Running bamboo (Phyllostachys sp.) is an invasive plant, often planted to provide a privacy screen or on property lines. Bamboo may be planted too close to a property line and invade by runners (rhizomes) and underground stems. Running bamboo will spread three to five feet per year, sometimes further. Clumping bamboo species do not have runners. Effective July 1, 2017, residents who plant bamboo in the ground must obtain a waiver from the City of Newark. Any bamboo planted after July 1 must be at least 20 feet from any property line, while residents with existing bamboo must continue to maintain it in its current location. There was a similar ordinance in Dover, DE in 2012. 
See the recent article for more info: http://www.newarkpostonline.com/news/article_60736ae6-7e8e-5b06-94cd-710521066725.html
NFG 7/1/2017
