Dobbin Consulting Inc.
Boutique land planning firm offering real estate and development services in Western Canada.
Consulting services available for land assessments, redesignation (rezoning), development management, greenfield development, and public engagement.
ABOUT US
Dobbin Consulting works with our clients on planning and development matters with municipalities throughout Alberta and British Columbia.
Our specialties are real estate and development, redesignations (rezoning), changes of use, DP management, development management, and neighbourhood planning. If you are seeking to develop or intensify your land, we’re here to help with assessment and the processes involved.
Engagement
We conduct responsive, collaborative, well documented engagement aligned with the requirements of your municipality.
Persuasive, engaging materials are developed for engagement needs that make information about your development accessable and clearly understood by the public (examples below, click to open PDFs):
Customized Solutions for Your Land Development Needs
With over 30 years in land planning and construction experience, our team can assist you with your land assessment, planning, public engagement and application management at municipal and provincial levels.
Land Planning
- Re-zoning / Redesigation
- Development Permits
- Neighborhood Concept Plans
- Change of Use
- Heritage loss offset
- Land swap / City lands
- Appeals
Public Engagement
- Engagement plans
- Flyers and infographics
- Open houses
- Online engagement websites
- Direct mail design and management
Small-Scale Development Management (up to 5 units)
- Project planning and scheduling
- Design policy alignment
- Multi-project coordination
- Contractor management
- Site visits
- Documentation and compliance
- Quality control and materials confirmations
Our Team
With over 20 years of experience in construction and development, our team brings insight and knowledge to your project.
“I always have
difficulty describing myself, because the sort of things that I do are unlikely enough that putting them together is credibility reducing.”
~ Nathan Myhrvold,
The Creative Brain, Netflix
JENNIFER DOBBIN
Planner, Founder
Jennifer has a talent for distilling complex planning issues down to human-level communications and interactions. With a collaborative approach to public engagement, she seeks to create and document alignment of stakeholder concerns and developer responses to find a balance of ‘give and take’.
With over two decades of experience in home-building (operating as Jen Mar Homes Ltd.) and commercial land planning, Jennifer’s many successes reflect her depth of experience in the development industry.
ELLE BRUCE
Consultant
Elle Bruce is the newest member of Dobbin Consulting Inc and brings a diverse set of experiences; boots-on-the-ground trade work, independent contracting, project management, planning and development. Meticulous and detail-oriented she brings a passion for quality, sustainability and community with a belief that strong relationships and open communication are the basis of success in any endeavor.
Elle will approach your project with genuine passion and excitement and is looking forward to working with you!
OUR METHODOLODY
Our Methodologies Matrix explains the steps in land planning and applications including: Research, Strategy & Planning, Pre-Application Engagment & Municipal Meetings, Application, and Wind-up. (We note that this copy of the Methodlogies Matrix is specific to the municipality of the City of Calgary.)
THE ROLE
WHAT DO LAND PLANNERS DO?
Major land development projects typically involve three distinct leadership roles. Understanding how they work together helps landowners reduce risk, control costs, and secure approvals efficiently. On most mid-size or complex projects, all three roles are recommended to reduce approval delays, cost overruns, and political risk.
Land Planning Consultant (Approvals & Public Engagement)
- Leads redesignation (rezoning) and development
permit applications. - Prepares planning rationale and policy
alignment documentation. - Manages public engagement and stakeholder communication.
- Represents the project at Calgary Planning Commission and Council hearings.
- Navigates discretionary use approvals and
relaxation strategies.
Development Manager (Owner’s Representative)
- Represents the landowner’s financial and strategic interests.
- Controls budget, schedule, consultant team, and lender coordination.
- Oversees approval strategy and construction delivery.
- Manages risk from concept through occupancy.
Prime Consultant (Design & Technical Lead)
- Leads architectural and civil design.
- Coordinates engineering disciplines (structural, civil, mechanical, electrical).
- Prepares development permit and building permit drawings.
- Administers construction and reviews contractor work.
How These Roles Work Together
- The Development Manager protects capital and aligns approvals with financial objectives.
- The Land Planning Consultant secures political and regulatory approvals.
- The Prime Consultant delivers compliant design and oversees construction execution.
Key Distinctions
| Issue | Land Planner |
Dev. Manager | Prime Consultant |
| Political Risk |
Manages | Oversees | Informed Only |
| Budget Control | Advises | Owns | Influences |
| Technical Design | Coordinates planning elements | Oversees | Leads |
| Public Engagement | Leads | Supports | Informed Only |
| Council Hearing | Leads | Supports | Informed Only |
| Construction Admin | None | Oversees | Leads |
Some of our clients include:
