{"type":"rich","version":"1.0","provider_name":"Transistor","provider_url":"https://transistor.fm","author_name":"Real Estate Development: The Curtis Way","title":"Municipal Approval Process – Edmonton & Calgary with guest Shaun Visser","html":"","width":"100%","height":180,"duration":1912,"description":"Before you buy the land or start designing the building, you need to understand what you can actually build.\nIn this episode of the RMS Real Estate Development Podcast, Curtis Way sits down with Shaun Visser, Partner at BR2 Architecture, for a practical conversation about planning, zoning, rezoning and the municipal approval process that developers must navigate before construction can begin.\nWith nearly three decades at BR2 Architecture, Shaun has worked across a wide range of projects including commercial, industrial, institutional, recreational, seniors housing and multifamily developments. He shares an architect's perspective on how successful projects move from an initial concept through zoning, development permits and ultimately building permits.\nCurtis and Shaun discuss what happens when a developer's vision doesn't fit the existing zoning, the difference between seeking a variance and pursuing a full rezoning, and why community consultation can become an important part of the process. They also explore why approvals can take months or even more than a year, particularly on more complicated developments.\nThe conversation also looks at the importance of assembling the right consultant team, dealing with different municipal departments, navigating overlay plans and understanding how requirements can vary between communities and provinces.\nMost importantly, Shaun explains why developers should engage with municipalities early. Pre-application meetings and early conversations with planners can uncover potential problems while a project is still being designed, rather than discovering them months later during the approval process.\nIn this episode:\nWhat developers should investigate before designing a project\nUnderstanding zoning requirements\nVariances versus rezoning\nHow the rezoning process works\nWhy community consultation matters\nWorking with municipal administration and council\nChoosing the right architects, engineers and consultants\nWhy the individual...","thumbnail_url":"https://img.transistorcdn.com/5eQo2D8W4oiNbjFgdZuzA7bmPWTkQVpDlIUJAWJz9Ks/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:400/h:400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS85YzYy/NjUxOTYwOTNmMThk/YzY5ZWE2MDA5YTNi/NDc3NC5qcGc.webp","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_height":300}