Parking Bylaw Review

A full review of the Off-Street Parking and Loading Bylaw No. 4350-1990, also commonly known as the “Parking Bylaw” is identified as a Planning Department work item in the City’s 2022 Business Plan. The current Parking Bylaw, regulates the location, number, and size of off-street vehicle parking spaces, loading spaces, bicycle spaces, and passenger spaces, to balance the needs of residents, commuters, and visitors. 

Why Are We Doing This?

Maple Ridge’s current approach to parking regulations is to require a minimum number of parking spaces for every kind of development – large residential buildings, low density residential houses, commercial spaces, retail, office buildings, industrial buildings and everything in between. The approach taken for the parking requirements of this Bylaw largely follows best practices from the 1990’s era and the more modern approach has evolved to include trends in facilitating sustainable and transit-oriented development, reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, and more opportunities for walking, rolling, or transit use over transport by single-occupancy vehicle.

What Is the Goal Of This Process?

A new Off-Street Parking and Loading Bylaw is the anticipated outcome of this review. The review of the Parking Bylaw does not include on-street parking regulations as on-street parking is regulated through other bylaws. The goals of the new Parking Bylaw are to:

  • better align the Bylaw with best practices accepted in the transportation planning industry,
  • respond to emerging market trends,
  • address the City’s sustainability goal of net zero community greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 (Official Community Plan Policy 5-45), and
  • improve layout, functionality, and clarity to be more user-friendly and effective in regulating off-street parking.

Where Are We In The Process?

In early 2023, staff anticipate bringing forward the draft new Parking Bylaw to a future Committee of the Whole meeting. In the Committee of the Whole report, staff will also provide an approach to instream applications and when the amendment to the Parking Bylaw would take effect.

Parking Bylaw Review Image

How Can I Provide Feedback?

Provide feedback by phone or email. Contact Krista Gowan, Community Planner at the City of Maple Ridge, either by phone or by email at: kgowan@mapleridge.ca or 604-467-7402.

Previous Council Reports

  • September 6, 2022, Council Workshop - to read the report titled "Parking Bylaw Review", click HERE. To watch the meeting (start at 0:10:00), click HERE.