CITY STANDS BEHIND INSPECTION BYLAW

The chair of the city's community safety committee is standing behind
a bylaw that targets residential marijuana grow-ops, despite strong
public reaction against it.

Earlier this week, the News reported Lee and Fay Jensen were
subjected to a search of their home by the RCMP and city officials
under the city's electrical safety inspection program. The bylaw is
aimed at addressing hazards resulting from the rewiring that is often
done to power marijuana grow operations.

A monthly $200 electrical bill triggered an inspection of the
Jensens' home on Jan. 30. The inspection, one of 106 to take place so
far, revealed neither a grow-op nor any problems with the Jensens'
electrical system.

A number of readers have written or called the News expressing
concern. Some wondered if they would be next, or if they could be hit
with a $3,500 inspection bill if inspectors find a minor violation,
like too many electrical plugs on one power bar.

Minor infractions, like no smoke alarms or "over-plugging," will not
result in an inspection fee, said city hall spokeswoman Cynthia
Lockrey. "If people are not doing anything illegal, they will not be charged."

Coun. Harold Steves thinks council needs to be asking some questions
about the way the program is being administered.

"I think it's important we know exactly what the guidelines are for
power use before we start deciding to go into someone's house," he
said. "I think it is important that people are protected from the
police or the city going onto their property on a whim."

Coun. Evelina Halsey-Brandt, who chairs the city's community safety
committee, said she does not think the bylaw needs revisiting.

"There needs to be cooperation by people," she said. "They ask us to
protect them and then when we put in mechanisms to protect them, they
complain. You can't have it both ways."

However, she said she might want to take another look at another
bylaw that was also designed to address the problem of grow-ops in
residential areas.

Under that bylaw, landlords in Richmond are obliged to inspect their
properties at least once every three months. If they don't, and if a
grow-op or drug lab is found in one of their rental properties, they
could be hit with a sizeable bill to cover the costs of remediation
and police, fire and city inspections.

It has been suggested the inspection periods be increased because
drug labs can be set up and dismantled in less than three months.
Halsey-Brandt said she is willing to take another look at the bylaw,
although she has concerns that it could be misused.

"I think what a landlord could do, such as Amacon with that poor
tenant on Gilbert Road," she said, referring to Laara Raynier, who
has been fighting Amacon Property Management Services over evictions
at Richmond Gardens. Raynier is suing Amacon for harassment. An
inspection under the city's marijuana grow-op bylaw is one of the
alleged incidents of harassment cited.