Pubdate: Sat, 27 Aug 2005
Source: Abbotsford News (CN BC)
Copyright: 2005 Hacker Press Ltd.
Contact:  http://www.abbynews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1155
Author: Trudy Beyak
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mjcn.htm (Cannabis - Canada)

NO GROW-OP HERE, CLAIMS JENSEN

A Former politician with the District of Abbotsford is upset about the
current city council's method of shutting down houses with alleged
grow-ops.

The city recently condemned one of Clarence Jensen's houses that he
rents at 1977 McCallum Rd., after an inspection for a suspected
grow-op under its controlled substance property bylaw.

Jensen, as the property owner, complained that he was not notified by
city staff about the inspection nor the eviction of the tenants.

He was golfing at Campbell River, said Jensen, when a police officer
phoned him and told him "We're in your home and we're kicking everyone
out."

Jensen stood before council on Monday afternoon with pictures in his
hands of the interior of his rental house to show that it was not used
as a grow-op.

He said it was "grossly unfair" the city deemed his tenants guilty
without offering them a chance to prove otherwise.

The city placed a "no occupancy" notice on the home, thereby leaving
his tenants homeless.

The water and gas were cut off to the house, said Jensen, but there
was no evidence his tenants had a grow-op.

He acknowledged there were a few spots of mould in the gyproc in the
basement, but it was due to the fact that the house is more than 100
years old, not illicit drug activity.

The area covered with mould spores in the basement is less than four
square feet.

"It seems you have a hanging before the trial," he
said.

He also noted the tenants used a lot of water, because they had an
outdoor ground level fish tank.

City staff explained that the water consumption in the house was
higher than usual and thermal imaging noted an unusually large amount
of heat emanating from inside the house.

The tenants gave permission for the inspection and a city inspector
found patches of mould in the basement.

A "no-occupancy" order was slapped on the house because the electrical
system was deemed unsafe.

Jensen said he doesn't want to fight city hall, because of its large
bureaucracy, but said his rights were violated.

The former councillor walked around the McCallum Road house on
Thursday, noting that he had rented it for $800 a month and was
waiting for rezoning for future development.

Meanwhile, he believes the city should show more respect to a decent
taxpayer like him, who pays some $40,000 a year in taxes to the city
for the four houses, his own residence and commercial properties he
owns.

"My point is how can the city legally do what they're doing? Where are
the pictures proving there was a grow-op? How reliable is their
evidence? What is the expertise and qualifications of their
inspectors?"

The second point, Jensen said, is that there should be a better
process of informing owners of houses that are shut down.

Five houses were recently found to have marijuana grow-ops and mould,
contrary to the City's controlled substance property bylaw.

The properties must be cleaned and certified by an industrial
hygienist and pass a Special Safety Inspection by the city's building
inspector before occupancy is allowed again.
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MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin