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Landlords would pay for a quarter of cost to remove drug's residues
By Gina Mace and Katie Byard
Beacon Journal writers
Published on Thursday, Jun 19, 2008
CUYAHOGA FALLS: Falls City Council is mulling a proposal that would hold property owners financially responsible for the cost of seizure and cleanup of methamphetamine labs.
And some property owners — particularly those who own rental properties — are not happy.
Some landlords voiced their displeasure over the city's proposal when council members met Monday to discuss the idea.
Most of the six or so meth labs a year seized in Cuyahoga Falls are in rental units, city officials say.
Assistant Law Director Hope Jones said the city also is asking the council to charge an additional 25 percent fee for cleanup costs that would have to be done by the city. The average cost of cleanup is between $3,000 and $5,000, Jones said.
The other items a property owner would have to pay for are the cost of the police department's time, lab fees to test the drugs and the building department's cost for vacating the property.
Dennis Bates, who is president of the Falls landlord council, said landlords are trying to learn all they can about the production of methamphetamine. The group recently met with Summit County officials about the problem.
''As landlords, we try to monitor things,'' Bates said. ''We're trying to pick the best tenants we can.''
Bates said the Falls is both anti-landlord and anti-tenant.
At-large council member Kathy Hummel, who owns rental property, said, ''One thing we need to keep in mind is no one wants drugs in the neighborhood.''
She said methamphetamine production ''destroys your property. There are many victims in this, including the neighbors and the landlords.''
Hummel said the 25 percent fee in addition to the other costs seems excessive.
Jones, the city lawyer, said she doesn't expect the ordinance to pass as written. Council members will likely make amendments, she said.
''This is just a beginning,''she said.
''Our primary concern is making sure houses are cleaned up, people are safe,'' said Sgt. Perry Tabak, who is in charge of the Falls police department's narcotics division.''
Jason Dodson, the county executive's legal counsel, said he is interested to see how the Falls ordinance is written. He said the county task force has discussed the problem of how to determine when a meth lab has been cleaned up.
''What is the definition of clean?'' Dodson said.
He said, ''Different states and even different cities have established different standards of what are acceptable levels of harmful chemicals left after a cleanup.''
The county task force has not discussed charging property owners, he said.
Cuyahoga Falls is not alone in taking a tougher stance on property owners whose residences housed meth labs.
Neighboring Stow recently passed an ordinance requiring home owners to tell potential buyers if a meth lab was ever on the property. The Falls ordinance has a similar stipulation.
In Green, city council members are expected to approve disclosure legislation June 24.
Green's ordinance also would require hotel or motel operators to tell guests about the meth lab history of rooms.
Green Law Director Steve Pruneski said motel rooms are attractive to those setting up meth labs because ''they can pay cash for them and if somebody discovers it, they just bail.''
There also is an effort to address disclosure countywide.
A new Summit County Methamphetamine Property Awareness Task Force is looking at ways to make home buyers and renters better informed about meth labs.
CUYAHOGA FALLS: Falls City Council is mulling a proposal that would hold property owners financially responsible for the cost of seizure and cleanup of methamphetamine labs.
Get the full article here.
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