Meeting Descriptions


Council Workshop

The purpose of Council Workshops is to review and discuss policies and other items of interest to Council. Although resolutions may be passed at this meeting, the intent is to make decisions to send an item to a Council Meeting for debate and vote, or to refer the item to staff for further information and next steps. Council Workshop meetings are generally held every second and fourth Tuesday beginning at 11:00 am hosted virtually including Council Chambers in City Hall (enter by the northern door on the east side of City Hall). Check the 2023 Council Meeting Calendar  for specifics.


Committee of the Whole 

Most items that Council will debate and vote on at Council Meetings are first presented at Committee of the Whole (CoW) meetings. The purpose of CoW meetings is to provide Council with an opportunity to ask City staff questions of clarification. No voting takes place other than Council deciding to either forward the item to the next Council Meeting for debate and vote, or send it back to staff for more information. Committee of the Whole meets on the first and third Tuesday of each month starting at 1:30 pm hosted virtually including Council Chambers at City Hall. A Community Forum is held following adjournment of the meeting. Citizens have an opportunity during this Forum to speak to Council on any subject, with the exception of Public Hearing bylaws that have not reached a conclusion. Check the 2023 Council Meeting Calendar  for specifics.


Council

Council Meetings are the final venue for debate of issues before voting on bylaws and resolutions. These meetings are held on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month starting at 7:00 pm hosted virtually including Council Chambers at City Hall (enter by the northern door on the east side of City Hall). A Question Period is held near the end of the meeting and provides citizens an opportunity to ask Council questions on any subject, with the exception of Public Hearing bylaws that have not reached a conclusion. Check the 2023 Council Meeting Calendar  for specifics.


Public Hearing

Public Hearings are held to provide the public with an opportunity to convey their views on land use applications to Council. Public Hearings are held before Council adopts amendments to the Zoning Bylaw or Official Community Plan. Public Hearings are held in accordance with Council Policy No. 3.17 - Public Hearing Process.


Interested persons who believe themselves impacted by the bylaw amendment may participate by:

  • attending and/or speaking at the Public Hearing meeting, 
  • submitting a letter to the Corporate Officer at the Public Hearing meeting,
  • submitting correspondence prior to 12:00 noon on the day of the Public Hearing via drop-box at City Hall, or by mail at 11995 Haney Place Maple Ridge V2X 6A9
  • submitting correspondence via email at clerks@mapleridge.ca until 12:00 noon the day of the Public Hearing meeting. 

Speakers at the Public Hearings must provide their name and address in writing for the record. Under law, Council cannot receive input after a Public Hearing has been adjourned. Public Hearings, as a rule, are held on the third Tuesday of each month starting at 7:00 pm in Council Chambers at City Hall (enter by the northern door on the east side of City Hall). Check the 2023 Council Meeting Calendar for specifics.
 

Public Notification of Upcoming Public Hearing:

At least ten days before a Public Hearing is held, each applicant must update the Development Sign on the property with the details of the Public Hearing, and the City sends notices to property owners and occupants within a radius of 50 meters (164 ft.) of the subject property. In some cases (e.g. a city-wide amendment, or large area change) legislation requires advertisement only, and not separate notices to individual property owners. Public Hearings are advertised in two consecutive issues of the local newspaper and online. The staff report and Public Hearing package is available for access ten days before the Public Hearing at the Planning Department counter at City Hall between 8:00 am and 4:00 pm weekdays (excluding statutory holidays), or in the City’s online Agenda Centre under Public Hearing.