Jim Finnel
Fallen Cannabis Warrior & Ex News Moderator
ABBOTSFORD, B.C. - A B.C. municipality has suspended a controversial bylaw that gives it the right to hunt for grow-ops in homes that are using large amounts of electricity, then slap owners with expensive fees -- even if marijuana isn't found.
The Mission district council has voted to suspend the bylaw for one month so it can be reviewed. Intended to help find marijuana grow operations, the bylaw allowed the city to inspect properties that are consuming more than 93 kilowatts of electricity a day.
It was heavily criticized by residents who said they are innocent victims of an unfair policy that allows unwarranted inspections, with the city charging fees of more than $5,000 to homeowners subjected to a search.
A change in 2006 to the B.C. Safety Standards Act gave municipalities direct access to electricity-consumption data from the province's electric utility, BC Hydro, and the ability to identify homes with unusually high power usage.
Armed with that data, experts have been inspecting some of the properties after giving homeowners 24 to 48 hours notice. The inspectors typically look for tampered wiring and plumbing, overloaded circuits, mould buildup, pesticides,
holes in walls and extra ventilation ducts--all possible indications of a grow-op.
But even if a grow-op isn't found, which is the case most of the time, authorities can still find that a home is in violation of safety bylaws and require the homeowner to fix the problems. The bylaw is now the subject of a massive class-action lawsuit.
Stacy Gowanlock, who was slapped with a $5,200 fee after his house was inspected in 2009, said before the Monday vote that no matter what decision Mission council made in regards to the bylaw, the lawsuit will continue.
"The damage is already done," he said, adding a draft of the lawsuit has been written and is being reviewed by a team of lawyers.
"We have people that are losing their homes, having mortgages recalled, thousands and thousands of dollars worth of repairs and at no time by rescinding this bylaw do I want this council ... or the District of Mission to think that this will all go away.
"We are fully prepared to see this right to the distance to get justice for the people affected by it."
NewsHawk: Jim Behr: 420 MAGAZINE
Source: nationalpost.com
Author: Cam Tucker
Copyright: 2011 National Post Inc.
Contact: Contact | National Post
Website: B.C. town suspends controversial grow-op law
The Mission district council has voted to suspend the bylaw for one month so it can be reviewed. Intended to help find marijuana grow operations, the bylaw allowed the city to inspect properties that are consuming more than 93 kilowatts of electricity a day.
It was heavily criticized by residents who said they are innocent victims of an unfair policy that allows unwarranted inspections, with the city charging fees of more than $5,000 to homeowners subjected to a search.
A change in 2006 to the B.C. Safety Standards Act gave municipalities direct access to electricity-consumption data from the province's electric utility, BC Hydro, and the ability to identify homes with unusually high power usage.
Armed with that data, experts have been inspecting some of the properties after giving homeowners 24 to 48 hours notice. The inspectors typically look for tampered wiring and plumbing, overloaded circuits, mould buildup, pesticides,
holes in walls and extra ventilation ducts--all possible indications of a grow-op.
But even if a grow-op isn't found, which is the case most of the time, authorities can still find that a home is in violation of safety bylaws and require the homeowner to fix the problems. The bylaw is now the subject of a massive class-action lawsuit.
Stacy Gowanlock, who was slapped with a $5,200 fee after his house was inspected in 2009, said before the Monday vote that no matter what decision Mission council made in regards to the bylaw, the lawsuit will continue.
"The damage is already done," he said, adding a draft of the lawsuit has been written and is being reviewed by a team of lawyers.
"We have people that are losing their homes, having mortgages recalled, thousands and thousands of dollars worth of repairs and at no time by rescinding this bylaw do I want this council ... or the District of Mission to think that this will all go away.
"We are fully prepared to see this right to the distance to get justice for the people affected by it."
NewsHawk: Jim Behr: 420 MAGAZINE
Source: nationalpost.com
Author: Cam Tucker
Copyright: 2011 National Post Inc.
Contact: Contact | National Post
Website: B.C. town suspends controversial grow-op law
