Pubdate: Wed, 22 Jun 2005
Source: Richmond News (CN BC)
Copyright: 2005, Lower Mainland Publishing Group Inc.
Contact:  http://www.richmond-news.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1244
Author: Nelson Bennett

CITY WANTS POT BYLAW EXTENDED TO NON-RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY

Commercial and industrial property owners in Richmond may soon be
responsible for the full costs of policing marijuana grow-ops, like the one
believed to have caused a fire in a warehouse Sunday.

A new bylaw that obliges the owners of residential land to make sure their
property isn't used for grow-ops is up for final adoption June 27.

It has been criticized by a tenants' rights group because it ignored the
fact many major grow-ops are located in warehouses, like the one at 11091
Bridgeport Rd., which burned down Sunday.

The blaze convinced city council Monday to apply similar responsibilities to
the owners of commercial and industrial property.

"Given the dangers that were faced over the weekend, I think we should make
a referral to staff to ask about extending the bylaw to the commercial and
the industrial properties," said Mayor Malcolm Brodie.

Cpl. Peter Thiessen of the Richmond RCMP welcomed the news.

"Clearly there's many, many examples that we're not just dealing with
single-family dwellings," he said. "It's far beyond that. The major grow-ops
that clearly involve organized crime are way beyond being in a single-family
dwelling."

The city's new property maintenance bylaw for rental properties will require
inspections at least every three months. If the property is not inspected,
and if a marijuana grow-op is found there, the landlord will be on the hook
for the full costs of police, fire and building inspection services.

In the case of Sunday's warehouse fire, those costs would be staggering.

"It's going to end up in the tens of thousands of dollars that it costs the
city," said Coun. Harold Steves.

Council was told that every available firetruck scrambled to the scene.

"The rest of the city was in peril," said Coun. Bill McNulty. "It could have
been an absolute disaster for the city."

Wayne Mercer, manager of community bylaws, said the new bylaw for rental
properties is still expected to pass June 27. Provisions for commercial
properties would be added later, as an amendment.

Mercer said the bylaw would not be retroactive. In other words, taxpayers
are on the hook for the costs of Sunday's warehouse fire, not the owner or
the property management company in charge of the building.

Les Greig, property manager for Broadway Properties, which owns the torched
building, said he has no problem with what the city is proposing.

"We don't want this happening in the first place," Greig said.
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MAP posted-by: Josh