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Commission approves after‑the‑fact Japanese knotweed treatment with multi‑year plan
Summary
After an after‑the‑fact application, the commission approved Herbicide treatments to control Japanese knotweed in a wetland buffer, allowing a phased multi‑year spraying regimen and reminding contractors of the town's pesticide‑near‑water rule.
The Roxbury commission granted after‑the‑fact approval to a vegetation contractor who had applied herbicide to control Japanese knotweed within the town's regulated wetland buffer. The applicant, Shane Newman of Yardscapes, said control typically requires multiple treatments over several seasons and described a staged schedule of spring/summer sprays timed to regrowth.
Commissioners reiterated Roxbury's regulation that prohibits pesticides, herbicides, or fertilizers within 100 feet of a watercourse without a permit, and said that in practice the town works with contractors on timing and methods that minimize off‑target impacts. The commission approved the application as an after‑the‑fact permit and indicated it could grant recurring authorization for follow‑up treatments, noting a three‑to‑five‑year expected control horizon for the invasive plant.
The approval was recorded after a motion and second; the commission noted that site‑specific best practices (cutting and targeted spot‑sprays at regrowth intervals) and follow‑up monitoring would be necessary to demonstrate long‑term control.
The vote was taken at the meeting and the applicant was told to coordinate any future visits with town staff so work within the buffer remains documented.
