COUNCIL EXPANDS POT BYLAW

Rented or not, landowners of any property within Langley City are now
financially accountable for pot growing operations on their premises.

The Maintenance of Residential Rental Premises bylaw was adopted by City
council two years ago. The Township followed suit with a similar bylaw a
year later. The difference was the Township's bylaw included all classes of
buildings, whereas the City's was for residential rental properties only.

The change, endorsed by City council on Monday, will now correlate with the
Township's bylaw, making way for better enforcement. All basic regulations,
including the fees of up to $1,300, will remain the same.

If the RCMP find a property that is housing illegal activity, such as a
marijuana grow-op or meth lab, police may notify the city about the property
that they have found to be unsafe or unhealthy. City inspectors will then be
sent in at the landowner's cost.

Inspectors may not, however, enact the bylaw on the suspicion that there may
be a grow-op on the premise.

Cpl. Dale Carr, media liaison for the Langley RCMP detachment, explained
that the intent of the bylaw is for re-occupancy purposes. If the RCMP are
at a property for any reason and then realize the premise is not up to
safety and health regulations, they can then enact the bylaw and send in
additional inspectors.

Depending on the situation, inspectors must give "reasonable" notification
to the owner, said Cliff Gittens, Langley city manager.

How much time is deemed "reasonable" depends on the facts. If someone was at
imminent risk, inspectors could be sent in without prior notice, he said.

The purpose of the bylaw, explained Gittens, is to ensure that after an
illegal activity, such as a pot operation, has been found on a premise, that
the facility is brought back up to standards before being re-occupied.

Until a building inspector rules the premise is habitable after an
evaluation that includes the fire department and inspectors for utilities,
the property may not be re-occupied.

Landowners may appeal the decision to council if they feel the enforcement
of the bylaw is unjust or unfair.

Costs to the landowner to bring their property up to habitable standards can
be staggering. For the initial inspection of the property, the cost is $180
for each inspector attending. For each inspection after the initial
inspection but before the permit is issued, the fee is $390 per inspector.

Each inspection after the permit is issued will cost $390 and to obtain the
final re-occupancy letter, the cost is an additional $240.