Huntington Town board hearing on regulating bamboo

The Huntington Town board will hold a public hearing March 13 to consider adding an ordinance to town code regarding the regulation of bamboo.

Town officials said bamboo, if not properly restricted, can migrate to an adjacent property, potentially causing damage to landscaping, foundations and infrastructure.

Town board member Susan Berland, who is sponsoring the resolution, said it does not call for a complete ban on the plant that has many highly invasive species.

“It’s not restricting anyone’s right to plant bamboo on their own property,” Berland said Monday . “But they can’t let the bamboo interfere with their neighbor’s property.”

The legislation calls for establishing a 10-foot buffer between new plantings of bamboo and the bamboo owner’s property line. It also requires a property owner whose bamboo has migrated to a neighboring property to dig a 4-foot-deep trench and fill it with something such as concrete to stop its spread, Berland said.

Residents found to be in violation of the law face penalties up to $5,000 with additional fines possible as long as the problem persists.

Town board member Mark Cuthbertson voted against holding a public hearing because he said he does not support the resolution. “I just think this trying to regulate the growth of bamboo is not the place where town board members should go,” he said during the meeting last week. “What would be next, poison ivy?”

The hearing will be at 7 p.m. at Town Hall, 100 Main St.