DOVER, Del.- The city of Dover is trying to cut back on bamboo, literally.
The Dover City Council voted Monday night to ban the planting of new bamboo shoots, unless they are in an enclosed container. The bill also allows the city to remove bamboo plants from properties that are overgrown.
Harvey Fenimore has bamboo growing throughout his property in Dover and he is worried about the new law.
"It's another foot in the door to eliminate the idea of private ownership, of property to hold title, he said. "They don't call it that but essentially it's another form of eminent domain."
The city sees bamboo as an invasive species.
"If it grows off their property we'll start with a code violation, we'll require them to correct the problem," said Ann Marie Townshend, with the city of Dover. "And if they don't correct the problem, then we'll have to hire a contractor to eradicate the bamboo and they'd be billed for that."
Fenimore said bamboo is not invasive and he is easily able to control what grows on his property. If the city wants to ban plants, then Fenimore has a few he would like to add to the list.
"Since we've initiated this process and we're now going set up a hit list for plants, I have mine," he said. "And I'm going to submit for strong consideration because I am absolutely sick to death of spending so much of my time, energy and money fighting off seedlings from the city trees of the maples that they plant everywhere."
