Farmington Hills, MI Invasive Plant Rules: Bamboo Restrictions (2026)

Farmington Hills does NOT currently have a dedicated bamboo-containment or invasive-plant ordinance comparable to the model bamboo ordinances adopted by jurisdictions in New Jersey, New York, and Connecticut where running bamboo (Phyllostachys species) has caused widespread neighbor-to-neighbor disputes. The relevant Farmington Hills legal framework operates through three layers: (1) CHAPTER 17 NUISANCES - Farmington Hills Code Chapter 17 (Nuisances) and the related noxious-vegetation provisions at Secs. 17-26 through 17-31 prohibit the maintenance of noxious vegetation and overgrowth on residential property. While written primarily for tall grass / weeds / poison ivy / ragweed, the ordinance is broad enough that bamboo overgrowing onto a neighbor's parcel or into the public right-of-way could be cited as a nuisance subject to abatement order. The Farmington Hills Code Enforcement office (248-871-2400) administers Chapter 17. (2) CHAPTER 11 FENCES - Farmington Hills Code Chapter 11 (Fences) governs fence permits and setbacks. Where a homeowner installs a buried rhizome barrier to contain running bamboo, the barrier itself is generally not regulated as a 'fence' because it is below grade, but any above-grade bamboo screening that functions as a hedge / visual screen at the property line is subject to general landscape and accessory-structure rules. (3) STATE LAW - Michigan Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act (Public Act 451 of 1994), Part 413 (Transgenic and Nonnative Organisms), authorizes the Michigan DNR and EGLE to designate prohibited and restricted invasive species. The Michigan Invasive Species Order currently lists species such as Japanese knotweed, garlic mustard, Phragmites australis (common reed), oriental bittersweet, and certain Eurasian aquatic plants - but does NOT currently include common ornamental Phyllostachys bamboo species. (4) COMMON LAW - the most common Farmington Hills legal pathway for bamboo disputes is private nuisance and trespass under Michigan common law: a property owner whose neighbor's bamboo rhizomes have spread onto their land can demand removal and sue for damages and injunctive relief; Michigan courts have generally held that the planter of an aggressive spreading plant has a duty to contain it. BEST PRACTICES for Farmington Hills bamboo: (a) install a 60-mil HDPE rhizome barrier to a minimum depth of 30 inches around the planting; (b) leave a 2-inch lip above grade to redirect emerging rhizomes; (c) inspect the perimeter quarterly and trim any escaped culms; (d) plant CLUMPING varieties (Fargesia, Bambusa multiplex) rather than RUNNING varieties on small lots; (e) maintain a 5-foot interior setback from any property line; (f) document containment measures and quarterly inspections in case of neighbor dispute. INVASIVE PLANTS GENERALLY: Farmington Hills participates in the Cooperative Invasive Species Management Area (CISMA) framework for Oakland County. Residents removing prohibited invasive species should follow EGLE and DNR guidance on disposal (bagging, burning, or transport to designated disposal sites) to prevent further spread.