District of Squamish is proposing a bylaw to prohibit sowing, planting, cultivating, releasing or allowing accumulation or spread of invasive plants.
The proposed bylaw will also prohibit sale or the distribution of invasive plants.
The bylaw will also stop a person or business to treat Invasive Species, except in adherence with methods endorsed, established or published by the Sea to Sky Invasive Species Council or the Invasive Species Council of BC.
The bylaw will also prohibit anyone from disposing Invasive Species, except in adherence with the District’s Invasive Plant Disposal Protocol.
Under the proposed bylaw, the district may deliver a notice to a property owner of the presence of invasive species and steps to treat the species and a reasonable time to comply.
This notice will be educational with the goal of voluntary compliance.
However, if the owner doesn’t comply, the district may issue a fine, less than $10,000, or may effect compliance by performing the work and then invoicing the owner for the costs occurred.
The invoice, if unpaid, may be attached to the property owner’s taxes.
District has been working with Sea to Sky Invasive Species Council to carry out Invasive Species Management on district lands since last year.
SSISC crews mapped 114 sites, removed 146 square metre of plant material mechanically and treated 2959 squamish metre of high priority invasive plants with herbicide.
SSISC will continue to monitor and treat species such as Giant Hogweed, Japanese Knotweed, Yellow Flag Iris, Purple Loosestrife, Spurge Laurel, Tansy Ragwort and Flat Pea on district lands.
Ihor Zalubniak says
If a person buys land not knowing that an invasive species exists on the land, who is responsible. This is similar to the problem of oil tanks or soil pollution.
Ihor Zalubniak says
Is it voluntary compliance if the land owner doesn’t comply and then is fined or charged for services?
Donald Patrick says
Oh sure, generate all kinds of laws and restrictions that cannot be regulated… people parking and living and defacing the area…. speeding down DOS streets, parking closer than 1.5 m in Drive-ways ….. etc and nothing changes. Time to get to the basics and forget about saving the world…. for a press release.
David Lassmann says
The district should invite public discussion of this issue. SSISC and the district could assist property owners by identifying and eradicating existing invasive growth leaving owners to be solely responsible for future deliberately started growth.