City Planner II - Historic Preservation Planner

The City of Roanoke values the cultural, historically, and architecturally significant buildings and sites within its borders. The City encourages the preservation, enhancement, and maintenance of such properties through administration of design guidelines; and works to identify additional resources with cultural, historical and/or architectural significance through survey and documentation. The City of Roanoke is seeking a City Planner II to lead this important work!

The position is responsible for leading preservation activities as follows:

• Provides staff support to the City’s Architectural Review Board, evaluating and approving projects eligible for administrative review, on‑site consulting with residents, contractors and design professionals on projects, reviewing preservation project site and building plans for general zoning compliance, inspecting projects to ensure compliance with approved Certificates of Appropriateness.
• Leads preservation planning and implementation projects, including the development of an inclusive Preservation Plan for the City of Roanoke; an inclusive Preservation Plan acknowledges the gaps in telling the full Roanoke Story and makes recommendations to implement actions to fill those gaps.
• Applies for grants and manages survey and nomination projects.
• Maintains Certified Local Government (CLG) status with the Virginia Department of Historic Resources.
• Serves as the City’s liaison for all matters pertaining to historic preservation, including response to Section 106 contacts.
• Additional job responsibilities include but are not limited to working with residents, Council‑appointed boards and commissions, neighborhood and civic organizations, governmental agencies, and other City departments; and organizing, directing and preparing technical planning reports and studies, including data collection, survey, mapping, graphics, public information materials, and proposed ordinance amendments.

The City of Roanoke is an Equal Employment Opportunity/AA/M/F/Disability Employer. To elevate the performance of the organization, we are committed to respecting, celebrating, and embracing the collective mixture of differences and similarities among our employees as a rich tapestry. Our behaviors will demonstrate open communication, and we will seek opportunities to learn, recognizing and rewarding actions that promote acceptance while suspending judgment.

By doing this, we will foster an inclusive, open work environment that delivers excellent service and creates a more vibrant and inviting community.

This is an exempt position.

Essential duties and responsibilities include the following. Other duties may be assigned.

• Advocates for the importance of maintaining the historic fabric of the Historic Districts and educates the community regarding associated public participation processes.
• Coordinates and facilitates historic planning activities with citizens, neighborhood associations, other departments and staff, City Council, council‑appointed boards, and outside organizations.
• Works with a wide variety of parties, including property owners, architects, contractors, code enforcement inspectors, and building inspectors to offer guidance towards compliance for Certificate of Appropriateness proposals within the H‑1 and/or H‑2 Historic Districts Design Guidelines.
• Manages Certificate of Appropriateness applications by evaluating requests, writing staff reports, and presenting recommendations to the Architectural Review Board.
• Reviews development plans and other applications within the historic district for compliance with the Certificate of Appropriateness, zoning ordinance, and related development codes.
• Conducts inspections of the approved exterior building and site alterations for properties located within the Historic Districts.
• May develop/update Historic District Design Guidelines through intensive citizen participation processes.
• Reviews and signs off on Section 106 reviews.
• Prepares Certified Local Government (CLG) Grant Applications to the Virginia Department of Historic Resources for preservation grant projects for national and state nominations of new…