The city of Seattle is looking for qualified candidates to fill upcoming openings on the city's Design Review Board.

The positions will be available next April when retiring board members' terms expire.

The city is seeking professionals in the design and development fields, who have proven skills and established careers. It also needs community and business leaders with an interest in shaping new development in their neighborhoods, and a passion for keeping Seattle a great place to live, work and play.

The city is looking for applicants to the Southwest Design Review Board in West Seattle.

Board members are appointed by the mayor and City Council and serve two-year terms which may be renewed once. Members serve on one of seven boards that review projects in the city's major geographic districts; each board has five members. Each board is composed of a design professional, a development representative, a community representative, a local business representative and a local residential representative.

The Design Review Program was established in 1994 to provide an alternative to prescriptive zoning requirements and foster new development that better responds to the character of its surroundings. Boards evaluate the design of development projects based on citywide and neighborhood-specific design guidelines. The boards review mixed-use developments, multifamily housing, and commercial projects above a certain threshold.

Applicants should have: knowledge of, or interest in, architecture, urban design and the development process; the ability to listen and communicate effectively at public meetings; a passion for design and community development; and the ability to work well with others under pressure. Prior experience with community or neighborhood groups is a plus.

Board members must live in the city. The local residential representative must be nominated by a community group or association (e.g. community council) that operates within the board district. Similarly, the local business representative must be nominated by a business group (e.g. chamber of commerce) that operates within the board district. The nominations for these local positions are often facilitated if the board member lives or works within the district he or she is serving, but residency in a district is not a requirement to serve as a local representative. Applicants need not have secured a nomination at the time of application.

Board members should expect to work 12 to14 hours a month attending and preparing for board meetings, which are held twice a month, in the evenings. Board members are expected to attend at least 90 percent of the meetings.