New local rules will change how Maple Ridge builds housing and sets aside parking spaces in future developments.
City council recently approved two new bylaws: a new development procedures bylaw, and the off-street parking and loading bylaw.
The development bylaw replaces four previous bylaws, one of them dating back to 1984, and is aimed at streamlining development in several ways.
Among the major changes in the new bylaw are:
• Small subdivisions of up to three lots, and residential infill development in existing neighbourhood will be exempt from pre-application reviews;
• Staff can approve small subdivisions and infill projects without requiring council to weigh in;
• Public hearings for industrial and commercial construction, where it fits with the existing community plan, can be waived entirely, though council can still request a hearing.
Mayor Dan Ruimy said the changes are being put in place to keep pace with community needs.
“Coupled with that work, we are rigorously advocating for sustainable senior government funding for the infrastructure we need to support our growing community,” he said.
The idea is to give developers clearer rules, more predictable timelines, and streamlined approvals for smaller “low impact” projects.
Council also approved changes to parking regulations. All municipalities mandate parking minimums, which means that housing or business premises usually have to provide a certain number of parking spaces.
The new parking bylaw reduces minimum parking requirements in transit-oriented areas, such as Maple Ridge’s town centre and along the Lougheed Transit Corridor.
There are also enhanced requirements for bike parking and electric vehicle charging, and the space dimensions and aisle widths. This includes widening the minimum parking space size to 2.6 metres from 2.5 metres, given the many larger vehicles present in Maple Ridge, according to a staff report to council.
Developers who had projects already in process before the Dec. 16 vote can choose to build using either the old set of parking rules, or the new ones.