Last week the Venice City Council voted in favor of a year-round, voluntary ban on lawn fertilizers, extending the current ban outlined by the city’s ordinance that prohibits fertilizer use from June 1st through September 30th. The ban, proposed by the city’s Vice Mayor Bob Daniels, comes in response to the persistent red tide bloom that’s been present off the coast of Southwest Florida for nearly a year now.
Fertilizer ordinances have been in place in most municipalities and counties for more than a decade, with a goal of reducing the amount of nutrients that wind up in area waters, which can amplify fuel algal blooms like red tide.
We’re exploring what Lee County’s ordinances say, and what homeowners should keep in mind when they consider using fertilizer on their yards. We’re joined by Kurt Harclerode, Operations Manager with the Lee County Natural Resources Division; and Stephen Brown, Horticulture Agent with UF/IFAS Lee County Extension office; and Bob Daniels, Vice Mayor of the City of Venice.
