Virgil Elementary School Redevelopment Urban Design Guidelines

Recognizing the important role the Virgil Elementary School had played in the Virgil community and the historic significance of the single room school building dating back to 1872, the Town retained Quartek Group to prepare urban design guidelines to guide future redevelopment of the site.

Virgil Elementary School Redevelopment Urban Design Guidelines

Wilholme Drive

Quartek Group provided planning and engineering services for the creation of 3 flag lots at the rear of an existing oversized lot in the urban area of St. Catharines. Consistent with Places to Grow this project represented infill development and intensifi cation of lands already fully serviced. Due to site constraints, common with infill development, a site servicing brief was required as part of the consent and minor variance applications.

Wilholme Drive

Ralph Piller River Lea Estates

The site is located along the Niagara River Parkway in the Town of Fort Erie. There is currently a dwelling on the site as well as an abandoned motel. The motel is to be demolished. While the development is outside the urban area, the zoning on the property was for a commercial use due to the motel. A zoning amendment was approved to convert the property to a residential zone which is a less intense use than the former commercial use.

Ralph Piller River Lea Estates

Bice Builders Butlers Garden Plan of Condominium

Butler’s Gardens is a community of 7 custom-built detached bungalows on a private drive in the historic Town of Niagara-on-the-Lake within walking distance of the library, community center and local wineries.

Bice Builders Butlers Garden Plan of Condominium

Town of Fort Frances Official Plan & Zoning Bylaw

The Town of Fort Frances is a small community of approximately 8500 residents located in Northwestern Ontario. The municipality occupies approximately 25 km² and acts as a catchment area for the surrounding communities within the Rainy River District. Fort Frances is the oldest non-aboriginal settlement in Canada, west of Lake Superior. A permanent Hudson’s Bay Company Post was established there in 1818.

Town of Fort Frances Official Plan & Zoning Bylaw

Freeman Herbs Greenhouse Expansion

Quartek Group provided planning, civil engineering, and environmental planning services to Freeman Herbs for two separate projects to obtain approvals for greenhouse expansions in two municipalities. Freeman Herbs is the largest fresh herb producer in Canada and in the top five in North America.

Freeman Herbs Greenhouse Expansion

Cardiac Diagnostic Clinic – Dr. Goodarzi

The site is located along Main Street in the Historic Drummondville District and was one of the last remaining vacant sites along this street. In order to maximize the site for a new medical clinic, a minor variance application and planning consent was successfully completed to accommodate a shared driveway with the neighbouring site, and the construction of the building to the front lot line. The architecture reinstates the existing fabric of this area with a two storey structure that addresses and complements the street. Located in the Historic Drummondville area of Niagara Falls, this building project qualifies for the Community Improvement Plan (CIP) and financial incentives.

Cardiac Diagnostic Clinic – Dr. Goodarzi
Planning Tools

Planning Tools – GIS

GIS (Graphical Information Systems) continues to grow in various industries. Most municipalities now have a GIS system in use and those who don’t are working on one. GIS is a way for information to be stored graphically and analyzed through visual representation. It is mostly used in map format such as Zoning and Offical Plan schedules or mapping. Some municipalities have used it keep track of their services such as water, stormwater and sanitary services, recreational equipment and facilities, identify gaps in services, develop replacement programs for services and analyze trends in growth and development.

Planning Tools – GIS
Planning Services

Planning Services

Working on a community scale, Quartek has experience helping towns, and municipalities develop practical policies that are suited to the local context, protect the public interest, and promote sustainable growth. These projects are carried out in close consultation with local municipal staff, residents, Councils, and the appropriate approval authorities. We have successfully worked in urban and rural settings at various community scales. In the course of our experience, we have undertaken the development review function on behalf of municipalities and developed zoning bylaws, secondary plans, local official plans and urban design studies, and provide professional planning representation at Ontario Municipal Board Hearings.

Planning Services