At Tuesday’s meeting, the Leon County Board of County Commissioners voted to schedule a public hearing for an ordinance amending the county’s current fertilizer ordinance.
The State of Florida Model Fertilizer Ordinance being updated and the changes to the current fertilizer ordinance in Leon County are an attempt to stay up to date with the new State Model. The modifications to the current ordinance include changes to definitions and references that are consistent with the Model Ordinance. For instance, the definition for “Commercial fertilizer applicator” according to the Model Ordinance now has the exemption for landscapers who apply fertilizer only to individual residential properties using fertilizer and equipment provided by the residential property owner or resident.
The applicator certification expiration timeframe would be increased from three to four years, and the new ordinance would include new application rates based on the seasons — a maximum of two pounds of nitrogen per 1,000 square feet in the spring and summer months and a maximum of one pound of nitrogen per 1,000 square feet in the fall months. Winter applications are prohibited.
Fertilizer application rates for lawns with Zoysia grass would be reduced from three to five pounds of nitrogen per 1,000 square feet to two to three pounds of nitrogen per 1,000 square feet, while application rates for lawns with Bahia, Bermuda, Centipede and St. Augustine grasses would not change.
These amendments to the current Leon County ordinance would also be consistent with the City of Tallahassee’s fertilizer ordinance that has already been updated to the Model Ordinance. These updates to the current ordinance were recommended for approval by the Science Advisory Committee (SAC) and the Water Resources Committee (WRC).
The public hearing for the ordinance is slated for May 11, 2021. County staff plans to reach out to commercial contractors to learn about best practices before the public hearing.
County Commissioners Schedule Public Hearing on Changes to Fertilizer Ordinance added by Casey Owens on
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A…s…s…i…n…i…n…e…!
It is amazing to me that the Commissioners continuously create more and more stupid regulations then go home feeling proud of themselves and the $78,000.00 they earn for attending 12 meetings in one year.
Beautiful and healthy green grass existed long before the advent of fertilizer and sprinkler systems. As usual, humans foolishly believe that they can control nature and evolution. Bottom line; the Mozaic lobbyists are in control. Heck, you’re sucking down their fertilizer production biproduct in your drinking water every day.
Any ordinance based upon the Model Ordinance is among the weakest most ineffective ordinances in the state. There are 13 counties and well over 100 cities that have ordinances that actually protect water quality and turf health. More Nitrogen means more pests and more fungus and therefore sicker turf — one of the reasons the turf industry is against strong ordinances. The sicker the turf, the more new turf gets sold. Unscrupulous fertilizer makers want to sell homeowners more fertilizer than they need. Strong effective ordinances have been in effect for over 13 years with no complaints from homeowners — their pockets have more money in them and their lawns and water resources are healthier.
What we really need is an ordinance that regulates the amount of fertilizer the Leon county board of commissioners is allowed to spew out of their pie holes.
This is useful information for those amongst us that enjoy life under strict nanny oversight. You know who you are.
Normal people throw fertilizer on their yard whenever they get the urge and in whatever amount they deem appropriate.
Y’all folks that need nanny oversight ain’t right in the head.
A colossal waste of taxpayer time, money, and resources. Much like a fireworks ordinance, it is a feckless and futile ordinance. Moreover, it is impossible to enforce… but it does bode well when seeking a Sierra Club endorsement
Well…..if it helps, I stopped using Scott’s Weed and Feed because all it has ever done for me is Triple my Weeds.