Schedule A to Maple Ridge Official Community Plan Bylaw No. 7060-2014

Topic	Sub-Topic	Policy or policy Excerpt	Document Location	Language Rating
wildlife/environmental/pest management;	wildlife and ecosystem management; BC environmental farm plan;	In recognition of the role that agriculture has on the natural environment and community values, Maple Ridge will work in cooperation with the Agricultural Land Commission to foster and maintain the agricultural land base. The District will also encourage local farmers to prepare Environmental Farm Plans to enhance sustainable agriculture and minimize potential adverse impacts to the natural environment.	5.17
food sales, access and procurement; economic development;;	farmers' markets; agri-tourism; local procurement;	Maple Ridge will work cooperatively with senior levels of government and other agencies to promote agricultural business opportunities by: a) aligning land use bylaws to permit supportive non-farm uses such as agro-tourism, bed and breakfasts, and on-farm sales; b) assisting agricultural landowners to identify and develop agricultural opportunities (e.g. value added, agri -tourism, bed and breakfast, recreation); c) identifying and encouraging access by agricultural landowners to agricultural programs; d) promoting the demand for, and sale of, local agricultural products within the community (e.g. farmer’s market, on-farm marketing, District food and plant material procurement policies); e) developing a small lot agricultural initiative tailored to Maple Ridge conditions.	6-8	*
development and productive use of agricultural land;	urban containment/growth boundary; ALR;	Maple Ridge will strive to maintain its agricultural land base in Maple Ridge through the following mechanisms: a) supporting the Metro Vancouver Regional Growth Strategy, which includes designated agricultural land; b) respecting the integrity of the urban area boundary by establishing a distinct separation between rural and urban designated areas; c) designating all lands outside of the Urban Area Boundary that are within the ALR as Agriculture in the Official Community Plan. Non-farm uses approved by the Agricultural Land Commission and the District will be permitted on all land designated Agricultural; d) striving for a balance between farming activity and conservation lands.	6-10	*
development and productive use of agricultural land;	zoning; ALR subdivision; agricultural impact assessment; buffer at agricultural edge; ALR; 'benefit to agriculture' language;	Maple Ridge will protect the productivity of its agricultural land by: a) adopting a guiding principle of ”positive benefit to agriculture” when making land use decisions that could affect the agricultural land base, with favourable recognition of initiatives including but not limited to supportive non-farm uses, infrastructure improvements for farmland, or the inclusion of land elsewhere in the Agricultural Land Reserve; b) requiring agricultural impact assessments (AIAs) and Groundwater Impact Assessment of non-farm development and infrastructure projects and identifying measures to off-set impacts on agricultural capability; c) preserving larger farm units and areas by using appropriate buffers such as roads, topographic features, watercourses, ditching, fencing, or gradually reduced residential densities on properties adjacent to agricultural land; d) discouraging the subdivision of agricultural land into smaller parcels, except where positive benefits to agriculture can be demonstrated; e) reinforcing the concept that the Agricultural Land Reserve is intended for agricultural use by increasing the minimum lot size for ALR properties that are zoned Rural Residential; f) encouraging the amalgamation of smaller parcels of farmland into larger, more cohesive parcels.	6-12	*
urban agriculture;	protection of farming development permit area; nuisance complaints;	As part of the Agricultural Planning process, Development Permit Area Guidelines for the protection of farming will be developed to: a) reduce impacts on farmland and maintain compatibility between farm and non-farm uses; b) guide the form and character of future adjacent non-farm development; c) place conditions on title to inform non-farming rural residents of normal incidents encountered when living in an active agricultural area (e.g. noise, odours, crop spraying, traffic).	6-13	*