Sr. Planner - Historic Preservation

Pay Range: $34.45 - $44.79/hr. | $71,661 - $93,159 annual compensation

Job Posting Closing on: Thursday, March 12, 2026 📅

Workdays & Hours: Monday – Friday, 8am – 5pm; some evening/weekend work required.

Benefits for this position include: 11 Paid Holidays, Medical, Dental, Vision, Paid Time Off, Pension Plan, Professional Development Opportunities, and Find Out More!

The City of Fort Worth is one of the fastest growing large cities in the U.S. Our employees serve the needs of over 1,000,000 residents, promoting our values of exceptional customer experience, mutual respect, embracing our diversity, continuous improvement, ethical behavior, and accountability. 🌆

The Development Services Department seeks to make Fort Worth the most livable city in Texas by promoting orderly growth and development, safe construction and neighborhood vitality. We are looking for individuals that reflect our values of exceptional customer experience, mutual respect, embracing our diversity, continuous improvement, ethical behavior, and accountability.

A Sr. Planner job with emphasis on Historic Preservation is available with the City of Fort Worth (Development Services Department / Zoning and Design Review Division). The Zoning and Design Review Division oversees the following functions for the city: assessment and recommendations for zoning, site plans, plats, annexations, street and alley vacations; tree removal; variances, special exceptions, and waivers; historic preservation; urban design; code amendments to the Zoning and Subdivision Ordinances; Council-initiated zoning and special reports; zoning determinations including legal nonconformity; reasonable accommodations; and collaboration with other city departments on the production of small area and corridor plans.

The Division manages the following boards and commissions comprised of City Council-appointed citizens: City Plan Commission; Zoning Commission; Board of Adjustments; Urban Design Commission; Historic and Cultural Landmarks Commission; and Downtown Design Review Board. Additionally, the Division is responsible for leading the Development Review and Annexation Review Committees, which are comprised of city staff.

The Sr. Planner will report to a Planning Manager. This position is responsible for leading projects that involve a high level of critical analysis and may be politically sensitive. The ability to collaborate, organize and obtain information from internal and external stakeholders is paramount. While the position has no formal supervisory duties, the position may be tasked to assist with providing guidance and oversight of subordinate staff in the Planning Manager’s absence.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with major course work in Planning, Historic Preservation, Architectural History, History, Architecture, Urban Planning or Design, Public Administration, Urban Geography, or a closely related field meeting the Secretary of the Interior’s Professional Qualification Standards

• Five (5) years of experience in planning, urban design, zoning, platting, historic preservation, annexation, tree preservation, landscape design, architecture, and/or site plan review

• For this job description, there is no applicable education substitution for the minimum qualifications

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience as a planner directly responsible for projects involving historic preservation, zoning, platting, urban design, annexation, tree preservation, landscape design, architecture, and/or site plan review including application of adopted preservation standards and guidelines

• Experience with the entitlement and development review process, with demonstrated knowledge of Federal, State, and local laws applicable historic preservation and design including zoning, subdivision, design review

• Experience preparing for and presenting to Boards and Commissions including historic preservation or design review bodies

• Accreditations in the American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP), Congress for New Urbanism Accredited (CNU-A), AIA (American Institute of Architects) and/or ASLA (American Society of Landscape Architects)

• Recent experience utilizing Geographic Information System (GIS); permitting software; and Adobe Creative Suite

• Bi-lingual in Spanish is a plus

• Microsoft Office skills

The Sr. Planner job responsibilities include:

• Analyze and interpret complex planning, zoning, and land use activities for Commissions, Boards, developers and the general public

• Prepare clear and concise staff reports with professional recommendations toward regulatory compliance, consistency with adopted plans, and compatibility with surrounding properties and land uses

• Review site plans, building elevation plans, landscape plans, and other site design and land use related items for compliance with city ordinances, historic preservation standards, the comprehensive plan and area plans

• Apply and interpret the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties when preparing staff reports and recommendations

• Perform strategic planning tasks related to comprehensive and specific area planning including the collection, analysis, and presentation of relevant social, economic, and physical data essential to planning activities

• Prepare code amendments and associated tasks including research, data collection, and project management

• Build effective working relationships with a variety of stakeholders and staff

• Make presentations to various audiences including internal staff, boards and commissions, and neighborhoods

• Attend neighborhood meetings and assist in the advancement of planning knowledge

• Assist with providing guidance and oversight of subordinate staff in the Planning Manager’s absence

• Communicate clearly and effectively, both orally and in writing

• Perform other related duties as required

Working Conditions and Physical Demands

Depending on assignment, positions in this class typically require touching, talking, hearing, seeing, grasping, standing, stooping, kneeling, crouching, reaching, walking, repetitive motions, climbing, balancing, pushing, pulling and lifting.

Light Work – Depending on assignment, positions in this class typically exert up to 20 pounds of force occasionally, up to 10 pounds of force frequently, and/or a negligible amount of force constantly having to move objects. If the use of arm and/or leg controls requires exertion of forces greater than that for the Sedentary Work category and the worker sits most of the time, the job is rated Light Work. May also include lifting and carrying large plan rolls/sets.

Apply Now! Come be part of something special in Fort Worth 🌟

Conditions of Employment

The City of Fort Worth is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. It is the policy and practice of the City to recruit, hire, train and promote a diverse workforce without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, parental status, military service, or another non-merit factor.

The City of Fort Worth is committed to full compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to participate in the job application or interview process and to perform essential job functions.

Candidates who do not meet the Education requirement, may be considered if they have more relevant work experience than the position requires. Those selected for employment will be required to pass Pre-Employment checks depending on the position requirements. Those could include, but are not limited to: criminal background check, drug screen, education verification, etc. criminal convictions will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Employees are paid by direct deposit only.