The lines between neighbors’ lawns are usually clear, but many pesky plants don’t care.
Bamboo, English Ivy and the South’s most infamous invasive plant, kudzu, can easily overtake a yard and spread to neighboring properties. After receiving several complaints from residents, Brookhaven updated its city code to make it clear who has to keep these plants under control in residential neighborhoods.
The answer is simple: Whoever’s lawn originally sprouted the weed.
At a June 29 council meeting, Brookhaven leaders unanimously updated the city’s code to add an invasive vegetation section, which details what types of weeds must be kept under control. The list matches the invasive plant list by the Georgia Exotic Pest Plant Council, which includes bamboo, privet, English ivy and kudzu.
Those weeds are not outlawed in Brookhaven lawns, but the city now requires private property owners to maintain the plants and limit their growth. Violators could be charged up to $1,000 for failing to comply. In addition, Brookhaven city employees can remove the overgrowth, but the cost of labor will be placed on the resident’s home as a lien.
“If kudzu in one yard starts to go through a fence into their neighbor’s yard and their property, this would address that situation,” Councilwoman Madeleine Simmons said during the meeting. “The ordinance basically says the neighbor who had the kudzu start on your side, you need to remove it on both sides.”
Several counties and cities in metro Atlanta have similar laws on the books. In DeKalb County, grass and weeds close to buildings must be trimmed if they get more than a foot tall. The county can charge a $500 for violations, and upon three violations, the county can remove the overgrown vegetation and place a lien upon the owner’s property.
In Atlanta, which has the same foot-tall limit on grass and invasive plants, including kudzu and English ivy, it takes two notices within a 12-month period to warrant a $250 fine. Decatur, Dunwoody and other cities in DeKalb also require residents to maintain their lawn or deal with code enforcement.
Keeping certain invasive species under control can be a tall order. According to the Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health, kudzu can grow about one foot per day, extending as much as 60 feet in a season.
Even though other invasive plants, such as bamboo or English Ivy, grow at slower rates, they can be difficult to eliminate. For more information, visit invasive.org or your county’s University of Georgia Extension Office.
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