Board of Variance

The Board of Variance is an independent body which considers requests for minor variances to the Maple Ridge Zoning Bylaw regarding the siting, size, and dimensions of buildings.  

The Board consists of five citizen members appointed for three year terms, by City of Maple Ridge Council . The Board has the authority to grant variances in situations where compliance of the Zoning Bylaw would cause a person undue hardship.  The question of what constitutes hardship to grant a relaxation rests solely with the Board of Variance. There is no appeal of a Board of Variance decision, the only alternative option is to make a separate Development Variance Permit application to Council. The Board of Variance functions separately from the City and has its own authority under the Local Government Act.  It is similar to a Development Variance Permit application, where adjacent property owners will be notified of the appeal.

The Board of Variance will hear and determine an appeal by an individual who alleges that the following would cause them undue hardship:

• Compliance with the zoning bylaw respecting the siting, dimension or size of a building or structure, or the siting of a manufactured home in a manufactured home park;
• The prohibition of a structural alteration or addition under Section 531 of the Local Government Act;
• Compliance with a subdivision servicing requirement under Section 506 (1)(c) of the Local Government Act in an area zoned for agricultural or industrial use; or
• That the determination by a building inspector of the amount of damage under Section 532 of the Local Government Act is in error.

The Bylaw enacting the Board of Variance is located here.