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February 15, 2022 <br />ITEM 14.A.1 <br />INDIAN RIVER COUNTY <br />BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS <br />INTER -OFFICE MEMORANDUM <br />TO: Members of the Board of County Commissioners <br />DATE: February 02, 2022 <br />SUBJECT: Discussion to consider local water irrigation ordinance <br />FROM: Peter D. O'Bryan, Chairman <br />Commissioner, District 4 <br />Discussion Item: I am asking the Board to have discussion on whether Indian River County should <br />adopt a local water irrigation ordinance <br />Backimound: Indian River County has had a cooperative and successful relationship with the <br />St. John's River Water Management District (SJRWMD) in regards to cost share <br />projects. SJRWMD has been a partner on many of the county's septic to sewer and nutrient <br />removal projects. Recently SJRWMD issued guidance that if a local government entity wanted to <br />be eligible for cost sharing funds, the local government entity would have to have passed a local <br />water irrigation ordinance that has been approved by SJRWMD. <br />When SJRWMD first issued the Districts' water irrigation guidelines, they asked the local governments to <br />enforce the guidelines, as SJRWMD had no enforcement capability. Previous Boards had rejected the <br />concept of being the local enforcement arm for the District. Given that the cost share program has <br />resulted in millions of dollars of support from SJRWMD on our water quality projects, it may be time for <br />the Board to reconsider a local, water irrigation ordinance. <br />Commissioner Harold Jenkins of Martin County recently put together a committee of stakeholders to <br />draft a local water irrigation ordinance for Martin County. The Martin County ordinance was approved <br />by the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD), and this past December, was approved by <br />Martin County. <br />If the Board determines it is in the best interest of Indian River County to adopt a local water irrigation <br />ordinance, I suggest the Board direct staff to review the Martin County ordinance, make any adjustments <br />deemed necessary, then present to the Board for review. <br />Attachment: Martin County Irrigation Ordinance No. 1173 <br />187 <br />