Planning Services

We also offer specialized planning services in the field of renewable energy projects.  The rapid growth of a relatively new land use is creating land use challenges for municipalities, agencies, developers and residents.  As a result, land use compatibility is a critical consideration for local municipalities and developers when trying to establish alternative energy projects. The challenge is to provide opportunities for alternative energy facilities while ensuring that adverse impacts are minimized.

Alternative energy projects include wind energy turbines, the combustion of biomass, solar cells and alternative fuels such as biogas and ethanol.  Each one of these energy forms presents unique land use issues that need to be effectively addressed. During the last 4 years, The Jones Consulting Group has specialized in the development and assessment of land use policies related to alternative energy across Ontario including Essex County, Niagara Region, Town of Niagara-on-the-Lake, Town of the Blue Mountains and the Municipality of Grey Highlands. This work complements our experience with alternative energy developers, evidence at the OMB, and overseas projects.

The development of land use policies requires knowledge of the wider energy sector together with an area?s physical, social and economic conditions.

Our staff has been continuously developing their knowledge during this time of rapid technological change to provide effective consulting services to municipalities, residents and developers across Ontario. Constant involvement in a variety of alternative energy projects ensures that Jones Consulting has the best level of knowledge necessary to effectively develop land use policies and participate in the establishment of large and complex projects. The Jones Consulting Group is pleased to offer our specialized consulting services to clients across Ontario while at the same time contributing to energy generation projects that are socially and environmentally responsible.

Our professional and technical planning staff are committed to creative and successful strategies to ensure that financial and performance objectives are achieved in accordance with fixed budgets and aggressive schedules. We do this in a spirit of partnership, with staff who are professional, knowledgeable, cost conscious and friendly.

Our communities are changing as never before and the demand for new development-types, expressing niche lifestyle opportunities, requires planners who can understand, design and implement these new development concepts. Our planners have these skills and the experience to design and manage complex and challenging projects whether they reflect the newest principles of new urbanism or more contemporary, design approaches. We also work directly with municipal authorities, drafting documents such as Official Plans, Strategic Plans, etc. A high level of public involvement is always encouraged to ensure community acceptance.

Our Planning Services include:

• Project Management and Development Approvals and Zoning By-law Amendments
• Subdivision and Site Plan Design
• Municipal Planning Services
• Official Plans and Secondary Plans
• Strategic Plans
• Ontario Municipal Board Testimony
• Official Plan Amendment
• Committee of Adjustment Applications
• Mediation, Negotiation, Facilitation
• Community Consultation
• Feasibility Studies
• Condominium Planning