NEW LAW WOULD GOVERN METH LAB CLEANUP, NOTIFICATION

Cuyahoga Falls -- A new set of rules would govern clean-up of meth lab
sites in the city, and require owners to tell the next owner or
occupant about the property's history.

The purpose of the proposed legislation, which City Council's public
affairs committee will discuss June 16, is to reduce public exposure
to health risks where law enforcement officers have determined that
hazardous chemicals from a suspected clandestine drug lab site or
associated dumpsite may exist.

Police Chief John Conley said last year he and Mayor Don L. Robart
formed a team made up of representatives of the police, law
department, narcotics unit and community development, dedicated to
cleaning up former "meth houses" in the city.

"[Robart's] instructions were not to hurry up and create legislation,"
Conley said. "The plan was to prepare a strong piece of legislation
that would address this problem." He said often a neighborhood's
quality of life is not restored after a drug dealer is arrested and
the meth house is boarded up.

According to a spokesperson for the narcotics unit, one meth house was
searched with a warrant this year.

The ordinance defines a clandestine drug lab site as any land,
dwelling or structure where controlled substances are illegally
manufactured, as determined by law enforcement officials. The new
ordinance would require law enforcement authorities to notify a city
building official once they declare a property a public health
nuisance due to its designation as a clandestine drug lab site or
chemical dumpsite.

The building official must then notify the owner of the property,
occupants of the property, neighbors who are at risk, the police
department, and other federal, state and local authorities. Also
spelled out in the proposed ordinance are the property owner's
responsibilities, which include vacating all occupants of the
property, hiring environmental testing and cleaning firms, and paying
all costs involved including the ones expended by the police
department in identifying a clandestine drug lab site.

The proposed ordinance requires disclosure to buyers and occupants of
a property that it once was declared a public health nuisance or was
the site of a clandestine drug lab.

Stow City Council recently passed a similar law requiring disclosure
to potential buyers of former drug lab sites.

Council committees will begin their meetings at 6:15 p.m. at the
Natatorium, 2345 Fourth St.