Expert Land Use Planning Opinion

An expert land use planning opinion is a document prepared by a Registered Professional Planner that provides preliminary land use planning analysis and opinion to inform decisions and set the framework for next steps on a land use planning matter. The purpose of the opinion depends on the the nature of the land use planning matter and the client’s role and interest.

I regularly prepare land use planning opinions for clients that include landowners, builders/developers, municipalities, interested members of the public. These opinions offer clients the following value:

- Typically completed before significant investment and resource allocation;
- Scalable and focused on the client needs and status of the matter in question;
- Can be modified as circumstances change or expanded into full planning justification report once proposal advanced to application stage;
- Relatively low cost analysis with short turnaround time that provides a high return on investment; and
- Provides strategy and approach that can be built upon and supports larger action or initiative as project progresses.

The following are samples of recent land use planning opinions that I have completed:

- Client: Landowner/Developer
- Purpose of Opinion: To provide the land use planning rationale for proposed Official Plan and Zoning By-Law Amendment applications to facilitate development of two 8-storey mixed use buildings as part of the preliminary consultation process. This is a scoped analysis that can be expanded to a full planning justification report based on the outcome of the preliminary consultation and the concept advanced to the application stage.

- Client: Municipality
- Purpose of Opinion: To provide expert land use planning opinion to Council with respect to a Zoning By-Law Amendment application appealed by the applicant to the Ontario Land Tribunal after receiving staff recommendation of approval but being denied by Council.

- Client: Landowner
- Purpose of Opinion: To outline the appropriate land use designations and policies that should be applied to the client’s property through an ongoing Official Plan Review that balance current provincial policy with the the interests of the landowner.

- Client: Custom Home Builder
- Purpose of Opinion: Zoning review to confirm size of dwelling that can be constructed as of right, in conjunction with opinion of appropriate size and scale of dwelling to be advanced through the minor variance process.

- Client: Rural Landowner
- Purpose of Opinion: To establish the land use planning rationale and opinion with respect to the feasibility of expanding the existing urban boundary to bring a rural property into the urban settlement area through a private Official Plan Amendment.