Planning Welcomes Levan King Cranston

Originally from the Okanagan Valley in British Columbia, Canada, Levan attended Trinity Western University and then went on to earn a Master’s Degree from the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg in 2019.

Since then, he’s lived and worked in the City of Ottawa, City of Kelowna, and West Kelowna where he worked on rezonings, development permits, and environmental development. When he found himself looking for the next stop on his career path, talk of COVID-19 was just beginning. The global pandemic and ensuing lockdown presented a challenge, and he decided to look beyond Canadian borders for open jobs. He came across our planner position and ultimately made a big leap by moving to Tennessee.

In his position at Planning, Levan will be working on rezonings, subdivisions, development plans, and the City’s hillside protection overlay.

To get himself up-to-speed, he spent his first month reading sector and other plans, reviewing zoning ordinances, working in our databases, and sitting in on various meetings. This immersion has helped him learn more about the area and our work.

When offered the position, Levan was excited for the opportunity to further his career. He also loves adventure and recognized the move would present an opportunity to gain perspective and broaden his worldview. His love of adventure, which brought him to Knoxville, has taken him all over the world. He’s been to Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Portugal, and Greece. He also participated in a travel study experience to Kenya in which he volunteered for a nonprofit, completing research and survey collections.

In his downtime, Levan enjoys being outdoors. While wakeboarding is his all-time favorite hobby, he also enjoys snowboarding, working out, and traveling. In his short time here he’s already taken an interest in the nearby Urban Wilderness and is thinking about giving mountain biking a try. If you see him out on the trails give him a warm welcome!