Avondale Estates Declares War on Invasive Plants Near The Lake

In an unusual outdoor meeting, the City Commission gave the go-ahead Wednesday night for chemical treatments on invasive plants that have taken over 3.4 acres of land at the Lake Avondale park.

Stephen Sanchez of the lake advisory committee took the commission on a walk into the woods behind the Scout Hut. He showed how ivy, Chinese privet and other invasive plants cover the forest floor, making the land basically unusable for the average park-goer.

He said the plants are so thick and widespread they cannot be controlled by hand pulling. He recommended the city hire companies that would spray chemicals like Rodeo on the invasive plants. He said the chemcials would not contaminate the lake water.

"We feel strongly that without chemical applications we can't manage the land," said Sanchez. "By removing the invasive species, you're more than doubling the [usable land] of the park."

The lake master plan already includes walking trails in that part of the park and money's already in the budget, Mayor Ed Rieker said. On Wednesday night, while standing behind the Scout Hut, the commission gave consensus to proceed with the plant elimination plan.

The commission said a 40-foot buffer should be left around the edge of the affected land so nearby residents' views aren't suddenly changed.

Sanchez estimated the removal project would cost about $11,000 the first, year, $3,000 the second and $1,000 per year afterwards. The removal program must be maintained yearly to keep the plants from coming back, he said.