Greenburgh, NY Invasive Plant Rules: Bamboo Restrictions (2026)
Key Facts
- Adopted
- July 12, 2023, L.L. No. 6-2023
- Sheathing depth required
- At least 3 feet deep
- Cure period after notice
- 30 days
- First-violation fine
- $100 to $500 per violation
- Repeat-violation fine
- Up to $1,000 per day
- Enforcing official
- Building Inspector
Summary
Greenburgh bans planting running bamboo anywhere in town and makes it unlawful to let existing bamboo spread onto a neighbor's land, public property or a Town right-of-way. Bamboo that migrates is a public nuisance with no grandfathering, even if it predates the 2023 law.
It shall be unlawful from the effective date of this chapter for an owner or tenant of property, anywhere within the Town of Greenburgh, to plant running bamboo into the ground, or, with respect to existing running bamboo, to cause, permit, cultivate and/or allow such bamboo to be maintained in such a manner that it migrates onto any adjoining property, including any public property and/or any Town right-of-way. All running bamboo which migrates onto adjacent properties shall be deemed a public nuisance, and no property owner shall have any vested or nonconforming right to continue maintenance of such bamboo, even if it preexisted the adoption of this regulation.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4570580; v39 updated 2025-10-22; through 10-22-2025).
Full Breakdown
Chapter 325, adopted July 12, 2023 by Local Law No. 6-2023, targets "running bamboo": leptomorph grasses of the genera Phyllostachys, Pleioblastus or related genera, as distinct from clumping varieties. Under § 325-2, it is unlawful to plant running bamboo into the ground anywhere in the Town, and owners or tenants of existing bamboo may not let it migrate onto adjoining property, public property or a Town right-of-way. Any bamboo that migrates is deemed a public nuisance, and the law strips away any vested or nonconforming right to keep maintaining bamboo that predates the ordinance.
Section 325-3 requires the property owner where the bamboo originated, or any owner or tenant who let it spread, to take reasonable containment measures, specifically calling out sheathing impenetrable by running bamboo installed at least three feet deep within the property line where the bamboo exists. If bamboo does invade a neighboring property or the Town right-of-way, the Building Inspector issues a Notice of Violation under § 325-4, and the responsible owner or tenant has 30 days from the notice to remove it. A second notice for new bamboo planted or allowed to grow follows the same 30-day clock, unless removal is already underway under a § 325-4A notice.
Removed bamboo, including stems and roots, must be disposed of according to the "NYS DEC Guidelines for Disposing of Invasive Plant Material" per § 325-4C.
Violations & Fines
Each day a violation continues is a separate offense under § 325-5A. Failing to cure within the Notice of Violation's deadline draws a fine of not less than $100 and not more than $500 per violation under § 325-5B; a second or subsequent violation for the same offense carries a fine of up to $1,000 per day. A second violation tied to a § 325-4A notice forces removal of all bamboo on both the originating property and the adjoining property it invaded. The Building Inspector may excuse involuntary delays, such as weather or a removal contractor's scheduling, from the violation count under § 325-5C if the owner shows good-faith removal efforts.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I keep bamboo that was already growing before 2023?
What counts as running bamboo under Greenburgh's law?
How long do I have to remove bamboo after a violation notice?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Greenburgh
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