Radnor declares war on bamboo, puts ban in place
RADNOR >> Unlike the Phillies’ lucky bamboo plant, bamboo is no longer welcome in Radnor Township.
Recently, the Board of Commissioners voted 4-2 to ban new bamboo plantings, joining other area municipalities in regulating that invasive plant. Bamboo that is already planted will be grandfathered in but must not be allowed to spread to neighboring properties.
BOC President Lisa Borowski asked her colleagues to amend the ordinance to reduce the $1,000 fine to $500 and to allow residents 90 days rather than 30 days to get rid of the problematic plant. Also, residents who want to complain about a neighbor’s bamboo must contact the township for action, rather than confronting that neighbor.
“People need a little more time,” said Borowski. “Has anyone looked at how you get rid of bamboo? It ain’t easy.”
“I don’t think you should lower the fine if you’re going to need our codes guy to work extra,” said Commissioner Sean Farhy. “You’re going to need more codes guy (time) and more use of an arborist to verify the type of bamboo. I don’t think we should be telling people what they can and can’t plant. I think that’s a slippery slope. If we’re going to we’re going to need a book yeah thick (gesturing about four inches) on what we’re allowed to plant and what we’re not allowed to plant. I mean it’s not a poppy plant that’s opioid. It’s just bamboo. I understand that some neighbors don’t want it but for the township to start getting involved in this, it’s a slippery slope on every other type of species that we’re going to have to go through and say yea or nay to. I don’t see that we have the resources to go around policing it, as well.”
Commissioner Richard Booker added, “It’s still more government than I think we need. This doesn’t promote smaller government. It’s more laws on the books. I think it will be used with neighbors carrying (the ordinance) to somebody even with the changes you suggested. And anybody who gets fined from this is going to complain vociferously. So I think we’re better off not imposing this at this time and addressing the issue on a case-by-case basis.”
Both Farhy and Booker voted against the ordinance and Commissioner Luke Clark was absent.
“I would like to recognize Matt Golas and the Shade Tree Commission on all their hard work around this,” said Township Manager Robert Zienkowski.
At a previous meeting, John Hosbach Jr., the township arborist, said at one time bamboo was considered a great buffer for screening from neighbors.
Hosbach, who also has his own business, said that he had been called as an expert witness in five court cases where residents are suing neighbors over invasive bamboo. Once it’s established, it can be very expensive to remove it, he said.
“It can take years to get rid of it,” he said. “It’s a long, drawn out process. It can be very expensive (to remove) depending on the magnitude of the bamboo.”