SOOKE TARGETS DRUG OPERATIONS WHILE FINE-TUNING BYLAWS

Sooke council is crafting new bylaws targeting everything from
early-morning lawn cutting to drug labs and cluttered
storefronts.

Council fine-tuned the wording in three bylaws this week: a nuisance
measure that regulates cleaning up illegal grow-ops and meth labs; an
unsightly-premises regulation and a noise-control bylaw.

"We've had issues with unsightly premises," said Mayor Janet
Evans.

"The RCMP brought forward the nuisance controlled-substance bylaw
because they needed a little more meat in that [regulation]. As well,
we need to protect ourselves from the liability of the cleanup costs
if something like [a grow-op or meth lab] happens."

The bylaw would require owners of properties where marijuana grow-ops
or meth labs are discovered to clean the premises within 14 days,
including replacing or cleaning carpets and curtains, cleaning
forced-air ducts and cleaning and disinfecting walls and ceilings.

After that, the premises must be certified free from pesticides,
fertilizer, toxic moulds, chemicals and fungus. Before occupancy, the
building has to be inspected. The bylaw also sets out a fee schedule
for inspection by police and fire officials.

Sooke is following in the steps of Langford, Colwood and View Royal,
which have all adopted model bylaws forcing cleanup of properties used
for illegal grow-ops and meth labs.

"We know that there are grow-ops out there and there are rumours that
there's a meth lab out there," Evans said. "Our local police did find
a grow-op on Sooke Road earlier this year."

Sooke has one staff member who works half-time as a bylaw enforcement
officer and half-time as a emergency preparedness officer.

Evans said the new bylaws might mean the municipality will have to
boost its bylaw enforcement staff, but it's too early to tell.

"Maybe in next year's budget. We'll just see how much volume this
brings."