Highland Park introduces ordinance to ban new bamboo planting, preserves existing stands

Highland Park’s borough council introduced an amendment to the property-maintenance code on Oct. 21 that would prohibit new bamboo plantings and require property owners to stop and remediate any bamboo that encroaches onto a neighbor’s land.

The ordinance (introduced on first reading as ordinance 25-2118) would grandfather existing bamboo planted in the ground but forbid new in-ground planting anywhere in the borough, including on properties that already have bamboo. Borough Attorney Vang explained the enforcement approach: the borough would issue a notice of violation to an owner whose bamboo encroached on another property and could require corrective action; in extreme cases the borough could remove bamboo and place a lien for removal costs.

“Existing properties will not be able to plant new bamboo either,” Attorney Vang said, adding that owners will be allowed to keep existing bamboo until it encroaches on a neighbor. The ordinance aims to prevent infrastructure damage—council members cited an example at a pocket park where bamboo had pushed through asphalt and crews installed a three-foot underground steel barrier to stop root encroachment.

Council members framed the ordinance as a protective, not punitive, measure: it would not require removal of currently planted bamboo unless it creates an encroachment problem. The ordinance was introduced for first reading and will return for a second reading and a vote on a future agenda.

What’s next: The ordinance was introduced on first reading; council will schedule a second reading and public comment at a future meeting. Property owners with existing bamboo who receive a notice will be expected to work with borough staff on remediation steps.