Pubdate: Tue, 26 Apr 2005 Source: Chilliwack Progress (CN BC) Copyright: 2005 The Chilliwack Progress Contact: http://www.theprogress.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/562 Author: Robert Freeman, Progress staff Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mjcn.htm (Cannabis - Canada) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/topics/grow+operations CLEANUP ORDERED AT MARIJUANA GROW SITES The city moved last week against the owners of two properties that were sites of illegal marijuana grow operations, but who have not responded to municipal cleanup requirements under the city's new pot bylaw. About 50 properties to date have been cited under the city's Nuisance, Noxious or Offensive Trades, Health and Safety bylaw aimed at marijuana grow-ops and clandestine chemical labs. The property at 45832 Wellington Avenue is registered to a numbered company in Vancouver and the property at 4985 Cultus Lake Road is registered to Michael Janecky. The owners have 30 days to comply with the cleanup order or 14 days to ask city council for a show cause hearing. If no response is made the city will undertake the cleanup at the owners' cost, and file a notice on the property's title alerting potential buyers to the building's history. Both properties were deemed unsafe for dwelling by the city until the remedial work is done. Police found more than 1,000 marijuana plants at the Wellington Avenue property in January this year. Evidence of unreported fire damage was also found and the two-storey residential/commercial building needs re-certification for structural soundness because of alterations made for the grow-op. The Cultus Lake Road property is located in a secluded area just within the city boundaries. Police found about 2,500 marijuana plants growing there in October last year. Coun. Sharon Gaetz, chair of the city's public safety committee, says she is "heartened" by the protection the bylaw is giving to children who might otherwise be exposed to mould and other toxic substances that remain after a grow-op site is taken down by police. - --- MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin