Development Officer- Closes Dec 1

The Municipality of Crowsnest Pass is Canada's southerly traveled corridor of the Rocky Mountains and is historically known for its scenic land of forests and peaks. Nestled in the southwest corner of Alberta, Crowsnest Pass offers all the amenities you need to live, work and play.

The Development Officer role involves ensuring compliance with municipal and provincial planning regulations by processing development applications, conducting inspections, and maintaining accurate records. Additionally, the position supports policy development, enforces bylaws, provides public assistance, and coordinates with internal teams, agencies, and contractors to facilitate effective planning and development processes.

Position Summary

The Development Officer is responsible for providing administrative and technical support for a variety of functions and duties related to land development within the Municipality for the Development Department.

Key Duties and Responsibilities

1. Develops and maintains a working knowledge of the relevant legislation and regulations in regards to Development & Infrastructure including; the Municipal Government Act, the Subdivision and Development Regulations, the Municipal Development Plan, the Land Use Bylaw, & the Engineering Design Standards, as well as other plans and planning studies applicable to the Municipality.

2. Processes applications for development permits, business licenses, encroachment agreements, and compliance certificates, along with local and provincial agency referrals, to ensure compliance with all related bylaws and policies.

3. Carries out field inspections, including preparing inspection reports, ensuring all relevant information is included with permit applications.

4. Participates in the development and revision of statutory documents, plans, bylaws, policies, and agreements relative to planning and development to ensure the Municipality is meeting its current needs regarding planning, development and permitting.

5. Provides assistance and information through collaboration with the public to ensure development requirements and processes are known.

6. Prepares correspondence to ratepayers and agencies as required.

7. Prepares notice of decisions for all permit applications and advertisements as required.

8. Reviews and provides recommendation on legal land matters including but not limited to encroachments, transfers and title instruments.

9. Prepares reports and facilitates the preparation of meeting agendas and packages for the Municipal Planning Commission and the Municipal Heritage Board.

10. Represents the Municipality’s Development & Infrastructure Department at Council meetings, Subdivision and Appeal Board hearings, Municipal Planning Commission meetings, Municipal Heritage Board meetings, and public meetings where appropriate.

11. Prepares bylaws and registration for designating a site as a municipal historic resource.

12. Ensures follow-up is completed to ensure development permit conditions are met and liaises with in-house and contracted Safety Codes Officers as well as other provincial agencies and authorities to gather appropriate documentation.

13. Follows the necessary enforcement steps for all development issues in order to comply with the Land Use Bylaw including; site inspections, violation review, and follow-up communication.

14. Enters and maintains all required records including development permits, business licenses, compliance certificates, and encroachment agreements.

15. Liaises with and responds professionally and promptly to internal and external customer inquiries regarding planning and development including development permits, land use amendments, and subdivision applications.

16. Liaises with the Subdivision Authority as required.

17. Liaises with contracted engineering firms on matters relative to planning and development.

18. Completes research for development inquiries requiring detailed information to respond with findings and prepare follow-up response and report to the Manager of Development and Trades.

19. Assists with budget preparation for the Development Department as required.

20. Provides other duties as assigned by the Manager of Development and Trades.

Knowledge, Abilities and Skills

• Working knowledge of the MGA and other legislation pertaining to municipal planning matters in Alberta.
• Working knowledge of statutory plans: MDP’s, LUB’s, ASP’s,
• Must be proficient with GIS mapping programs.
• Working knowledge of map reading & navigating throughout the Municipality.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, both oral and written, to interact with public, staff, Council, and external agencies.
• Excellent conception and analytical skills, with strong facilitation and influencing skills.
• Familiarity with local government planning and budgets.
• Must be able to maintain confidentiality.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office (Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint).
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision and within a team environment and to adapt to a demanding and dynamic work environment.
• Ability to interpret, implement, and adhere to organizational policies and procedures.
• Ability to perform the duties listed above to a high degree of quality, timeliness and precision

Education and Experience

This position requires the following minimum qualifications:
• A high school diploma supplemented with two years of post-secondary education in Development and Land Use Planning or related disciplines including completion of Applied Land Use Planning Certificate (ALUP), or equivalent.
• Minimum of three to four years of related municipal government experience in planning and development.
• Membership in Alberta Development Officer Association (ADOA) or eligibility.
• Possession of a valid Class 5 driver’s license.

If we are unable to find a candidate with the required minimum qualifications, we may consider hiring and Assistant Development Officer at a reduced pay rate. 

Independence and Scope of Impact

Decisions and problems are varied and require the incumbent to use considerable judgement and discretion within policy, codes and/or legislation. Supervision can be consulted in cases where several options are available.
The incumbent’s decisions affect the image of the department and the Municipality due to the contact with the public and could result in serious losses of time or resources.

Contacts

Internal – Regular contacts are maintained with other Municipal departments, the Historic Resource Board, Municipal Planning Commission, and Council to exchange information, provide explanation and interpretation on Development matters.

External – Contacts are maintained with the public, law firms, developers and government agencies involving the exchange of information, interpretation, and instruction including handling specialized or difficult complaints and resolving problems by obtaining or presenting detailed information.

Supervision Given

The position involves the giving of regular advice or direction to others without supervisory authority on development and planning matters.

Working Conditions

The work is performed in a typical office environment. The incumbent is required to sit for several hours during the day and involves frequent use (many times a day) of computers for up to an hour each time. The nature of the work demands that the incumbent be interrupted regularly by phone calls or customers. There may be occasional, infrequent work requiring the use of a vehicle and/or in an outdoor environment should site visits be required and may include exposure to heat, cold, or inclement weather. Some overtime might be required.

We thank all applicants for their interest, however only those selected for an interview will be contacted.