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ORDINANCE NO. 2024- 001 AN ORDINANCE OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF INDIAN RIVER COUNTY, FLORIDA AUTHORIZING AN EXTENSION OF THE TEMPORARY MORATORIUM FOR AN ADDITIONAL 1 YEAR, OR UNTIL A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW OF THE IMPACT ON THE COUNTY'S ECOSYSTEM IS COMPLETED, WITHIN THE UNINCORPORATED AREAS OF INDIAN RIVER COUNTY PROHIBITING LAND APPLICATION ACTIVITIES OF CLASS B BIOSOLIDS; PROVIDING FOR ADDITIONAL STUDY AND POSSIBLE REGULATION OF CLASS B BIOSOLIDS APPLICATION ACTIVITIES; PROVIDING FOR EXHAUSTION OF ADMINISTRATIVE REMEDIES; AND PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY, REPEAL OF CONFLICTING PROVISIONS, AND AN EFFECTIVE DATE. WHEREAS, as provided in Article VIII, Section 1 of the Florida Constitution and Chapter 125, Florida Statutes, counties have broad home rule powers to enact ordinances, not inconsistent with general or special law, for the purpose of protecting the public health, safety and welfare of the residents of the county; and WHEREAS, the Indian River County Board of County Commissioners ("Board") specifically determines that the enactment of this ordinance is necessary to protect the health, safety and welfare of the residents of Indian River County; and WHEREAS, Class B biosolids (Biosolids) are solid, semi-solid, or liquid materials resulting from the incomplete treatment of domestic wastewater sludge from wastewater treatment facilities that contain excessive amounts of nutrients such as phosphorus and nitrogen, and WHEREAS, repeated application of Biosolids cause ;phosphorus and nitrogen pollution to surrounding estuaries and watersheds, as phosphorus and nitrogen promote algal blooms, fuel growth of noxious vegetation, and replace the unique natural ecosystem with one which is undesirable to humans and native wildlife; and WHEREAS, the Board finds that the proper regulation of the land application of Biosolids is necessary and appropriate to guide the future use, development, and protection of the land and natural resources in the unincorporated areas of Indian River County and within drainage areas potentially affecting conservation lands and the Indian River Lagoon; and WHEREAS, the land application activities of Biosolids were being conducted on property in Indian River County, in areas near waterbodies such as Blue Cypress Lake, and WHEREAS, Blue Cypress Lake, the first lake along the St. Johns River, is classified by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection as a Class I surface water with a designated use for potable water supplies; and