Assistant Planner chez City of Vacaville, CA

About the Department

The City of Vacaville - A beautiful place to live, a great place to work!

The City of Vacaville is accepting applications for the position of Assistant Planner in the Community Development Department. There are currently two (2) vacancies in the Planning Division.

This classification is flexibly staffed and the Department may fill the vacancies at either the Assistant Planner (entry) level or Associate Planner (journey) level, depending on candidate qualifications and departmental needs. Applicants who meet the Associate Planner requirements and wish to be considered for hire at that level must also submit a separate application through the Associate Planner recruitment posting found here. Candidates may apply to both recruitments if they wish to be considered for either level.

This recruitment will establish an eligibility list that may be used to fill future Assistant Planner vacancies within the next 12 months. 

Salary RangeThis position may be eligible for a hybrid work schedule upon successful completion of the probationary period.

Working for the City of Vacaville comes with an excellent benefits package, including:

• Medical Insurance at affordable rates - City covers up to 85% of Kaiser premium, other plans are also available
• Vision and Dental Insurance monthly premiums covered 100% by the City
• Paid sick leave, vacation leave, thirteen holidays and two floating holidays a year
• Tuition reimbursement and student loan repayment 
• Deferred compensation plan with City contribution, no employee match required
• California Public Employees Retirement System (CalPERS)  plan enrollment and Retiree Health Savings account   

See our generous Benefits Summary page for more detailed information. 

The Assistant Planner interprets and communicates planning policies, manages development projects from initiation to completion and supports long-term planning initiatives. Responsibilities include preparing reports, facilitating meetings, ensuring compliance with regulations, overseeing environmental review processes and processing planning applications. This position also requires maintaining effective working relationships with colleagues, other City staff and the public.

Duties within this role include, but are not limited to:

• Public Counter Responsibilities - Respond to in-person and electronic inquiries at the public counter. This includes researching relevant City documents such as the General Plan, Land Use and Development Code, Downtown Specific Plan and Housing Element.
• General Plan and Housing Element Reporting/Implementation - Conduct research, prepare reports and perform data analysis to support the implementation of General Plan policies, including State-Certified Housing Element programs. Responsibilities may include completing annual reports, implementing Housing Element programs to meet State deadlines, reviewing and updating the Land Use and Development Code, engaging with the community and stakeholders, conducting environmental analyses, preparing staff reports and presenting materials to various groups. 
• Specific Plan Project Management - Assist in the development and execution of project management tasks for new Specific Plans within the City. Current projects include the Allison Priority Development Area (PDA) Specific Plan and the East of Leisure Town Specific Plan, among others. 
• New Subdivision and Master-Planned Communities - Evaluate and analyze new subdivision proposals, including comprehensive planning for greenfield development areas. Implement long-term plans through the design review of individual projects. 
• Consultant Management -  Assist in, or independently oversee, the work of project planning and environmental consultants. Duties include facilitating in-person or virtual meetings, monitoring timelines and ensuring the quality of deliverables for key initiatives such as the Housing Element, Municipal Service Review and other City-wide projects. 
• Project Review - Collect, analyze and interpret planning and zoning data pertaining to regulations in both agricultural and urban areas. Interpret and explain City ordinances and codes.

For a complete job description, please visit our website at www.cityofvacaville.gov.

Position Duties

Ideal Candidate
In addition to meeting the minimum qualifications, the ideal candidate will:

• Possess a thorough understanding of the principles and practices of governmental planning and zoning; 
• Be knowledgeable of current trends in Federal, State and local planning, National, State and local laws related to planning of governmental and private agencies affecting community planning including, but not limited to, the Subdivision Map Act and the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA); 
• Be able to collect, analyze and interpret data related to planning and zoning regulations in a complex agricultural and urban area;
• Have the ability to interpret and explain planning policies and regulations to diverse audiences, including the public, developers and City officials;
• Demonstrate strong organizational skills, with the ability to prioritize work to meet Planning Division goals and deadlines; 
• Be able to perform basic computer operations, including word processing and spreadsheets; and    
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with individuals encountered in the course of work. 

ASSISTANT PLANNER MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE - Any combination of education and experience that would provide the required knowledge and abilities is qualifying.  A typical way to obtain the required knowledge and abilities would be:
 
Education:  A bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with major coursework in planning, architecture, engineering or a related field.
 
Experience:  One year of planning experience, which may include internship experience, is desirable.  An advanced degree in planning may be substituted for the desired experience.

LICENSE OR CERTIFICATE 
Select positions may require the possession of a valid Class C California Driver's License and a satisfactory driving record as conditions of initial and continued employment.

Minimum Qualifications

A completed City of Vacaville employment application and supplemental questionnaire must be received by the Human Resources Department at 650 Merchant Street, Vacaville, CA 95688 by 5:30 p.m., Tuesday, September 2, 2025.

Applicants are encouraged to apply online at www.cityofvacaville.gov.  Application packets may also be requested in person at the Human Resources Department or by calling (707) 449-5101.

Resumes will not be accepted in lieu of a completed application packet.

IMPORTANT: Contact with applicants will primarily occur via email. Please ensure that your application indicates a valid email address that you check regularly.

For ADA information and other Frequently Asked Questions, please click here. 

Applicants receiving a conditional offer of employment must successfully complete the pre-placement process for this position before a final offer will be extended.  Pre-placement assessments for this position include, but are not limited to: an employment and education verification, a Livescan (FBI/DOJ fingerprint review) and a DMV record review.     

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