Southampton, NY Invasive Plant Rules: Prohibited Species (2026)

Article XIIIA of Chapter 330, the Town's Land Disturbance Ordinance adopted 5-12-2026 by Local Law No. 13-2026, generally requires a Land Disturbance Permit from the Land Management Administrator before clearing more than 2,000 square feet of vegetation, or any clearing on undeveloped forested land, on residential and commercial lots of 20,000 square feet or more under § 330-69.6.A. Nine categories of activity are carved out as exempt in § 330-69.6.B, and the ninth covers invasive plants directly: removal of prohibited and regulated plant invasive species, a defined term.

The definitions section, § 330-69.7, backs that up with its own entry defining invasive species as a non-native species whose introduction does or is likely to cause economic or environmental harm, or harm to human, animal, or plant health. Read together, the ordinance lets a property owner in Hampton Bays, Westhampton, East Quogue and the Town's other unincorporated hamlets pull out invasive plants without first applying for a permit, a departure from the general rule that land disturbance and tree removal need Land Management Administrator sign-off.

The Code does not, in this article, print a specific list of which species qualify as prohibited and regulated; that designation is left to the defined term and, functionally, to guidance the Land Management Administrator applies when assessing a site under § 330-69.11.A's habitat-preservation standards. A property owner uncertain whether a plant qualifies can request an exemption memorandum from the Land Management Administrator or Chief Building Inspector under § 330-69.11.C(6) before removing it.