FAQs

Land use planning is a process that helps guide the growth of communities by creating policies for what types of land uses (e.g., residential, commercial, industrial, park) and what types of built form (e.g., single-detached houses, townhouses, apartments) are appropriate in certain areas based on factors such as roads, infrastructure, environment, and neighbourhood character. The City of Maple Ridge has a team of planners that create maps for land uses and review applications for new development across the City.

An Official Community Plan is a key document that guides the growth and development of a municipality and is based on principles that have been identified by the community. It contains details about land use planning, housing, community services, natural features, transportation, infrastructure, and more.

An Area Plan is specific to a unique area in the city and provides a greater level of detail about land use, density, form and character. Each Area Plan is unique based on the issues, characteristics and objectives for the area.

The Albion Area Plan guides the growth and development of the area, which strives to balance new residential development, the protection of environmentally sensitive areas, and the provision of a range of housing styles to meet diverse housing needs. It includes the area known as North East Albion.

The North East Albion Area Plan is a subset of the larger Albion Area Plan, and is bound by Kanaka Creek to the north, existing Albion Area residential developments and conservation to the south, and rural residential developments to the east. When the North East Albion Area Plan was being developed, it emphasized a complete community by integrating environmental stewardship, the protection of natural resources and the preservation of ecosystems, while balancing the social and economic objectives of the community.

Every property in Maple Ridge has a land use designation that provides high-level guidance on how the land could be used in the future and what type of built form would be appropriate. Land use designations are established within the City’s Official Community Plan and Area Plans and help shape what zones are allowed for a given property.