Poison Ivy Removal in Burlington, NC
We clear poison ivy from yards, fence lines, trunks and creek banks across Burlington, in Alamance County with a small part in Guilford County[1]. All of Burlington lies in the Jordan Reservoir watershed, where the city controls work within 50 feet of a creek or pond[2]. Removing poison ivy there is exempt from city approval[3]. The city will not collect yard debris cut by hired crews, so we haul ours away[4]. Send the address and a few photos for a free estimate.
Burlington at a glance
- Creek buffer
- Poison ivy removal is exempt
- No city approval is needed within 50 feet of a creek or pond, but soil disturbance must be kept low[3].
- Main plant here
- Eastern poison ivy
- Alamance County has 141 poison ivy records on iNaturalist[5], and all 5 poison oak records are from Snow Camp[6].
- Crew debris
- The city won't collect it
- City Code Sec. 33-31 bars pickup of vegetation cut by contractors, so haul-away belongs in every quote[4].
- Burning
- Heating or cooking fires only
- Yard clippings and brush piles are not meant to be burned in the city, and state burn permits do not apply[7].
- Overgrowth limit
- 12 inches, 10 days to fix
- Uncontrolled growth that tall is a nuisance on occupied or vacant lots, with 10 days to clear it after notice[8].
- Typical cost
- $250 to $590
- A typical residential yard, sprayed, dug or both, with every bag hauled away.
Request a free estimate
Poison Ivy Removal in Burlington, NC
- We look at your photos and identify the plant.
- We call or email you with a price, before any work starts.
- We agree a day and one of our own technicians does the work.
How Much Does Poison Ivy Removal Cost in Burlington?
Poison ivy removal in Burlington typically costs $250 to $590 for a residential yard, treated or dug out, with the debris bagged and hauled away.
Tree vines that climb 60 to 150 feet[9] need ladder work. Haul-away is always included, since the city will not collect a crew's cuttings[4]. The first 30 feet from a creek or pond are worked by hand[3]. Waiting costs too: if Code Enforcement clears a lot, the owner pays the cost plus a $100 fee as a lien[10].
Burlington prices online are template output, such as $24 to $106 for 321 square feet of spraying[11] or a $466 average with no basis[12]. See our cost page.
Do You Need City Approval to Clear Poison Ivy Near a Burlington Creek?
No. Work within 50 feet of a stream, lake, reservoir or pond in Burlington normally needs authorization from the city's Stormwater Division[2]. But the city's own Table of Uses lists removal of poison ivy as exempt, so no application is needed[3].
Exempt work still has to keep soil disturbance to a minimum[3]. So near the water we cut and pull rather than grub out the bank.
| Buffer zone | Width | How we work it |
|---|---|---|
| Zone One | First 30 feet from the bank or water line[3] | Hand cutting and pulling, little digging |
| Zone Two | The next 20 feet | Hand work or careful spot treatment |
Paid spraying needs a state licence under G.S. 143-452[13]. State-wide rules are on our North Carolina rules page.
Where Does Pulled Poison Ivy Go in Burlington?
Not into a fire. Burlington allows small fires for heating or cooking, no larger than 3 feet across and 25 feet from a structure, and says burning is not meant for yard clippings or brush[7]. Poison ivy smoke can be as toxic as touching the plant[9].
City yard waste is composted at the Alamance County landfill[4], and City Code Sec. 33-26 refuses vegetation cut by hired crews anyway[15]. So everything we remove leaves with us.
Pulling a small patch yourself? Use paper bags or a can of up to 32 gallons, since plastic bags are refused[4]. Keep vines out of the leaf piles collected from October through January[16].
Why Is Poison Ivy So Thick on Burlington's Older Streets and in Its Parks?
Burlington's median home was built in 1978[1]. Lots in Glencoe Mill Village, Lakeside Mill and the West Davis, West Front and Fountain Place district[17] have had decades for vines to reach the treetops.
| Burlington homes | Share | What it means for the job |
|---|---|---|
| Built before 1960 | 27.5%[1] | The oldest lots, with the biggest tree vines |
| Built before 1980 | 52.7% | Mature trees and long fence lines |
| Detached houses | 58.3% | Most work is on house lots |
| Rented homes | 46.2% | A landlord or manager often orders the work |
It grows on public land too, with iNaturalist records at Burlington City Park and Indian Valley Golf Course[5]. Alamance County logged 103 thunderstorm wind reports in ten years[18], and poison ivy spreads into the light a fallen limb leaves.
How Long Is Poison Ivy in Leaf Around Burlington?
Most of the year. In-town yards get about a week and a half more growing season than the airport[19][20].
| 1991-2020 normals | Airport | In town (Fire Station 5) |
|---|---|---|
| Median last spring freeze | April 1[19] | March 29[20] |
| Median first fall freeze | November 2 | November 9 |
| Frost-free days | 215 | 226 |
One fall in ten, the first freeze comes by October 21[19], so leaf spraying is best finished before then. July highs average 90.8°F[21], so summer work in protective clothing starts early. Winter is the time to cut big vines off trunks.
