Pubdate: Tue, 17 May 2005
Source: Chilliwack Times (CN BC)
Copyright: 2005 Chilliwack Times
Contact:  http://www.chilliwacktimes.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1357
Author: Mike Chouinard
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mjcn.htm (Cannabis - Canada)

ANOTHER TOOL IN THE DRUG WAR

The city is using a new weapon in its ongoing battle with people whose
homes are used to grow marijuana.

Earlier this month the city held show cause hearings concerning a
couple of properties, and last night they had more scheduled. The
hearings took place after press time.

The tactic council is taking, using powers from a recent bylaw, is to
place notice on the titles of properties stating they are hazardous,
in order to force the owners to make the homes inhabitable.

"Under the bylaw we can order them to bring the homes into
compliance," Mayor Clint Hames.

They are supposed to make sure the sites are clean, structurally
sound, safe, and tested for noxious materials. Hames said many of the
homes found to be grow-ops have any number of problems, such as
building code violations, disconnected furnaces, a need for fire
safety walls, faulty wiring and so on.

The show cause hearings are one strategy that makes up part of the
Nuisance, Noxious, Offensive Trade, Health and Safely Bylaw the city
recently brought in, which also includes a provision to fine owners up
to $10,000 if they have not taken steps to prevent grow-ops from
setting up on their property.

"There are two specific aspects to the bylaw that sometimes get
intertwined," Hames said.

The other aspect, that of the $10,000 fine, has garnered more
attention, but so far the city has held off slapping homeowners with
the five-figure penalty.

"To date, we have not done that. We're saving that for some extreme
cases."

Instead, the city has opted for smaller fines, due largely to the fact
that if and when it imposes a large fine for a grow-op, the move will
have to go through courts.

Hames said they want to make sure they have an extraordinary case on
their hands before imposing the penalty.

In the mean time, owners caught with grow-ops can expect to be hauled
in before council for hearings to determine whether the city files a
notice on the property titles.

"You'll see a bunch of these coming up now on a fairly regular basis,"
Hames said.
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MAP posted-by: Derek