Permit Technician chez Central Marin Local Governments, CA

About the Department

The Town strives to enhance the community’s health, safety, and quality of life by serving its residents and businesses through proactive, responsive, and inclusive leadership. Corte Madera, California, a community of just under 10,000 people, is devoted to preserving its rich history, maintaining today’s quality of life, and carefully planning its future. Corte Madera is located in central Marin County and has everything at its doorstep.

To learn more about the Town: The Town of Corte Madera

Department

The Department of Community Development, previously the Planning and Building Department, was created by the Corte Madera Town Council in February 2023 to be consistent with what other municipalities have done over the past several years.  The Town created the Department of Community Development as local communities have focused more time and effort on future growth and development with an eye towards improving economic sustainability and administering housing policy for their communities. The Department of Community Development handles topics related to planning, building, zoning, housing programs, code enforcement and economic development. 

The Town seeks a highly organized, detail-oriented professional with a strong background in building permitting processes and a commitment to providing excellent customer service. 

Key qualities include:

• Technical Expertise: Experienced in reviewing building applications and plan submittals for completeness; interprets building codes and zoning regulations accurately and consistently.
• Customer Service: Courteous, patient, and professional in assisting the public at the front counter and by phone; capable of assessing customer needs, explaining procedures, and guiding applicants through the permit process.
• Communication: Clear and professional communication with internal and external customers.
• Teamwork: Works effectively with municipal departments and public agencies.

Our ideal candidate is dedicated, reliable, and a detail-oriented professional adept at performing initial reviews of plans and documents, verifying contractor credentials, calculating fees, processing permits, and maintaining accurate records. They are comfortable tracking plan review timelines and coordinating with consultants and internal departments to ensure timely permit issuance and inspections.

Position Duties

• Assist the public at the front counter and on the phone; interview customers and determine their needs and assess the scope of their project; answer questions and provide information within specific guidelines or direct complex issues or inquiries to appropriate Town staff; provide forms, applications, and other materials; assist the public in completing application forms. 
• Confer with and accurately advise members of the general public, property owners, architects, engineers, developers, other Town departments and others regarding Town policies, procedures and standards related to planning and building issues; provide and explain requirements of codes and ordinances. 
• Assist contractors, engineers, architects, realtors, and homeowners in locating permit and parcel information, including zoning information; generate 300' radius labels using computer application and photocopy and mail public notices. 
• Perform initial review of building applications, plans, and support documents for accuracy and completeness; interpret and apply applicable codes and procedures. 
• Track and coordinate the plan review process to obtain approvals and/or corrections in a timely fashion; review, create and send correction letters; compile plans and documents for permit issuance, coordinate consultant plan review and inspection activities; process necessary paperwork; calculate and assess permit fees; issue permits; collect fees; record and file documents; enter inspection results, plan review and permit status records; prepare files for final inspections. 
• Verify validity of contractors’ state licenses, business licenses, workers’ compensation insurance, liability insurance and property ownership. 
• Participate in developing customer handouts and information packets related to construction, code and ordinance compliance; develop, write and maintain a comprehensive building procedures manual for permit processing. 
• Perform general office duties; receive, compile, and organize information for the preparation of correspondence, documents, agendas, spreadsheets, and reports as assigned; post meeting agendas, reports and notices; photocopy and collate public hearing packets; maintain confidentiality of sensitive information and documents. 
• Type technical correspondence, memoranda, labels, contracts, legal documents, and reports; format documents and check drafts for punctuation, spelling and grammar; make or suggest corrections to drafts; distribute copies of materials. 
• Perform general clerical accounting duties; calculate fees and collect payments; input ledger information; prepare refund requests; prepare reports and graphs. 
• Perform comprehensive reviews of file records for relevant construction histories for residential properties offered for sale; prepare and maintain records; enter and retrieve data; produce various documents, summaries and reports utilizing standard and advanced equipment and computer functions and programs, developing formats and manipulating data to achieve desired results. 
• Maintain Department files; file copies of permits, letters, memoranda, reports, construction plans, and associated documents for microfilming in accordance with Town policies and procedures; ensure compliance with records retention system procedures. 
• Schedule inspections; assist the Building Official and planning staff in locating files and permit information and resolving discrepancies with construction projects; assist with the gathering of data for inspection reports and investigations. 
• Stay abreast of related trends, laws, and regulations; attend classes required for certification renewal.
• Gather, compile and summarize information from a variety of sources to prepare data reports, budget reports and routing reports. 
• Maintain inventory and stock of office supplies for the assigned area.

• Modern office methods, procedures and equipment including a computer terminal; Windows- based computer operating system at an intermediate or greater level including but not limited to Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, and Internet Explorer. 
• English usage, spelling, grammar and punctuation. 
• Business letter writing and basic report preparation in a Windows-based computer office environment. 
• Principles and procedures of record keeping, tracking and maintenance. 
• Principles of basic mathematics. 
• Principles and techniques used in dealing with the public. 
• Procedures used in the building permit and planning processes. 
• Basic plan checking principles to determine completeness of plan submittal applications for planning and building permits. 
• Methods, practices, and materials used in building construction. 
• State laws, codes and Town ordinances related to construction and zoning.

• Operate modern office equipment including computer equipment.

• Retrieve pertinent data from Internet websites including Assessor’s parcel information, aerial photos and current applicable codes.
• Exercise independent judgment and initiative in the performance of general technical and clerical work while recognizing the limits of authority in referring complex matters to management; prioritize work and coordinate multiple activities. 
• Understand and apply building codes, state and federal laws that apply to building processes and local ordinances and apply these to the building permit process. 
• Use architectural and engineering scales to determine basic dimensions and calculate areas and percentages. 
• Verify the content of plans for submittal. Read and interpret plans, applications, engineered construction drawings and specifications and determine compliance with various codes including identifying errors or omissions in applications, plans, records, and reports. 
• Accurately interpret and apply codes and ordinances, policies, procedures, laws and regulations; assimilate new codes as they evolve. 
• Perform routine mathematical calculations. 
• Understand and follow oral and written instructions. 
• Maintain confidentiality of sensitive information and documents. 
• Understand the organization and operation of the Town and of outside agencies as necessary to assume assigned responsibilities. 
• Learn and utilize Windows based building permit application software. 
• Compile and maintain records. 
• Exercise good judgment, flexibility, creativity, and sensitivity in response to changing situations and needs. 
• Communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing; effectively interact with the public to resolve complaints and process information requests. 
• Establish, maintain and foster positive and harmonious working relationships with those contacted in the course of work; exercise tact and diplomacy; listen and understand the concerns of customers and diffuse tense situations.

• Must possess and maintain a valid Class C California driver's license with a demonstrated history of responsible driving. 
• Possession of a current, valid I.C.C. certification as a Permit Technician is required. Employee is responsible for successfully completing continuing education units (CEU’s) required for certificate renewals and for maintaining a current certification without lapse as a condition of employment. 

Minimum Qualifications

Any combination of training, education and/or experience which provides the knowledge, skills and abilities of employment is qualifying. An example of a way these requirements might be acquired is:

Experience:
Two years of responsible experience in the building construction trades or with a government building, planning or public works organization or three years of clerical, office support, and/or customer service experience preferably in a construction, building, engineering or similar office. 

Training:
Equivalent to completion of the twelfth grade; an Associate of Arts or Sciences degree in a related field is highly desirable.

License:

• Possession of a valid California driver’s license is required. 
• Must obtain a valid I.C.C. certification as a Permit Technician within one year of appointment. 

Other Qualifications

• A completed Town of Corte Madera Employment Application
• Responses to the Supplemental Questions

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY AND REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION