Senior Planner - Environmental

The Senior Planner - Environmental at Middlesex County, NJ, will coordinate environmental and sustainability projects, manage the Farmland Preservation Program, and assist in watershed and flood mitigation planning. Responsibilities include preparing applications, conducting inspections, and representing the County at meetings. The role is part of a busy office focused on a strategic plan for community development and resilience. Middlesex County is an equal opportunity employer.
Overview:

Under the Supervising Planner Sustainability and Resiliencys direction, the Senior Planner will work in the Middlesex County Office of Planning and will be responsible for the analysis, preparation and coordination of various environmental, sustainability and resiliency-based programming, projects and planning initiatives.

A primary responsibility of the Senior Planner is the coordination and management of the County Farmland Preservation Program, administering all phases of the farmland preservation process from application to closing and post-closing stewardship, as well as coordination of all matters and applications under the County Agriculture Development Board purview.

The Senior Planner will also assist in the preparation and coordination of other planning initiatives related to watershed and stormwater management, flood mitigation and water quality protection planning and will support the analysis, preparation and coordination of other planning initiatives relative to the countys resiliency and sustainability efforts.

The Middlesex County Office of Planning is a busy, fast-paced office engaged in a county-wide strategic plan, Destination 2040, that will guide the Countys policies, plans, programs, and investment decisions in five broad focus areas:
Land Use, Development and Housing;
Sustainability and Community Resilience;
Healthy, Safe and Inclusive Communities;
Economic Development and Workforce Competitiveness; and Transportation and Mobility. Comprising twenty-five urban, suburban, small-town, and rural municipalities, Middlesex County is New Jersey's second most populous county and is strategically located midway between New York and Philadelphia.

Middlesex County is an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, disability status or any other characteristic protected by law.
Responsibilities:

EXAMPLES OF WORK:
• Assists applicants through the farmland preservation process; prepares and reviews applications and all related materials; analyzes data; coordinates with municipal, county and state agencies as well as other planning and professional partners including appraisers, surveyors, title agents, and others as necessary; conducts site visits and inspections of properties as necessary.
• Prepares agendas and meeting materials for the County Agriculture Development Board, conducts meetings and assumes the duties of the CADB Administrator as assigned.
• Coordinates preparation and submission of annual Planning Incentive Grant Applications to the State Agriculture Development Committee and manages grant funding.
• Conduct work related to annual monitoring inspections of preserved farmland, annual monitoring report submissions to State Agriculture Development Committee, and landowner follow-up on compliance issues
• Administers components of the Right to Farm Act of New Jersey as necessary.
• Monitors and reports on State Agriculture Development Committee rules, policies and agricultural management practices as well as other environmental legislation and policies that impact the State and County.
• Represents the County at State Agriculture Development Committee meetings as well as other meetings as assigned.
• Organizes and leads public outreach events. Develops brochures and fact sheets on relevant County programming.
• Assists in preparation of the County Farmland Preservation Plan and other planning initiatives as assigned.
• Coordinates necessary Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and data needs with Data and Spatial Services planning group.
• Provides support to watershed management and water quality protection planning initiatives and projects.
• Provides support to stormwater management and flood mitigation resiliency work.
• Assists in County Water Quality Management Plan activities, Wastewater Management Planning activities and related sewer service area amendment applications as assigned.
• Participates in Lower Raritan-Middlesex County Water Resources Association meetings.
• Assists in open space planning initiatives and related projects as assigned.
• Provides technical support to environmental planning projects and conducts other planning initiatives related to Sustainability and Resiliency and comprehensive planning as assigned.
• Supports the analysis and development of various resiliency and sustainability planning initiatives.
• Coordinates the planning of resiliency, sustainability and environmental initiatives with various county plans and programs and appropriate partner agencies.
• Assists in conducting public and community outreach activities and events.
• Maintains records, files, maps, plans, and charts.
• Will be required to learn to utilize various types of electronic and/or manual recording and computerized information systems used by the agency, office, or related units.
• Other duties and responsibilities as assigned.

NOTE: The examples of work for this…