Weed control in the Town of Colonie is governed locally by the Property Maintenance article (Chapter 62, Article IV) of the Town Code, which defines weeds as untended or uncultivated grasses, bushes, deleterious or unhealthful vegetation, or other growing matter in excess of 10 inches in height (with exceptions for tended plantings, pastureland, woodland, and cultivated land). At the state level, NY Agriculture and Markets Law and DEC guidance regulate noxious and invasive species. Pesticide application by commercial applicators requires a NYS DEC certification under Article 33 of the Environmental Conservation Law.
Colonie's weed-control framework operates at two levels. Locally, the Property Maintenance article (Chapter 62, Article IV) of the Town Code (https://ecode360.com/15257077) governs untended vegetation. Weeds are defined as 'any untended or uncultivated grasses, bushes, deleterious or unhealthful vegetation or other growing matter in excess of 10 inches in height,' with exceptions for trees, properly tended ornamental shrubbery, flowers or vegetables, pastureland, woodland, and land under cultivation. The Building Department enforces this standard with a notice-and-seven-day-cure procedure, followed by Town-performed abatement and cost assessment to the owner. At the state level, the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation maintains an invasive-species program and prohibited/regulated invasive-plant lists under 6 NYCRR Part 575, with Japanese knotweed, mile-a-minute vine, giant hogweed, and porcelain berry among the listed species; the program is coordinated regionally through the Capital/Mohawk PRISM (Partnership for Regional Invasive Species Management). Pesticide application by anyone other than a property owner on their own residential property requires a NYS DEC commercial-applicator certification under Article 33 of the Environmental Conservation Law (6 NYCRR Parts 325-326). Albany County Soil and Water Conservation District (https://www.albanycountyny.gov/) provides technical assistance for invasive-plant management.
Failure to abate untended weeds over 10 inches after seven days' notice from the Building Department triggers Town-performed mowing and cost recovery as a special assessment or tax lien. Cultivating or distributing a 6 NYCRR Part 575-prohibited invasive species can subject the actor to NYS DEC enforcement and civil penalties. Unlicensed commercial pesticide application violates Article 33 of the Environmental Conservation Law (6 NYCRR Parts 325-326) and is subject to NYS DEC civil penalties separate from local code enforcement.
Colonie, NY
Abandoned vehicles in the Town of Colonie are handled under New York Vehicle and Traffic Law Β§1224 (Abandoned Vehicles), which makes the town in which a vehi...
Colonie, NY
Pool barriers in Colonie are governed by the International Swimming Pool and Spa Code (ISPSC) as adopted by reference in the NY State Uniform Code at 19 NYCR...
Colonie, NY
The Town of Colonie Zoning Law does not prescribe a closed list of permitted fence materials, but barbed wire, electrified fencing, and razor wire are genera...
Colonie, NY
Boundary and 'spite fence' disputes in Colonie are governed by New York State common law and statute, not the town zoning code. Real Property Actions and Pro...
Colonie, NY
The Town of Colonie requires a fence/zoning permit from the Department of Building & Code Enforcement before installing a fence, with a plot plan showing fen...
Colonie, NY
The Town of Colonie does not impose a numeric limit on the number of dogs, cats, or other companion animals per household. Chapter 79 Article III caps chicke...
Side-by-side rule comparisons with other cities in Albany County.
See how other cities in Albany County handle weed ordinances.
See how Colonie's weed ordinances rules stack up against other locations.
Quick Compare
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.