Principal Planner - Parks

Summary

Summary: Under general supervision of the Capital Improvement Projects Manager, or designee, the Principal Planner – Parks coordinates and manages the review and delivery of City park development, capital, and private development projects, coordinating entitlement, franchise utility, and right-of-way (ROW) activities to ensure compliance with City standards.

The intent of this position description is to provide a representative summary of the major duties and responsibilities performed by incumbent(s) in this position. Incumbent(s) may not be required to perform all duties in this description and incumbent(s) may be required to perform position-related tasks other than those specifically listed in this description.

Essential Job Functions & Other Important Duties

Essential Job Functions:

• Coordinates and manages park development, capital improvement, and private development projects through planning, design, permitting, and construction phases.
• Reviews plats, site plans, entitlement documents, engineering plans, and exhibits for compliance with City standards, master plans, ordinances, easements, and ROW requirements.
• Serves as a technical liaison between consultants, developers, contractors, utility companies, and City departments for project planning, design, and delivery.
• Develops, administers, and monitors development agreements, construction contracts, and professional services agreements, including payments, change orders, and project documentation.
• Conducts and participates in construction and utility coordination meetings; resolves technical issues, field conflicts, and schedule impacts.
• Identifies franchise utility conflicts and directs utility relocations to maintain project timelines.
• Facilitates ROW and easement activities including review of legal descriptions, negotiation support, and preparation of council-related action items.
• Coordinates with external agencies for permits, approvals, and utility/ROW impacts.
• Conducts site inspections throughout design and construction to verify compliance with plans, specifications, ordinances, and construction standards.
• Responds to inquiries from inspectors, contractors, companies, developers, property owners, and staff.
• Prepares council agenda items, technical reports, presentations, and project updates for boards, committees, and senior leadership.
• Negotiates, mediates, and resolves differences among contractors, consultants, developers, property owners, and utility companies.
• Applies and enforces consistent design standards, specifications, and construction details for parks, recreation, and capital projects.
• Provides technical guidance and support to internal departments, senior staff, and elected or appointed officials regarding parks and capital projects.
• Represents the City at public meetings, stakeholder meetings, homeowner discussions, and volunteer or civic group planning efforts.
• Tracks and communicates project schedules, status updates, milestones, and issues to management, stakeholders, and partner departments.
• Responsible for the assessment of parks fees.

• Completes special projects as assigned.
• Travels to attend meetings, conferences, and training.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.
• Regular and consistent attendance for the assigned work hours is essential.

Job Requirements

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Knowledge of landscape architecture and civil engineering principles, construction methods, and industry standards for park and recreation projects.
• Knowledge of materials, equipment, and specifications used in park, recreation, and CIP construction.
• Knowledge of construction inspection practices, safety standards, and field investigation techniques.
• Knowledge of plan review processes across all phases of design and construction.
• Knowledge of franchise utility systems, conflicts, relocations, and coordination procedures.
• Knowledge of right-of-way (ROW), easements, and entitlement processes.
• Knowledge of real estate law, appraisal concepts, title research, and land transaction procedures.
• Knowledge of Federal, State, regional, and City laws, policies, ordinances, and codes.
• Knowledge of the Uniform Relocation Assistance and Real Property Acquisition Policies Act and related acquisition regulations.
• Knowledge of infrastructure engineering standards; transportation, drainage, water, wastewater, and public improvements.
• Knowledge of contract administration practices for professional services and construction contracts.
• Knowledge of construction phasing, scheduling, and cost considerations.
• Knowledge of zoning, development review, planning processes, and applicable master plans.
• Skill in preparing easements, deeds, contracts, encroachments, council agenda items, and other legal or transactional documents.
• Skill in project planning, organizing, coordinating, and managing complex multi-stakeholder projects.
• Skill in construction observation to verify compliance with plans, specifications, codes, and standards.
• Skill in reviewing and detecting deviations from approved engineering practices, codes, ordinances, and standards.
• Skill in contract negotiation, change order review, and evaluation of consultant and contractor performance.
• Skill in interpreting and applying Federal, State, and local regulations related to ROW, franchise utilities, construction, and development review.
• Skill in mathematical computations and geometric interpretation used in engineering, inspection, and surveying contexts.
• Skill in preparing and presenting technical information to public officials, boards, consultants, and the public.
• Skill in effective oral and written communication and customer service.
• Skill in coordinating and resolving customer complaints, public inquiries, and project-related issues.
• Skill in computers, engineering and drafting software, and related equipment.
• Ability to read and interpret blueprints, engineering plans, plats, legal descriptions, and construction documents.
• Ability to identify, evaluate, and resolve field conflicts, deviations, and franchise utility conflicts.
• Ability to negotiate, mediate, and coordinate among contractors, consultants, developers, property owners, and utility companies.
• Ability to research property ownership, title histories, conveyance records, and legal descriptions.

• Bachelor’s degree in Landscape Architecture, Civil Engineering, Planning, Construction Management, Real Estate, Architecture, or a related field; and five (5) years of increasingly responsible experience in parks planning, capital project delivery, utilities/ROW coordination, real estate/construction; or an equivalent combination of education and experience that support the ability to perform the essential functions and/or skills of the job.
• Experience in park planning and design, capital project management, construction administration, franchise utility coordination, right-of-way/easements, or real estate transactions preferred.
• Must possess a valid State of Texas Driver’s License.
• Must pass a pre-employment drug screen, criminal background check, and MVR check.

Environmental Factors & Conditions/Physical Requirements

Environmental Factors and Conditions:

• Work is performed in an office and at construction site environments, including park sites.
• May be subject to exposure to extreme weather conditions.

• This work typically requires the following physical activities to be performed.A complete description of the activities below is available upon request from Human Resources.

• • Balancing – maintain equilibrium to prevent falling while walking, standing, or crouching.
  • Feeling – perceiving attributes of objects by touch with skin, fingertips.
  • Fingering – picking, pinching, typing, working with fingers rather than hand.
  • Grasping – applying pressure to object with fingers, palm.
  • Handling – picking, holding, or working with whole hand.
  • Hearing 1 – perceiving sounds at normal speaking levels, receive information.
  • Kneeling – bending legs at knee to come to rest at knees.
  • Lifting – raising objects from lower to higher position, moving objects side to side, using upper extremities, back.
  • Mental Acuity – ability to make rational decisions through sound logic, deductive reasoning.
  • Reaching – extending hands or arms in any direction.
  • Repetitive Motion – substantial movements of wrists, hands, fingers.
  • Speaking – expressing ideas with spoken word, convey detailed, important instructions accurately, concisely.
  • Standing – for sustained periods of time.
  • Stooping – bending body downward, forward at waist, with full motion of lower extremities and back.
  • Talking 1- expressing ideas by spoken word.
  • Visual Acuity 1 - prepare, analyze data, transcribing, computer terminal, extensive reading.
  • Visual Acuity 2 - color, depth perception, field of vision.
  • Visual Acuity 3 - determine accuracy, neatness, observe facilities/structures.
  • Walking - on foot to accomplish tasks, long distances, or site to site.

• Work performed is primarily light work, exerting up to 20 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 10 pounds of force to move objects.

City of Frisco benefits are available to all employees working full-time and scheduled to work at least 30 hours per week. More information is available at http://www.friscotexas.gov/240/Benefits.

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Required Question