Carolyn F. Ross B.Sc. (Hons.)
Senior Planner
Ms. Ross has 15 years of planning experience including 12 years with the City of Belleville where she was Manager of Policy Planning before joining the RFA team. Ms. Ross was also a citizen appointee on the Belleville Planning Advisory Committee. The exposure to public and private sector planning in addition to Committee membership has allowed Carolyn to develop an appreciation and understanding of the planning process from numerous perspectives.
Ms. Ross’s experience includes Official Plan and Zoning By-Law Amendment review and preparation, site plan approval application preparation, and minor variance and severance application processing. She has acted as project manager working with multidisciplinary teams to lead development projects through the land use approvals process. Working as Manager of Policy Planning allowed her to develop and recommend land use planning policies for the long term management of the City’s land resources.
- Bachelor of Science with Honours Double Major in Geography and Geology – Queen’s University (1989)
Land Use Planning and Related Services
- Develop and recommend land use planning policies for the long term management of public land resources
- Provide planning information and assistance respecting Official Plans and Zoning By-laws to the general public
- Provide planning advise and technical services to public agencies
- Maintain familiarity with Provincial policies respecting land use planning and ensure technical compliance of planning documents with the policies of the Provincial Government
- Research and prepare planning and other special reports, including the Residential Land Supply Report and the Water Pollutions Control Plant Capacity Report for the City of Belleville
- Prepare municipal Official Plan and Zoning By-law Amendment documents
- Review building permit applications to ensure compliance with Zoning By-laws
Management and Administration
- Supervise, direct and manage staff assigned to the Policy Planning Division of the Development Services Department at the City of Belleville
- Oversee research, mapping and special studies/projects, and supervise the preparation of planning reports an documents
- Prepare strategies and action plans related to improving the effectiveness of the City of Belleville’s land use planning program
- Advised City of Belleville Council on the purchase and sale of City property
- Organize and administered property records including site plan agreements, encroachment agreements and subdivision agreements
- 2016 – Present
RFA Planning Consultant Inc. – Senior Planner - 2004 – 2006
RFA Planning Consultant Inc. – Senior Planner - 2000 – 2002
City of Belleville, Ontario – Manager, Policy Planning - 1997
City of Belleville, Ontario – Acting Deputy City Clerk - 1991 – 2000
City of Belleville, Ontario – Planner - 1991 – 2000
City of Belleville, Ontario – Assistant Planner
- Provisional Member, Canadian Institute of Planners (1992 – 2006)
- Provisional Member, Ontario Professional Planners Institute (1992 – 2006)
- Citizen Appointee, Planning Advisory Committee, City of Belleville (2002 – 2006)
- Chair, Omni Pre-school, City of Belleville (2003 – 2004)
- Secretary and Parliamentarian, Banyan Elementary School Parent Teacher Association, Newbury Park, California, USA (2007 – 2010)