Urban Design and Development
Description
Aria Consulting & Management Inc. draws on extensive experience in planning for a wide range of uses, including residential, institutional and industrial in local and regional municipalities. Included are green fields subdivisions, community plans and low, medium and high-density redevelopment projects.
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The firm has also acquired experience in commercial and employment planning services, including retail development in York and Peel Regions as well as elsewhere in Ontario. Aria Consulting & Management Inc. supplies application management services as well for Minor Variance and Consent applications, site plan applications and Official Plan Amendment and Rezoning applications, among others. Complementing these capabilities, our team offers other services such as expert testimony at Ontario Municipal Board hearings, project management in the land development process including conducting investigations prior to and for the purposes of land acquisition as well as the co-ordination of consultants and professionals for large scale projects. TGC Consulting & Development Inc. brings a thorough knowledge of the public consultation process to a number of community design projects.
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Urban Design
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Urban design ensures that development and open physical spaces are located and designed in an integrated way, one that reflects a vibrant neighbourhood context. Increasingly required by municipalities, an urban design study shows the relationship of a proposed building design to a proposed streetscape and surrounding area. An urban design study typically includes contextual analysis, statement of urban design intentions, design diagrams, descriptive text and proposed urban design guidelines.
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Subdivisions and Site Plans
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Aria Consulting & Management Inc. experienced design team prepares accurate draft plans of subdivision and site plans, together with detailed development analysis. We liaise closely with Ontario Land Surveyors and the client to obtain the latest available surveys and authorizations required to submit the plans, in order to advise when to proceed with the preparation of M-plans or R-plans. Plans are enhanced by professional graphics and coloured displays.
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Development Approvals
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Aria Consulting & Management Inc. provides a full range of planning and urban design services geared toward the securing of approvals for land development or redevelopment. In an effort to achieve approvals to implement proposed developments, applications are made to achieve status under the Planning Act such as Official Plan Amendment Applications, Zoning By-law Amendment Applications, Draft Plans of Subdivision, Site Plans, Consent and variance Applications, Plans of Condominium and the like. Where possible and practical, applications are submitted concurrently to expedite processing time and maximize efficiency.
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Adaptive Re-use Strategies
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Vacant, under-utilized or functionally obsolete commercial and industrial facilities can offer real opportunities to an owner. An adaptive re-use analysis offers practical development and implementation strategies for such a property. Often this provides the owner with an alternate way to achieve corporate objectives through maximizing the asset’s value and timely disposal of the property.
As the expert coordinator of the project team, Aria Consulting & Management Inc. prepares a strategy consisting of a market and land use assessment of the property, examination of current market and land use trends, preparation of a financial pro forma and the development of a corporate business plan for value enhancement and disposition.
Adaptive re-use strategies can be undertaken directly for corporate management interests or in conjunction with a real estate marketing firm. We assemble a team with a range of expertise including financial assessment, environmental remediation, traffic analysis, site servicing, architecture and marketing.
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Municipal Planning
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Aria Consulting & Management Inc. provides a variety of planning and urban design services to municipalities, as may be required. Services can include the provision of full planning services such as acting as the Planner or Planning Director for a municipality. This typically involves responding to development applications and writing planning reports, coordinating agency responses to applications, providing recommendations and planning opinions/positions to municipal Council. We also assist municipalities by providing representation on behalf of municipalities before the Ontario Municipal Board. Aria Consulting & Management Inc. has also undertaken peer reviews regarding planning applications and justification reports, Secondary Plans, Block Plans, Tertiary Plans or any number of special projects such as downtown revitalization, streetscape studies and transit station relocations/realignments.
Ontario Municipal Board Hearings
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Aria Consulting & Management Inc. has considerable experience providing representation and obtaining favorable decisions for our clients at the Ontario Municipal Board (OMB). We provide expert testimony supported by detailed witness statements and professional descriptive graphics at the OMB and other judiciary bodies.
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Financial Proformas
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A financial proforma is a detailed cost/revenue analysis required to implement a plan for a property. All potential costs are factored in, including costs for consultants, construction, site improvement, demolition and any others as well as development charges and application fees. Revenue projections are based on current market trends. The financial preforms is a vital step in the development process.