BYLAW AIMS TO LET VILLAGE RECOUP COSTS OF POT HOUSE CLEANUPS

WARFIELD - Warfield village has passed a bylaw aimed at the number of
marijuana-growing operations that popped up in the community over the
past year.

The Warfield Controlled Substance Property Bylaw is based on a similar
law in Abbotsford. Council of the village near Trail decided to act
after five houses were being used as growing operations.

The bylaw puts the onus on grow operators to clean up the mess they
leave behind and requires that landlords inspect rental properties
every three months to make sure they aren't being used as growing
operations.

Fines under the bylaw range from $100 to $1,000.

Without the bylaw, Clerk Donna Baggio said, the village had no way to
recoup losses when it had to "go in and shut water off or clean up the
yard, if [owners] walked away."