Connecting People, Places, and Ecology
At Barefoot, we take pride in being approachable, adaptable, and collaborative. Our mission is to reconnect people, places, and ecology through skilled practice, systems thinking, and an honest approach to sustainability.
Barefoot helps envision and build a better future.
Here are some of the exciting projects and clients we’ve worked with:
Services
Community Planning & Design
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Local area analyses, community and stakeholder engagement, visioning and conceptual designs, policy and guideline development, and action-oriented implementation strategies.
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Comprehensive community engagement, analyses, and policy development.
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Concept designs for streetscapes, plazas, and other public spaces.
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Urban Design guidelines or DPA guidelines, including Form & Character, Environmental, etc.
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Downtown plans with a focus on action-oriented revitalization, main street improvements, public space designs, design guidelines, and clear implementation strategies.
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Development, analysis, and advisory services for a broad range of land use policy and regulation.
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Park Master Plans, parks strategies, and park concept designs.
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Age-friendly and Healthy Community Plans, including local area analyses, engagement, and action plans.
Indigenous Planning & Advisory
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Key policy document (e.g., OCP, area plans), community engagement, advisory services, and master plans.
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Analysis, development, or advisory services for key land use regulations (e.g., Zoning) and policy.
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Lands-related advisory services to support Treaty, including lands analyses, development analyses, land use analyses, negotiation support, mapping, etc.
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Support for internal land use and development services, including policy, regulatory, development application, and process reviews, recommendations, and development.
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Land use, development potential, environmental, archaeological, regulation and policy, economic development, etc.
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Mapping, GIS systems, data analysis, online mapping tools, analyses, etc.
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Analyses, consultation, advisory services, and plan/policy development to support community development and economic development.
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Dedicated consultation processes, facilitation, curriculum development, etc.
Development Consulting
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Conceptual site plans and large-scale Master Plans, including analyses, option development, and detailed site plans.
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Visioning and concept design processes to develop and refine options for redevelopment.
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Rezoning, OCP amendment, Development Permit, Variances.
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A wide range of illustrations, renderings, and visualization products and styles to tell the story of and properly represent development plans.
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Detailed analysis of development potential.
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Strategic advice, review, analyses, and recommendations to support development processes at the design, application development, or approval process stage.
Team
Based on Vancouver Island, our team is valued for our ability and desire to push beyond the status quo, seek progressive yet contextual solutions, and put big ideas into action – whether in a remote community or a dense urban neighbourhood.
Evan Peterson
Principal
Evan is an approachable leader, skilled planner and designer, and creative problem-solver. To him, going ‘barefoot’ means shedding conventionality for a better way. Evan works to embody these qualities in his life and practice… though, he still wears shoes to meetings.
Community Planner
Mark McNaughton
Mark is a multidisciplinary planner, designer, and researcher. He brings a thoughtful, collaborative, and detailed approach to deliver tremendous value to clients across multiple service areas.
Associates
Barefoot has a close-knit team of associates and technical specialists, including Adam Wicks (GIS and data analysis) and Carrie Hubka (graphic design), and is a partner with Origin Sustainable Design + Planning. We also regularly collaborate with a number of like-minded professionals, including planners, architects, landscape architects, engineers, lawyers, and videographers.
Our Team & Network
Our Approach
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We apply design thinking to find ways to improve upon what has come before – by others and by ourselves. We never settle for the status quo.
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We utilize a systems thinking approach to ground our design and planning in an understanding of the unique project conditions. We don’t do cookie cutter.
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We educate, facilitate honest discussion, produce engaging materials, and listen to those that may not speak the loudest.
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We are driven by our desire to reconnect people, places, and ecology, and we collaborate with like-minded firms that walk the talk of progressive practice.
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We embody a team sport mindset, where teamwork and positive leadership elevates all members of the group to band together and make our work fun.
Clients
Barefoot has had the privilege of developing successful and lasting working relationships with a number of clients across BC, including:
