Office of the City Forester Plans Review Specialist I

City and County of Denver · Downtown Denver · $29.59–$34/hr (stated in the posting)

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About Our Job

With competitive pay, great benefits, and endless opportunities, working for the City and County of Denver means seeing yourself working with purpose — for you, and those who benefit from your passion, skills and expertise. Join our diverse, inclusive and talented workforce of more than 11,000 team members who are at the heart of what makes Denver, Denver.

What We Offer

The City and County of Denver offers competitive pay commensurate with education and experience.  New hires are typically brought into the organization between $29.59-$34.00/hour.  We also offer generous benefits for full-time employees which include but are not limited to:

• A guaranteed life-long monthly pension, once vested after 5 years of service
• 457B Retirement Plan
• 140 hours of PTO earned within first year + 12 paid holidays, 1 personal holiday, 1 Wellness Day and 1 volunteer day per year
• Competitive medical, dental and vision plans effective within 1 month of start date

Location & Schedule

The City and County of Denver utilize a hybrid model workplace that balances the responsibilities of public service with the benefits of a flexible work environment. Depending on work schedule, employees’ work where needed, reporting to a city site and/or in the field along with an option to telecommute remotely at a designated workplace within the State of Colorado.

Who We Are & What You’ll Do

Denver Parks & Recreation’s Office of the City Forester is seeking a Plans Review Specialist to perform professional routine level plans review work to meet fast paced permitting timelines with an emphasis on customer service. This position works directly with developers, contractors, property owners and other internal reviewing agencies to review and approve residential and commercial zoning and building permit requests as impacts the urban forest. This is a great opportunity for someone looking for a career in urban forestry in a progressive, diverse, and accomplished urban forestry program.

Duties for this role include:

• Review and approve permit applications and development construction plans at various design and submittal stages for compliance with Chapter 57 of the Denver Revised Municipal Code, forestry rules and regulations, and industry BMPS, which includes reviewing, understanding and application of current arboricultural standards, research and construction methods and techniques, researching historical maps and documents, full review of building and construction plan sets for impacts to the existing or proposed tree planting areas and tree canopy, impacts from changes required by other reviewing agencies, understanding of land dedication and easement plans, property setback requirements, land use designations, and the mixed use of property.
• Collaborate with internal and external stakeholders such as Department of Transportation and Infrastructure, Office of Climate Action, Sustainability & Resiliency, Denver Housing Authority, Regional Transportation District, Urban Drainage, Metro Wastewater, Denver Water, Colorado Department of Transportation, and utility companies to advise on major construction projects and plans.
• Work directly with developers, contractors, architects, and property owners to review construction plans for adherence with forestry, zoning and building codes and regulations for the issuance of City permits.
• Consult with engineers and other professional and technical experts on more complex permitting requests, unusual designs, issues of conformity and compliance, and coordinate reviews as part of a comprehensive construction committee project review.
• Evaluate the condition and health of protected trees for both pre and post project and construction activities. Issuance of notices and corrective orders, administrative citations, and appraisal mitigation fees for lack of compliance and damages to trees.
• Throughout the duration of the project, monitor and ensure compliance that field and administrative requirements have been adhered to and completed as approved, issuance of required forestry permits, and timely approval of additional pending permits.
• May request additional project testing and studies as required by permitting guidelines, such as soil samples, tree health evaluations, pneumatic excavation of soil, review of storm, sanitary, and erosion control studies, and traffic engineering impact studies and reports.
• Prepare reports for management detailing projects, permits, and permit revenues, which includes maintaining files and reports for projects
• Maintain an adaptive and open approach to daily tasks and priorities to reflect the day-to-day Affordable Housing applications balanced with other Forestry reviews and duties as assigned.

What You’ll Bring

We are looking for an experienced arborist with plans review experience. Our ideal candidate will have:

• ISA Certified Arborist, Municipal Specialist, and Tree Risk Assessment Qualification (TRAQ) Certification
• In-depth knowledge and experience with tree health and condition evaluations in the Denver front Range area
• Experience in tree appraisal methodology
• Technical knowledge of zoning and construction methods, codes and regulations
• Experience with code compliance and conflict resolution
• Experience with TreeKeeper inventory program and high proficiency with Microsoft suite software
• Ability for fast decision making using strong critical assessment and logical problem-solving skills
• Strong customer service and interpersonal skills

Required Minimum Qualifications

• Education: Graduation from high school or the possession of a GED, HiSET or TASC Certificate.

• Experience: Three (3) years of experience applying codes and regulations to zoning and/or construction projects through design, plan review, construction, and/or inspections.
• Licensures/Certification(s): Requires a valid Driver's License at the time of application. Licenses and certifications must be kept current as a condition of employment
• Equivalency: Additional appropriate education may be substituted for the minimum experience requirements

Application Deadline

This position is expected to stay open until Nov. 6th. Please submit your application as soon as possible and no later than 11/6/2026 at 11:59 PM.

About Everything Else

Job Profile

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The City and County of Denver provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, genetic information, age, or any other status protected under federal, state, and/or local law. 

It is your right to access oral or written language assistance, sign language interpretation, real-time captioning via CART, or disability-related accommodations. To request any of these services at no cost to you, please contact Jobs@Denvergov.org with three business days’ notice.

Applicants for employment with the City and County of Denver must have valid work authorization that does not require sponsorship of a visa for employment authorization in the U.S.

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