The City of North Port has adopted a fertilizer ordinance with enhanced regulations to protect drinking water quality and the environment. To learn how this ordinance affects you, read the ordinance and the 2023 amendment. A fertilizer fact sheet is also available to review the key points of the ordinance.
About
On May 9, 2023, the North Port City Commission approved Fertilizer Ordinance No. 2023-14 Amendment. The notable changes that this includes are:
- Use of fertilizer on turf grass is prohibited between April 1 through Sept. 30. Use of fertilizer on landscape plants is still permitted.
- Commercial and Institutional Applicators no longer need a proof of training vehicle decal, but shall produce a copy of their Florida Green Industries Best Management Practices training certificate to enforcement staff if observed performing fertilizing activity.
All commercial and institutional applicators of fertilizer (except homeowners applying fertilizer on their own property) must receive training and certification in a City approved training program such as the Green Industries Best Management Practices (GI-BMP) training that is offered by UF-IFAS.
The training is hosted by Sarasota County Extension Services (941-232-6882). Once the training certificate is received, please bring a copy to the City of North Port's Development Services Department at City Hall. Applicators will need to produce a copy of this certificate to enforcement staff if observed performing fertilizing activity.
Residents encouraged to voluntarily not use fertilizer
On Tuesday, Oct. 9, 2018, North Port City Commission unanimously approved a resolution to encourage the voluntary non-use of fertilizer year-around.
The City of North Port recognizes that fertilizers from many sources can enter into our waterways and may contribute to algal blooms including the Florida red tide organism, Karenia brevis, which has caused widespread detrimental effect along the coastal communities. These nutrient pollutants can affect the regional watershed, and the City of North Port desires to be part of a regional effort to improve water quality. Water quality is critical to the Charlotte Harbor estuarine system and watershed. It is also critical to the City of North Port’s environmental, economic, and recreational prosperity and to the health, safety and welfare of the citizens of the City.
The City of North Port’s Fertilizer Ordinance has a restricted period of April 1 through Sept. 30 each year which prohibits use of nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizer on turf, but landscape plants can still be fertilized with fertilizer containing 50% or more slow release nitrogen. In the period after September 30 and before April 1, fertilizing of both turf and landscape plants are allowed.
In a previous Commission meeting on Sept. 25, 2018, it was the desire of the North Port Commission to adopt a resolution as soon as possible to encourage non-use of fertilizers year-round for the health, well-being and safety of the community.
This resolution approved on Oct. 9, 2018, will contribute to a regional effort to reduce fertilizer runoff into waterbodies that flow to the estuary and ocean. This resolution encourages a voluntary non-use of fertilizer year-around, which is more restrictive than the City’s fertilizer ordinance.