Burlington Neighborhoods and Alamance County Towns We Serve
We work across Burlington, from Downtown and the Beverly Hills, East Davis Street and South Broad - Fifth Street districts to Glencoe Mill Village and Lakeside Mill[17]. Homes backing onto Town and Country Park sit beside a 50-acre natural area on the Haw River[22], prime poison ivy ground. We also cover nearby Graham, Elon, Haw River, Mebane and Swepsonville.
ZIP codes: 27215, 27217, 27253, 27377
Burlington Questions
Where in Alamance County Does Real Poison Oak Grow?
In the rural south. All five county records of Atlantic poison oak are from Snow Camp[6], and NC State calls it rarer in the Piedmont[23]. No poison sumac has been recorded there[24]. A three-leaf vine in a Burlington yard is almost always poison ivy.
Do I Need a Permit to Remove Poison Ivy in Burlington?
No, not for the creek buffer, where the city lists it as exempt[3]. A national cost page says a permit is typically required[11], but that is template text. The Stormwater Division can confirm for your lot.
Can Code Enforcement Make My Landlord Clear Poison Ivy at a Burlington Rental?
Yes, if it counts as uncontrolled growth over 12 inches, which Sec. 22-2(1) makes a nuisance on occupied or vacant lots[8]. Report it to Code Enforcement at (336) 222-5024[10].
Can You Clear Poison Ivy From a Vacant Lot I Own in Burlington?
Yes. The overgrowth rule covers vacant lots too, so a tall patch can draw a notice with nobody living there[8]. Send the address, photos and any posted notice.
How Much Can Burlington Fine an Owner for Repeat Overgrowth?
$100 for the first notice, $250 for a second within 12 months and $500 for each one after that, under Sec. 22-10[8]. Clearing after the first notice stops the climb.
Who Do I Call About a Nuisance Notice on My Burlington Property?
The Chief Code Enforcement Officer, at (336) 222-5084[25]. You have 10 days from the mailed and posted notice to clear the growth[8], so book the work early.
Is It Safe to Spray Poison Ivy Near Lake Mackintosh?
Yes, with care. Lake Mackintosh is Burlington's primary drinking-water reservoir[26], and Lake Cammack is its secondary one[27]. Near either shoreline we hand-pull or use products labelled for use near water.
Who Enforces Burning Rules in Alamance County Outside Burlington?
The state Division of Air Quality, because Alamance has no local air program[28]. State rules allow yard-waste burning only where local rules permit it and no public pickup exists, with fines up to $25,000[29]. Poison ivy should never be burned anywhere[9].
Near Burlington
We also cover Greensboro, Winston-Salem, High Point in the The Triad area. See all areas, the price table and NC rules.
Sources
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 (5-year)
- City of Burlington Stormwater Division, Stream Buffer Protection Program
- Burlington Unified Development Ordinance, Secs. 3.20.F.6, 7.3.F.4, 7.3.G.3.a and Table 7.3.G.2 (updated 3.17.26)
- City of Burlington, Yard Waste (quoting City Code Sec. 33-31)
- iNaturalist verifiable observations, eastern poison ivy, Alamance County, queried 14 Nov 2026
- iNaturalist verifiable observations, Atlantic poison oak, Alamance County, queried 14 Nov 2026
- City of Burlington Fire Department, Outdoor Burning
- Burlington Code of Ordinances, Chapter 22, Secs. 22-2(1), 22-3(b) and 22-10(b)
- NC State Extension Plant Toolbox, Toxicodendron radicans (eastern poison ivy)
- City of Burlington, Code Enforcement
- National cost template, Poison Ivy Removal in Burlington, NC
- National cost directory, Poison Ivy Removal in Burlington, NC
- N.C. Gen. Stat. 143-452(a), pesticide applicator licence
- City of Burlington, Stormwater Management
- City of Burlington Solid Waste Division (City Code Sec. 33-26)
- City of Burlington, Leaf Collection
- City of Burlington, National Register Program
- NOAA Storm Events Database, 2016-2025
- NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 Climate Normals, Burlington-Alamance Regional Airport (USW00093783)
- NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 Climate Normals, Burlington Fire Station 5 (USC00311239)
- NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 monthly normals, Burlington-Alamance Regional Airport
- City of Burlington, Town and Country Park
- NC State Extension Plant Toolbox, Toxicodendron pubescens (Atlantic poison oak)
- iNaturalist verifiable observations, poison sumac, Alamance County, queried 14 Nov 2026
- City of Burlington, Code Enforcement Staff Directory
- City of Burlington, Lake Mackintosh Park and Marina
- City of Burlington, Lake Cammack Park and Marina
- NC DEQ Division of Air Quality, Regional Offices
- NC DEQ Division of Air Quality, Open Burning
Checked November 2026. Rules change: confirm with the office named before you rely on one.
Request a free estimate
Poison Ivy Removal in Burlington, NC
- We look at your photos and identify the plant.
- We call or email you with a price, before any work starts.
- We agree a day and one of our own technicians does the work.