Bethlehem, PA Landscaping Rules: Weed Ordinances (2026)

Bethlehem's weed-control framework operates at two levels. Locally, Article 1161.07 of the Codified Ordinances of the City of Bethlehem (added by Ord. 3130 of 7/21/1987 and amended through Ord. 2017-14) defines 'noxious weeds' as all grasses, annual plants, and vegetation other than trees or shrubs, excluding cultivated flowers and gardens, and caps growth at one foot within 200 feet of any building or public right-of-way. Article 1161.07(c) further regulates running bamboo, declaring planting or maintaining running bamboo a summary offense unless (1) the bamboo predates the 2017 ordinance, (2) no part of it is closer than 20 feet from any property line, utility easement, or right-of-way, and (3) it is isolated by a 40-mil polypropylene or polyethylene root barrier installed at least 30 inches deep with 3 inches protruding above grade and slanting outward. At the state level, the Controlled Plant and Noxious Weed Act of 2017 (Act 46, codified at 3 Pa.C.S. Chapter 12 / §§1501-1562) replaced the older noxious-weed framework formerly at 3 P.S. §255 and established the Controlled Plant and Noxious Weed Committee within the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture to maintain three tiers (Class A eradication, Class B containment, Class C federal default). Priority targets in eastern Pennsylvania include Japanese knotweed, mile-a-minute vine, giant hogweed, and Tree-of-Heaven (the spotted lanternfly host). Pesticide application for hire requires a PA Department of Agriculture Pesticide Applicator License under the Pennsylvania Pesticide Control Act of 1973.