New Bamboo Ordinance Now in Effect
After many months of discussion and revision, Township Council adopted a new ordinance regulating bamboo in West Windsor.
The ordinance, adopted August 24 as Ordinance 2026-16, creates a new Chapter 42 of the Township Code. It prohibits the planting of new bamboo, with a limited exception for bamboo completely contained in above-ground planters, and establishes rules for bamboo already growing on residential and other properties.
For residents who currently have bamboo, the most important provisions are fairly straightforward.
Existing bamboo may not remain within 15 feet of a property line, within conservation or utility easements, or within a clear sight triangle. Bamboo that remains elsewhere on a property must be properly contained so that its underground rhizomes cannot spread.
The ordinance is largely complaint-driven. If the Township receives a complaint and determines that bamboo is in violation, the property owner where the bamboo originated receives written notice and must provide a plan for removing or containing it. The ordinance also makes the originating property owner responsible for remediation when bamboo has spread onto another property. Extensions can be considered when mitigating circumstances make the normal compliance period impractical.
One group deserves particular recognition for getting us to this point: the West Windsor Shade Tree Commission, chaired by Helen Rancan.
The Commission is made up of community volunteers, and its members spent a great deal of time researching the problem, developing the original proposal, listening to residents, and continuing to advocate for an ordinance as the proposal moved through the municipal process.
The final ordinance reflects input from many people along the way, including the Commission, Township professionals, Council members, residents, and legal counsel. That kind of collaboration is exactly what our volunteer boards and commissions are intended to bring to local government.
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