METH ORDINANCE AFFECTS RESIDENCES

Kanawha County officials say they have condemned 23 houses used to
produce methamphetamine since last July when a public nuisance
ordinance was passed to address public health issues.

The ordinance forces a property owner to either clean the home or
hire a contractor to raze the property. If neither is an option, the
county will demolish the home and place a lien against the property.
Of the 23 houses that have been condemned since the ordinance passed
last year, five were demolished, six have been cleaned and are
reoccupied, and 12 are being tested and awaiting a final decision.

The most recent property to fall under the ordinance was a home in
Hernshaw, where police said they found a clandestine lab Thursday
night. County Commissioner Kent Carper and Kanawha County Sheriff
Mike Rutherford began discussing a public nuisance ordinance last
year not long after the sheriff installed the meth tip line.

Both said it seemed ridiculous to send families back into
contaminated homes only days -- and in some cases hours -- after
police made arrests and removed meth-making materials. Police
officers usually wear protective suits and air respirators before
heading to a meth lab.

"Apparently no one has really attacked the problem on the location of
where they're making (meth)," Rutherford said. "It just makes sense
because you don't want people going in right after we're in there
with all that safety gear." Less than a year after its passage, the
ordinance has received interest from other states with similar
issues. Rutherford pointed to inquiries by police departments in
Kentucky and Illinois.

"It's been a very good tool," Rutherford said. "In fact we're getting
calls from other parts of the country to see how we're doing this
because I guess it's pretty unique. It had a lot of foresight to it."
Immediately after police remove all evidence from the house, the
county's Planning Authority tests the interior of the home --
including the ductwork, furniture, carpet, clothes and even
children's toys -- before a decision on property can be made.

Acceptable chemicals levels are determined by state requirements in
Oregon and Washington because West Virginia has yet to adopt
standardized testing. The property will not be inhabited until after
the property is once again tested and deemed safe, said Kanawha
County Planning Director Susan Blake. If the county is forced to raze
the residence, property owners may not sell the lot until they pay
for the demolition.

"But there's no guarantee the property will ever be sold," Blake
said. Carper said the ordinance is written to address all dilapidated
houses, but he admitted it mainly targets meth lab sites.

"People should be responsible about their own property," he said.
"But there is always a misfit out there who doesn't want to be a good
neighbor." He dubbed the ordinance "shock-and-awe" because "it sends
a real message out to people who rent or own property that there is a
price to pay." County officials said they have seen a movement by
some landlords to pay more attention to their tenants' behavior.

"Quite a few of them want to know how they can keep people from
cooking meth in their homes, and we've been glad to help them,"
Rutherford said. "It's made landlords be more aware and keep a closer
eye on their properties." Carper said there is a fine line between
public safety and a neighborhood nuisance. While the ordinance should
be a deterrent against meth labs and a way to protect people from
dangerous chemicals, he believes it should be used as a last resort
when demolishing homes.

"But until someone proves me wrong, we believe this program makes
sense," Carper said.