Land Use Planning
Regional and local planning initiatives are evolving. There is less desire for ‘greenfield’ development and more drive to utilize brown fields and under-utilized lands for re-development. While certainly providing benefits, this land use intensification can result in incompatibilities, where sensitive land uses are placed adjacent to industries, waste treatment facilities, transportation corridors, or other sources of noise, vibration, dusts, odours and other contaminants. New high-rise towers provide increased population density, but can create areas of accelerated winds where pedestrian comfort and safety may be compromised. Development can also affect and be affected by blowing and drifting snow. Land use planning may also affect or be effected by the quantity and quality of local water resources, providing both challenges and opportunities.
Novus specializes in providing services related to land use compatibility, specifically in aspects of: air quality, dust and odour; environmental noise and vibration; indoor acoustics; pedestrian wind and thermal comfort; blowing snow and water. Our expert team includes a number of specialists who have presented before the public and provided expert testimony at hearings concerning land use issues.
