2024-003 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

RESOLUTION 2024-003 Appropriation 146 of the 2023-2024 General Appropriations Act, a county or municipal government may not adopt or amend a fertilizer management ordinance, pursuant to s. 403.9337, Florida Statutes, which provides for a prohibited application period not in existence on June 30, 2023; WHEREAS, the proviso language of Specific Appropriation 146 of the 2023-24 General Appropriations Act provides in part that 1250,000 in nonrecurring state funds shall be used by the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) to evaluate the effectiveness of the timing of seasonal fertilizer restrictions on urban landscapes toward achieving nutrient target objectives for waterbodies statewide"; WHEREAS, the science behind the many strong local fertilizer ordinances is voluminous; every local government that has adopted a strong ordinance since 2007, and especially since 2009, has a public record of all of the science used to determine the viability of a strong ordinance in the respective watershed. In 2009, Florida Statute (403.9337) mandated that each ordinance stronger than the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) Model ordinance be "science - based, and economically and technically feasible". Since that date ordinances covering 16 counties, and in most cases all of their respective municipalities, have been adopted and implemented; WHEREAS, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) has never challenged the legality or the science behind any of the existing ordinances. In December 2014, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) updated the labeling requirements for DIY bags of turf fertilizer in the state to include the following language: "Check with your county or city government to determine if there are local regulations for fertilizer use"; and WHEREAS, the fertilizer industry's response has been positive. In 2015 Scotts® announced a new summer -safe, no N -no P, turf product, an example of how many fertilizer manufacturers have embraced these ordinances and provided products that are compliant with local regulations; now, therefore, be it NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Indian River County Commissioners reaffirms its resolute support of and steadfast commitment to, the current strong urban fertilizer ordinance that is more stringent than the state model baseline to manage 2