Full Notification

Have you ever seen someone apply lawn fertilizer before it rains? What about a potable irrigation system operating while it is raining? When asked most of the people are just trying to be conscious about water conservation, while the intention is good, the use of fertilizers creates a risk contributing to adverse effects on surface and ground water. If you have ever seen cattail overgrowth or algae blooms, this is caused by fertilizer run-off into lakes and ponds.
In an effort to educate property owners about eco-friendly practices, the City is required to review and amend its existing Fertilizer Application Ordinance & the Florida Friendly Landscaping Practices and Irrigation Systems Ordinance, every five (5) years as part of the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Permit (NPDES). The Fertilizer Ordinance regulates proper use of fertilizers, establishes a prohibited application period, and specifies allowable fertilizer application rates and methods to help improve and maintain water and habitat quality. While the Florida Friendly Landscaping Ordinance intends to establish minimum standards for development, installation, and maintenance of Florida-Friendly Landscape areas without inhibiting creative landscape design, using Specific Best Management Practices (BMPs).

The City encourages residents and business owners to review the updated ordinances, web-address below, as there have been a number of edits made. A few updates have been summarized below:

• Fertilizer application is prohibited, even in slow release formulation, during the summer rainy season typically June 1 to September 30.
• Fertilizer containing nitrogen shall not be applied before seeding or sodding a site, and shall not be applied for the first 30 days after seeding or sodding.
• Rain shut-off switch equipment is required on automatic irrigation systems to avoid irrigation during periods of sufficient soil moistures. Equipment must consist of an automatic sensing device that will override the irrigation cycle of the sprinkler system when adequate rainfall has occurred.

Review Ordinances at this web-address: http://citynpr.org/index.aspx?nid=383

• Ordinance 2016-2087 Fertilizer Application
• Ordinance 2016-2089 Florida-Friendly Landscaping