Cultural Planning Specialist

Overview

SUMMARY:

The Planning Specialist works to protect the Tribe’s cultural and archaeological resources from potential and actual impacts to their integrity, on and off the reservation. Under the direction and supervision of the Cultural Committee, Director, and Tribal Council, the Planning Specialist is responsible for identifying, evaluating, and prioritizing cultural resource issues of concern to the Tribe. The Planning Specialist takes measures to protect the resources in accordance with the Tribe’s policies, practices and customs by utilizing applicable laws and working with governmental agencies, environmental consultants, archaeologists, project applicants and legal counsel. The Planning Specialist provides electronic tracking of departmental projects using known cultural site knowledge, archaeological studies, and parcel data information provided by Federal, State, and Local Lead Agencies.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Prepare official comments on behalf of the Tribe concerning development projects, land use projects, improvement projects, and any other projects as designated by the Director and Tribal Council, that impact the Tribe’s cultural resources.
• Review of site plans, technical reports for due diligence issues (i.e., jurisdiction processing, development and design standards and existing site and development constraints) and assess the potential issues with all environmental documents and technical reports.
• Provide suggestions and design changes that will assist in accomplishing goals of preserving and avoiding known cultural resources.
• Utilization of knowledge and experience working with Section 106 (National Historical Preservation Act), National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), AB (Assembly Bill) 52, SB (Senate Bill) 18, and California Environment Quality Act (CEQA) and Surface Mining and Reclamation Act (SMARA).
• Review and analyze environmental documents, site plans, grading plans, and other documents pertaining to cultural resources that the Tribe’s receives.
• Review and analyze projects Mitigated Negative Declaration/ Environmental Impact Reports, conditions of approvals and provide comments and proposed revisions based upon projects impacts
• Review, comment and tract Tower Construction Notification System (TCNS) notices, tract review fees and prepare report for Director and to be used by THPO yearly report.
• Prepare, review and edit conservation easement, master service agreements, memorandum of agreements, programmatic agreements documents related to preservation of cultural resources.
• Work with the Tribe’s GIS Department to create, update and maintain maps of cultural resources and culturally sensitive areas, on and off the reservation.
• Attend public meetings, hearings and other gatherings pertaining to cultural resources.
• Provide official testimony at public meetings, hearings and other gatherings.
• Meet with Local, State and Federal representatives regarding the protection and preservation of cultural resources.
• Open and review mail to determine any applicable deadlines and follow up required with lead agencies as it pertains to information on availability of site plans, technical reports, environmental documents, other associated documents, and information.
• Assist with tracking projects with all relevant lead agencies in the Tribe’s territory, including updates on the status of the project, availability of environmental documents, comment due dates, public hearings and any other related deadlines.
• Attend and present at conferences regarding planning and cultural topics.
• Provide planning guidance on internal Pechanga projects.
• Must adhere to all policies and procedures of the Pechanga Tribal Government.

QUALIFICATIONS, EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:

• Bachelor’s degree in Planning, Archaeology, Native American Studies, or History required with a Master’s degree preferred.
• Three (3) years in governmental agency and five (5) years in private industry experience as an urban planner/project manager preferred.
• Must have knowledge and experience with California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), National Environmental Protection Plan (NEPA), Section 106 (National Historical Preservation Act), California SB (Senate Bill) 18, and California SB (Senate Bill) 52, Surface Mining and Reclamation Act (SMARA), and other state and federal laws related to cultural resources protection.
• Experience and working knowledge of: zoning and subdivision laws; principles of land use planning and development, comprehensive plan including their formation, process of adoption, and implementation; planning programs and processes to communicate effectively with Lead Agencies to protect and preserve cultural resources.
• Must have experience reading maps, including 3.5-minute topographic maps and Google Earth required.
• Experience providing standard writing samples in related field.
• Experience and working knowledge of planning related software and GIS applications.
• Advance knowledge of Microsoft Office programs (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Project Management)
• This position must comply with the Pechanga Tribal Government’s Drug-Free Workplace Policy. This includes: pre-employment testing and random testing.
• Must successfully pass a pre-employment background investigation

BENEFITS:
The Pechanga Band offers a comprehensive and competitive benefit package for all full-time employees. Benefits include the following:
• Paid Time Off – Vacation, Sick and Holiday pay
• Retirement – 401(k) retirement plan with a generous employer match
• Health & Wellness Coverage – Medical, dental and vision coverage
• Life and Long Term Disability – $25,000 employer paid life and Long Term Disability
• Flexible Spending Accounts – Healthcare and Dependent care reimbursement accounts
• Supplemental Life and Accidental Death and Dismemberment (AD&D) Insurance
• Supplemental Coverage – Disability, Accident, Cancer, Life, and Hospital Confinement
• Legal Shield and Identity Shield
• Pet Insurance
• Education Reimbursement Opportunities – For pre-approved specific, job related education
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP) – Face-to-face counseling, Legal assistance, Financial assistance, ID recovery, Tobacco cessation, Dependent care and Daily living resources, and Crisis consultation

Tagged as: historic preservation