BYLAW TARGETS DRUG MAKERS

Pot Growers And Meth Makers Will Be The Targets Of A New Bylaw From
The Township Council.

The Township will have a new tool to crack down on the owners of
homes where drugs are illicitly being produced.

On Monday, council gave authorization for a pilot program that will
use special safety inspections to recover costs from marijuana grow homes.

The $250,000 project includes a number of changes to Township bylaws.

Existing bylaws will be augmented by giving the Township the power to
cut off water to properties used to produce drugs, giving Township
workers the power to conduct repairs if owners don't comply, and
turning any expenses into a debt of the owners.

The first three readings of the bylaw changes were passed unanimously.

Because drugs and crime are federal and provincial matters,
Councillor Steve Ferguson asked whether there was any way to get more
funding from other levels of government. Township staff say there
doesn't appear to be any chance of that happening.

The bylaw won't be aimed solely at marijuana grow operations. The
wording mentions the production of controlled substances, so it could
be used against illicit labs making methamphetamines or other
substances as well.

One of the reasons the Township is changing its bylaws is that other,
neighbouring cities have been adopting similar policies.

That may be driving some pot growers into Langley.