Guidelines for assessing environmental and hazard requirements and making your application. If you want to alter land or vegetation, construct, add to or alter a building or structure, or subdivide land, there are environmental and hazard regulatory requirements that may apply.
Are There Requirements or Permits I Need to Get?
These regulations comply with the City of Maple Ridge Official Community Plan (OCP).
The following requirements and permits may apply, if:
- Your land is in a Development Permit Area (DPA), either wholly or partly. See below for details
- There isn't an exemption for your development, and
- You are planning the following type of work:
- Storing materials or structures under tree canopies or near creeks, streams, lakes, and watercourses
- Addition extending footprint
- New single-detached or residential urban infill (Small-Scale, Multi-Unit Housing (SSMUH))
- Multi-family, commercial, or mixed-use construction (form and character DPAs)
- Alteration of land, import of soil/fill, demolition, grading or excavation including demolition (no building)
- Vegetation removal, protected trees, or land clearing impacting natural assets
- Site servicing and infrastructure works
- Subdivision and/or rezoning
Floodplain Requirements
If a property is located in a designated Floodplain Area or within proximity to a watercourse, well, high groundwater area, or dike, it must adhere to the requirements in the Floodplain Management Bylaw, which prescribe setbacks, minimum flood construction levels, and permitted uses and exemptions. The Floodplain Management Bylaw was adopted July 28, 2026, and is effective January 1, 2027.
Where landfill is used to achieve any elevation, no portion of the landfill slope shall encroach upon the setback areas, and the fill is subject to the requirements under the Regulation of Earth Fill Within Floodplains Policy.
Watercourse Protection Requirements
A Watercourse Protection Development Permit application is required for any works that involve soil or vegetation disturbance within 50 m of a water feature, including streams, wetlands, ponds, or ditches. The environmental professional of record (QEP) will need to refer to the WPDP checklist early-on in the development process to assist with protection and management of environmentally sensitive aquatic areas.
Maple Ridge Watercourse Protection Bylaw No. 6410-2006 includes proactive site source measures for dealing with erosion and sediment control, rainwater management and stormwater management that are in compliance with current Federal, Provincial and Regional standards.
The SPR provide a methodology for establishing appropriate protection setbacks around water features. The City of Maple Ridge SPR review process is outlined in the following PowerPoint presentation. The Guide to the Streamside Protection Regulation provides the definitions and methodology associated with the SPR process.
In March 2005 Council supported staff recommendations that the municipality continue to use of the Streamside Setback Classification Map as a basis for the protection of riparian areas adjacent to watercourses, and that the municipality advise the Province that the Maple Ridge would not apply the Riparian Area Regulation. Council re-affirmed commitments to strong streamside and riparian enhancement protection through the SPR method with updates to the Environmental Management Framework.
Wildfire Development Permit Requirements
Properties located within the Wildfire Development Permit Area require a Development Permit before certain types of development, building construction, additions, alterations, or land disturbance can occur. The permit area applies to lands identified on the Wildfire Development Permit Area map.
Development within the permit area is required to incorporate wildfire risk reduction measures, including:
- building and site design practices that help reduce wildfire risk to people and property;
- FireSmart landscape plan and vegetation management and defensible space measures around development - a landscape plan, cost estimate, and securities with a covenant on title are required with landscape works; and
- measures that help reduce the risk of erosion, landslides, and debris flows that can occur after a wildfire.
The Wildfire Development Permit Checklist assists applicants with adhering to the requirements that help support safer and more resilient development in areas that may be vulnerable to wildfire hazards.
Natural Features Development Permit Requirements
A Natural Features Development Permit is required for any new development:
- Within 50 metres of a watercourse or wetland area
- On slopes greater than 15%
- Located within a floodplain
- Within 50 metres of an area designated as conservation on the Official Community Plan "Schedule C Natural Features Map"
- Within a wildfire interface DP area
The environmental professional of record (QEP) will need to refer to the NFDP checklist early-on in the development process to assist with protection and management of natural feature areas. The QEP is to follow the Low Impact Development Guidelines and the Natural Features Development Checklist.
A Natural Features Development Permit is triggered with a Watercourse Development Permit application: WPDP application
Soil Deposit Permit Requirements
A soil deposit permit may be required if you are planning to import soil to your property depending on the volume of soil, the proximity to floodplains, watercourses, slopes, infrastructure or other features, and depending on the final depth of deposited material. Please contact the Planning and Building department Planning@MapleRidge.ca to inquire about permit requirements for your project or to report non-permitted dumping.
With land in the Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR), a soil deposit permit is required for any importation of soils. The soils must be of agricultural quality and/or for agricultural use. Roads for farm use are a permitted farm use and do not require a soil deposit permit from the Agricultural Land Commission (ALC), but the City must be notified. Permit applications are administered through the City of Maple Ridge.
Application and regulation information:
Landscape Requirements
All properties are subject to the landscape requirements under Section 405 of the Zoning Bylaw, and development permit area requirements, in addition to protected trees being regulated under the Tree Protection Management Bylaw.
The City requires stormwater source-control requirements through the Subdivision and Development Servicing Bylaw and the Engineering Design Criteria Manual, including green infrastructure requirements for on-site management of stormwater. A coordinated Engineering Stormwater Management Plan and a Landscape Plan stamped by a BCSLA Registered Landscape Architect most efficiently demonstrate this compliance.
Application information:
- Green Infrastructure Specifications
- Landscape and Replanting Standards in Habitat Restoration Areas
- Form and Character DP Landscape Info
- Wildfire DP Landscape Requirements
Contaminated Sites in Maple Ridge
Contamination can sometimes be found on properties that are currently, or were historically, used for agriculture, industrial or commercial purposes in Maple Ridge. Contamination may be present in soil, soil vapour, sediment, surface water, or groundwater and can pose risks to human health and the environment.
Under the Environmental Management Act and the Contaminated Sites Regulation, the Province may require a Site Disclosure Statement for properties with a current or historic Schedule 2 use when applications are made for:
- subdivision;
- rezoning;
- a development permit involving soil disturbance; or
- a building permit involving soil disturbance.
The City of Maple Ridge may also request information about potential site contamination as part of reviewing development applications. This helps ensure that land is suitable for its proposed use and safe for people and the environment.
Tree Cutting Permit
A tree cutting permit is required for trees over 20 cm diameter.
Please find below the following tree permitting documents:
Please e-mail the completed form(s) to trees@mapleridge.ca, or drop them off in person at the front counter reception desk at City hall.
Contact Us
Environment and Hazard Requirements
Email: EnvironmentalPlanning@MapleRidge.ca
Trees
Email: Trees@MapleRidge.ca
Phone: 604-467-7349