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Urban Water Quality and Fertilizer Ordinances:Avoiding Unintended Consequences:A Review.... 20 •Several municipalities in Michigan use an The Florida situation with fertilizer ordinance to control P applications-- ordinances http://www.michigan.gov/documents/mda/ mda_Michigan Local—Fertilizer—Ordinance—List Many counties and municipalities in Florida,like _297174_7.pdf.Most of these ordinances other states and municipalities,have chosen the contain the following parts: ordinance as a means to control fertilizer use, however,some have included a fertilizer ban in the P application is not allowed in the winter.P summer active growing season.Most Florida fertilizers should contain 0 P except when ordinances contain guidelines that are supported by fertilizing newly planted sod or when a soil research and are consistent with the University of test indicates a need for P.Some ordinances Florida,IFAS,and FDEP nutrient BMPs.These include set-backs and reference to keeping practices include following recommended fertilizer fertilizer from impervious surfaces. application methods and keeping grass clippings and fertilizer from impervious surfaces.These materials •New York has similar rules for not allowing P can be moved into water bodies via the storm water. application in the winter,controlling P-content Fertilizer management is important because studies of fertilizers,involving a soil test in the decision (North Carolina)have shown only one-half of amount mount of N.apply P,and limiting the per-application residents remove fertilizer from impervious surfaces (Osmond and Hardy,2004).This result shows that •Annapolis,Maryland,has an ordinance similar lack of knowledge about how to avoid misapplication to those above,banning P fertilizer in the winter of fertilizer may be a contributing factor to nutrient and allowing P use of soils testing low in P or for losses,and a more serious one than properly fertilized newly planted turfgrass-- lawns where lawn maintenance activities are http://www.ci.annapolis.md.us/Government/ consistent with BMPs. Headlines/Arhives/OctDec2008.aspx. Certain ordinances in Florida contain a ban on While probably not exhaustive,the survey above fertilizer sale and application during the summer found no laws or ordinances that banned fertilizer in months of June 1 through September 30.The the summer period of active turfgrass growth.The rationale is that heavy rainfall events are common in rules in these states typically control fertilizer the summer months and the likelihood of leaching application based on BMPs,including the use of a and runoff of fertilizer is therefore greater during the soil test to predict P needs,the use of set-backs from summer.However,the summer months also are the water bodies,advice on keeping fertilizer off months when landscape plants such as turfgrass grow impermeable surfaces,controls on total amounts of the most actively and require nutrients for healthy fertilizer per application and for the season,bans on development.National research shows that this is the fertilization in the winter when the ground is frozen time of the year when turfgrass is most active in or when the turfgrass is not actively growing,and taking up nutrients and nutrient loss is negligible.The allowing fertilization of newly planted turf seeds or ban was part of a recommendation of a workgroup for sod.The ordinances in other states are much like a model ordinance from the Tampa Bay Estuary Florida DEP's Green Industries Best Management Program(TBEP,2008a;TBSP,2008b).This Practices,DEP's state model ordinance,the state's workgroup was composed of members from most of Urban Fertilizer Turf Rule,and the UF/IFAS the important stakeholders(public,private,turf and Florida-Friendly LandscapingTM Educational program fertilizer industry,and non-governmental for homeowners,commercial fertilizer applicators, organizations)in the urban water quality issue for the and builders and developers. Tampa Bay area.The ban or restricted period,or "blackout"part of the model ordinance was not supported by all stakeholders but was included in the final model ordinance(TBEP,2008).The model ordinance including the summer ban was proposed as 3';,7