TOWNSHIP WILL BILL LANDLORDS

Landlords beware. Marijuana grow operations and other illegal activities
not only ruin houses, they run up a tab for Langley Township taxpayers.

The time and expenses Langley Township pays include the salaries and other
costs attributed to fire and police officials - and building inspectors to
ensure the buildings are made safe again for occupancy.

Now the Township has a new tool to get back all costs associated with
investigations, inspections and structure and property remediation.

Even noxious substances down the septic tank will be looked at.

Council on Oct. 4 adopted an amendment to its Property Maintenance and
Repair Bylaw, which will require "property owners to maintain their
buildings and repair them to a condition suitable and safe for occupancy,
where the building is damaged due to illegal activities."

The amendment will also "enable the Township to recover full costs - by
implementing a new Schedule A, for cost recovery" - a report to council says.

The report says that the revenue generated under the existing bylaw is
sufficient to offset Township staff costs, but the RCMP portion was a
nominal figure that experience shows does not cover actual costs of initial
attendance and investigation.

In some cases, Township fire officials also attend, for purposes of
extinguishing or mitigating fire hazards.

In the year June 1, 2003, to May 31, 2004, 32 investigations were referred
by the RCMP to the Township's building department. Costs recovered through
application of the bylaw generated $32,562.50, enough to offset permit and
inspection costs of those attending the property, but not sufficient for
police and fire costs, the report says.

The report says Township solicitors agree that the Community Charter
authorizes the bylaw amendment.

The Charter gives a municipal council significant authority: from
mitigating nuisances and noxious, unsanitary conditions on a property, to
regulating, prohibiting, and imposing requirements in relation to buildings
and other structures.

The Charter provides not only that officers or employees of the Township
may enter on a property to administer the bylaw, but that council may
authorize others, including police and fire officials.

The new fee schedule includes: the recovery of "actual costs incurred by the

SEE: Page 6

municipality for all related labour, materials, or equipment; a $250 fee
for initial building inspection; a fee to co-ordinate inspections of other
authorities having jurisdiction - $100 for each agency; fees for building
permits authorizing remediation, as set out in the building bylaw; and, a
$250 fee for final inspection of construction and authorization to
re-occupy a premise.

The staff report says fire officials can provide copies of manpower and
equipment records to recover costs for attendance.

The staff report says that "full cost recovery in applying these
regulations is an important consideration for property owners and should
provide additional incentives for them to inspect their properties on a
regular basis and ensure unacceptable activity is not undertaken."

The report also says that to protect the environment, where hazardous
materials are used in illegal activities, testing of septic systems, wells
and sewer discharge may be required and referral made to appropriate
environmental agencies.