities and encourage both prospective and current employees to discuss potential accommodations with the employer.

KNV 10/16/2025