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ORDINANCE NO.2013- �]2 <br /> AN ORDINANCE OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF <br /> INDIAN RIVER COUNTY, FLORIDA, AMENDING THE CODE OF <br /> INDIAN RIVER COUNTY TO ESTABLISH A NEW CHAPTER 316, <br /> ENTITLED "FERTILIZER AND LANDSCAPE MANAGEMENT;" <br /> ADOPTING THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL <br /> PROTECTION'S MODEL ORDINANCE FOR FLORIDA-FRIENDLY <br /> USE OF FERTILIZER ON URBAN LANDSCAPES, WITH <br /> MODIFICATIONS; MAKING FINDINGS AND PROVIDING FOR <br /> SEVERABILITY, CODIFICATION; DIRECTING COUNTY <br /> ATTORNEY'S OFFICE TO POST SUMMARY ON COUNTY WEBSITE, <br /> AND AN EFFECTIVE DATE. <br /> WHEREAS,as a result of impairment to Indian River County's surface waters caused by <br /> excessive nutrients, or, as a result of increasing levels of nitrogen in the surface and/or ground <br /> water within the aquifers or canals within the boundaries of Indian River County, the Board of <br /> County Commissioners has determined that the use of fertilizers on lands within Indian River <br /> County creates a risk of contributing to adverse effects on surface and/or ground water; and <br /> WHEREAS, in order to address this risk, the Board of County Commissioners has <br /> determined that it is not only critical to adopt the Florida Department of Environmental <br /> Protection's Model Ordinance for Florida-Friendly Use of Fertilizer on Urban Landscapes, but <br /> that as part of Indian River County's science-based, and economically and technically feasible, <br /> comprehensive program to address nonpoint sources of nutrient pollution, additional and more <br /> stringent standards are necessary in order to adequately address urban fertilizer contributions to <br /> nonpoint source nutrient loading to the surface and/or ground water of Indian River County; and <br /> WHEREAS, this ordinance regulates the proper use of fertilizers by any applicator; <br /> requires proper training of Commercial Fertilizer Applicators and Institutional Fertilizer <br /> Applicators; establishes training and licensing requirements;establishes a Prohibited Application <br /> Period; and specifies allowable fertilizer application rates and methods,fertilizer-free zones,low <br /> maintenance zones, and exemptions. The ordinance requires the use of Best Management <br /> Practices which provide specific management guidelines to minimize negative secondary and <br /> cumulative environmental effects associated with the misuse of fertilizers. These secondary and <br /> cumulative effects have been observed in and on Indian River County's natural and constructed <br /> stormwater conveyances, rivers, creeks, canals, lakes, estuaries and other water bodies. <br /> Collectively, these water bodies are an asset critical to the environmental, recreational, cultural <br /> and economic well-being of Indian River County residents and the health of the public. <br /> Overgrowth of algae and vegetation hinder the effectiveness of flood attenuation provided by <br /> natural and constructed stormwater conveyances. Regulation of nutrients, including both <br /> phosphorus and nitrogen contained in fertilizer,will help improve and maintain water and habitat <br /> quality, <br /> P:WcorngV.LdnKrFNFRAGUtulvsheu60rdr•+nm+ladlwmcw�MA'aedd Fsntasr•Ordfrwnve-1Dll(FLwyjgvS.+N 10)doa Page I of <br />