Oyster Bay Town bamboo regulation hearing scheduled
Bamboo grows in the Town of Huntington on June 20, 2012. Credit: Kevin P. Coughlin
Oyster Bay Town on Tuesday moved to join other Long Island municipalities that regulate the planting of bamboo as an invasive species.
The town board scheduled a public hearing for Aug. 14 on amendments to the town code to regulate the planting of bamboo on residential and commercial properties.
The new rules would prohibit planting or growing bamboo unless the root system is entirely contained to prevent the spread of the roots. This could be done using an enclosed planter or an in-ground barrier of high density polypropylene or polyethylene at least 30 inches deep installed after a permit is issued by the town.
Bamboo plants would have to be trimmed so they never get within 10 feet of the property line. Violations could be punished by a fine of up to $250.
The Long Beach City Council has proposed a total ban on bamboo and scheduled a public hearing for August. Brookhaven recently adopted a similar ban, which has been passed by at least seven other towns.
The Huntington Town board last month voted down a measure to create an ordinance regulating bamboo.
Pictured above: Several Long Island communities have passed laws to regulate bamboo because of the plant's invasive growth. (June 20, 2012)
