Urban Planner​/Permit Expeditor

Elevated Entitlements is a professional urban planning firm with significant experience in city planning, zoning, and land use entitlements areas. Elevated Entitlements has focused its activities in the California marketplace and employs various technical expert consultants in order to avoid inefficient corporate hierarchy, and provide maximum value to its clients.

The firm has experience with both government and private development companies in California relating to land planning, environmental studies, public hearings, zoning and entitlement matters on hundreds of successful residential, commercial and industrial projects, including major entitlements with the Army Corps of Engineers, Regional Water Quality Control Boards, State Department of Fish and Game and the United States Fish and Wildlife Service.

Elevated Entitlements is involved in professional endeavors that place the team in the forefront of major professional planning associations, such as the American Planning Association and the American Institute of Certified Planners. These activities have provided Elevated Entitlements with the knowledge of and professional relationships to planning and governmental professionals throughout the state. Our professional activities also give our public and private clients formal and informal professional access to key personnel, both administrative and elected, at all levels of local, state and federal government.

The firm has worked under contract to a number of public agencies in California, providing a variety of planning, environmental and administrative services direct to the agency.

A Project Planner for Elevated Entitlements has a broad-based environmental, design, and planning-related background, and experience with city, county, and local governments and private development-oriented projects.

• Possesses effective problem-solving ability, excellent writing skills, and the ability to work with a team and project managers.
• Manages a variety of projects that have a high degree of complexity; require substantial client interface and nurturing; or have significant public visibility and controversy.
• Maintains a working knowledge of CEQA and NEPA.
• Plans, prepares, and monitors environmental research and evaluates the potential impacts of assigned projects.
• Participates in multidisciplinary teams of professionals across a wide range of disciplines, including but not limited to architectural, engineering, air quality, biological resources, cultural resources, geology, land use, noise, traffic/transportation, recreation, and water resources.
• Uses substantial working knowledge and expertise of selected topics such air, land, and water to devise measures to mitigate environmental impacts.
• Integrates self into project team through all aspects of project development through completion. Participates as technical lead on selected topics.
• Serves as a resource to other Elevated Entitlement staff and project teams by identifying and providing recommendations to improve technical approaches to project activities and work scope.
• Exercises independent judgment while regularly advising senior management as needed.
• Communicates as needed and assigned with clients, business associates, subconsultants, and public agencies.
• Maintains an understanding of regulatory requirements with respect to applicable local, state, and federal laws. Ensures environmental projects follow appropriate state and federal regulations.
• Demonstrates familiarity with a variety of the concepts, practices, and procedures related to planning and environmental analysis. Relies on extensive experience and judgment to plan and accomplish goals.
• Exercise of a wide degree of creativity and latitude is expected.
• Assists in the preparation of proposals, with solicitation of new and prospective clients, and in general business development activities.
• Represents Elevated Entitlements at meetings, business activities, and other industry functions. Makes presentations at industry and trade meetings regarding innovative projects and new approaches to achieving regulatory and technical needs

• Minimum of 1 years of industry experience
• One year of direct project management experience encouraged
• Preferable direct experience completing a variety of environmental documentation projects related to urban development and infrastructure projects throughout Southern California
• Understanding of CEQA and NEPA
• Understanding of other regulatory agency requirements, such as those for the USFWS, CDFW, CARB, SCAQMD (or other air districts), USACE, SWRCB, and others as appropriate
• Understanding of staff report writing and municipal services.

• Bachelor’s degree in environmental science, urban planning, or a related discipline.