May 15 2012 EDABC Annual Economic Summit Awards:

In the category of Marketing: District of Maple Ridge: Town Centre Investment Incentive Program

In January 2011, Maple Ridge launched a comprehensive three-year investment incentive program designed to accelerate private residential and commercial investment to meet forecast demand. The program – “Right Time. Right Place,” included a print ad, brochure, business card and website information. In the first year, the program generated 30+ projects valued at over $100 Million. These projects will result in an estimated 1,200 new residential units and over 27,000 square metres of commercial space.

http://www.marketwire.com/press-release/2012-british-columbia-economic-development-awards-winners-1657764.htm

As a result of legislative work that is being done by the Province of BC, Council directed staff to follow up with the Provincial Government with respect to building code standards that are being proposed for developments on Aboriginal Lands in BC. Staff will obtain information on this legislation and report back to Council at an upcoming Workshop

At the April 30, 2012, Workshop Meeting, Council received the Council Work Matrix as information and directed staff to make some additions [PDF, 152KB] which were reviewed at today’s Council Workshop meeting.

The Council Work Matrix is a list of projects and issues that are of particular interest to Council. The Matrix is used as a means to track the status of these items. The Matrix presented covers the period of January 1, 2012, through September 30, 2012. Staff will make every effort to meet the dates outlined on the 2012 Matrix, but it should be noted that the dates listed may be altered depending upon availability of information and personnel.

Council reviewed the Matrix and adopted the schedule as presented

On April 16, 2012, Council discussed a report entitled: “Secondary Suites and Temporary Residential Uses”. At that time, Council directed staff to prepare a comprehensive list of issues and options pertaining to this topic and report back.

Charles Goddard, Manager of Development and Environmental Services-Approving Officer, advised Council that this work is currently underway; however, one of the issues identified in the upcoming report, namely, the practice of limiting through design the potential for illegal secondary suites on small lots, has some currency. Mr. Goddard spoke to the staff report [PDF, 174KB], which considered that amendment of the District’s Zoning Bylaw for small lots to codify the current practice with regard to external basement doors. The idea being that elimination of construction of external side doors in the basements of new homes on specifically zoned small lots would limit the potential of illegal secondary suites.

There have been concerns about this issue raised by some developers and builders, but most understand the Zoning Bylaw prohibition and the problems relating to unregulated suites in some areas. They contend that the basement side door is an issue of convenience to the buyer and that the District can still enforce against the owner who installs an illegal secondary suite through the normal enforcement avenues. As such, staff is seeking Council direction on this issue.

Council discussed the issue at length and noted the pros and cons of various approaches to this issue. Given the significance of the issue, Council moved that the issue be discussed at the next regular Council meeting on May 22, 2012.

Jim Charlebois, Manager of Community Planning, provided a presentation [PDF, 426KB] to Council and reviewed the steps taken thus far regarding the potential for the District to adopt Amenity Zoning in some areas of Maple Ridge. Amenity Zoning provides developers with the opportunity to build projects that provide more density than is contemplated in a zone in exchange for the developer providing or contributing to an amenity for the neighbourhood. Examples of amenities include parkland, affordable housing and municipal facilities.

In May 2011, Council first discussed the topic of zoning for amenities and the potential use in Maple Ridge. A staff report prepared for Council included an overview of Local Government Act provisions, Amenity Zoning principles and Maple Ridge Context. At that time, Council thought it to be prudent to defer the discussion to 2012 Business Planning as part of the Planning Department’s work plan.

As part of the Planning Department’s 2012 work plan, Council approved a review of Amenity Zoning; subsequently, a contract has been awarded to CitySpaces Consulting, the same consultant engaged in completing the District’s new Zoning Bylaw, to complete this work

The staff report [PDF, 303KB] provides Council with an update on the process, scope of work and timeline for the review. Input from the discussion on this report will be forwarded to CitySpaces.

A report will be coming back to Council at the June 18, 2012, Workshop, which will contain the feedback from the development community and the issues that were raised in the Council discussion. At that point, Council will determine what direction they wish to take on Amenity Zoning.

Council received the report as information.