[Adopted 7-6-2015 by Ord. No. 701]
The purpose of this article is to preserve and protect private and public property from the damaging spread of certain running bamboo grasses; protect indigenous plant materials from the invasive spread of running bamboo; and maintain the general welfare of the residents of the Borough of Collingdale.
As used in this article, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
BAMBOO
Any monopodial (running) tropical or semitropical grasses from the genera Bambusa, including but not limited to Bambusa, Phyllostachys and Pseudosasa as well as Common bamboo, Golden bamboo, Arrow bamboo and other similar invasive species.
BAMBOO OWNER
Any property owner or resident who has planted and/or grows bamboo, or who maintains bamboo on the property, or who permits bamboo to grow or remain on the property even if the bamboo has spread from an adjoining property. Any property owner or resident at which bamboo is found on the property will be considered a bamboo owner, except any property owner or resident who:
A. 
Did not plant or grow or cause bamboo to be planted or grown on his property;
B. 
Has provided satisfactory proof to the Borough that, within a reasonable period of time after discovering the encroachment of bamboo onto the property from an adjoining or neighboring property, he advised the owner of such property of his objection to the encroachment of the bamboo; and
C. 
Has initiated steps for the removal of the bamboo from the property, including remedies at law.
BOROUGH
The Borough of Collingdale, County of Delaware, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
A. 
Upon the effective date of this article, the planting or growing of bamboo shall be prohibited within the Borough. Any person who thereafter plants or grows, or causes to be planted or grown, bamboo within the Borough shall be deemed to be in violation of this article and shall be subject to such penalties as are set forth hereunder.
B. 
Any bamboo either planted or caused to be planted or existing on a property prior to the effective date of this article may not be replanted or replaced in kind once such running bamboo is or has become, for any reason, dead, destroyed, uprooted or otherwise removed.
For the purposes of this article, bamboo found growing upon a property shall constitute presumptive evidence that bamboo was planted and/or grown by and/or with the consent of the bamboo owner.
Any bamboo that has been previously planted or already in existence on any property within the Borough prior to the effective date of this article may remain on such property, subject to the following regulations:
A. 
Bamboo shall not be planted, maintained or otherwise be permitted to exist within 20 feet of the edge of the pavement or traveled portion of any public roadway in the Borough.
B. 
Any bamboo owner whose property contains bamboo shall remove and abate the growth of the bamboo within 20 feet of the edge of the pavement or traveled portion of a public road in the Borough.
C. 
Each bamboo owner shall be responsible to ensure that the bamboo planted or growing on the property prior to the effective date of this article does not encroach or grow upon any adjoining or neighboring property or properties, including all public property and Borough rights-of-way.
D. 
Each bamboo owner shall be required to take such measures as are reasonably expected to prevent bamboo planted or growing on the property from invading, encroaching or growing onto adjoining or neighboring properties. Such measures shall include, but not be limited to, installation of a sheathing barrier comprised of metal or other material impenetrable by the bamboo's root system at a sufficient depth within the property line or lines where the running bamboo is planted or is growing to prevent the growth or encroachment upon adjoining or neighboring property by the bamboo.
E. 
Whether planted or growing as described in this article, all bamboo plants shall be located, trimmed and maintained so that no part of the plant or root system is closer than 20 feet to any property line.
A. 
In the event that bamboo growing on a bamboo owner's property invades or grows on an adjoining or neighboring property that is owned or held on behalf of the Borough, the Borough shall notify the bamboo owner in writing that the bamboo has invaded the Borough property and that the bamboo owner is responsible for the removal of such running bamboo from the Borough property. This notice shall be sent by certified mail, return receipt requested, and by regular mail to the latest address of the bamboo owner on file with the Borough and a copy of the notice shall also be posted at the bamboo owner's property.
B. 
In the event that the bamboo owner does not remove or contract for the removal of the bamboo from the Borough property, or does not make an arrangement with the Borough for removal of such bamboo, within 30 days from the date the Borough first provided notice pursuant to the above, the Borough, at its discretion, may remove or arrange for the removal of such bamboo from the Borough property.
C. 
The bamboo owner shall be liable and responsible to the Borough for all costs incurred in removing the bamboo from the Borough property.
D. 
If the bamboo owner fails to comply with a notice of removal as provided herein, the Borough may cause the work to be done and collect the costs and expenses thereof, together with reasonable attorneys' fees and an administrative fee of 10% of such expense, which shall constitute a lien upon the bamboo owner's property and be collected as provided by law for the collection of municipal lien claims.
E. 
This article shall not be deemed to alter any rights of common law or otherwise that any property owner may have to recover the cost of removal of running bamboo on their own property from another property owner from whose property the running bamboo has spread.
F. 
In the event that the Borough is compelled to remove or contract for the removal of bamboo or other similar invasive species as herein provided above, neither the Borough nor its agents, servants or employees shall have any liability for damages or other claims to the bamboo owner's property by reason of the removal of such bamboo. In the event that such removal entails or causes damage to Borough property or other property of a person other than the property of the bamboo owner, the bamboo property owner in violation of this article shall be responsible for any and all such damages.
Any person, firm or corporation violating any of the provisions of this article shall, in addition to the other charges hereinbefore provided for each offense, upon summary conviction before any Magisterial District Judge, pay a fine not exceeding $1,000 and costs of prosecution and, in the default of payment of the fine and costs, the violator may be sentenced to imprisonment for a term not to exceed 30 days for each violation of which the violator has been found guilty. Each and every day in which any person, firm or corporation shall be in violation of this article shall constitute a separate offense.