Two New Jersey towns just made an expensive point: that clump of bamboo along your fence line could cost you $100 a day if it creeps onto someone else’s property. East Rutherford’s borough council and Brigantine’s city council both adopted new ordinances this month: East Rutherford’s targets running bamboo specifically, while Brigantine’s covers bamboo and other invasive plants, joining a growing list of municipalities willing to fine homeowners who let the fast-spreading species get out of control.
East Rutherford’s borough council adopted its bamboo ordinance on August 18, according to NJ.com, after the measure was first introduced on July 21. Brigantine’s city council followed close behind, introducing its own invasive species ordinance on August 5 and formally adopting it on August 19. Both towns now allow fines of up to $100 for each day a violation continues, and both treat every day of an ongoing violation as a separate offense.
What the New Rules Actually Require
Under East Rutherford’s ordinance, property owners, tenants and occupants may no longer plant or install bamboo, and existing bamboo cannot be replanted or replaced once it dies or is removed. Owners with bamboo already growing on their land must notify the borough’s code enforcement officer within 180 days of the ordinance’s adoption, and they’re required to keep any existing bamboo from spreading onto neighboring property, public land or a public right-of-way. The borough is also requiring a 10-foot buffer around property lines, streets and neighboring properties where bamboo cannot be allowed to grow.
Brigantine’s version works similarly but casts a wider net, prohibiting the planting of any species on New Jersey’s official invasive plant list — not just bamboo. Property owners there must also stop existing invasive plants from spreading onto neighboring or public property, though the requirement doesn’t apply if an owner can show the plant actually originated on someone else’s land. Neither ordinance forces homeowners to rip out invasive plants that are simply growing on their own property and staying there; the mandate kicks in only once the plants start spreading.
Notice, Deadlines, and Who Pays
Both towns build in a notice-and-cure process before penalties hit. East Rutherford residents who receive a violation notice must submit a removal and restoration plan within 30 days, and once approved, the work must be completed within 60 days. Brigantine gives violators a bit more breathing room — 45 days to submit a plan and 120 days to complete it. In both towns, officials say they’ll provide notice and time to address problems before issuing fines…