Fertilizer management.

Coral Springs Land Development Code § 250835.1

in effect

Sec. 250835.1. - Fertilizer management. (1) Applicability: The provisions of this section shall apply to all fertilizer applications within the City of Coral Springs with the exception of fertilizer applications for golf courses, parks, and athletic fields shall follow the provisions as indicated in Rule 5E-1.003, F.A.C, as amended. (2) Licensing and training of commercial fertilizer applicators: (a) By January 1, 2014, any person applying commercial fertilizer to an urban landscape must be certified by the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services pursuant to F.S. § 482.1562, as amended. (b) All commercial and institutional applicators of fertilizer within the City of Coral Springs, shall successfully complete and apply fertilizers in accordance with the six-hour training program in the "Florida-Friendly Best Management Practices for Protection of Water Resources by the Green Industries" offered by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection through the UF/IFAS Extension. (c) Non-commercial applicators not otherwise required to be certified, such as private citizens on their own residential property, are encouraged to follow the recommendations of the UF/IFAS Extension and UF/IFAS Florida Yards and Neighborhoods program when applying fertilizers. (3) Fertilizer content, application rates and practices: (a) Fertilizers applied to turf and/or landscape plants shall be formulated and applied in accordance with requirements and directions as provided on the fertilizer bag and by Rule 5E-1.003, F.A.C. Nitrogen or phosphorus fertilizer shall not be applied to turf or landscape plants except as provided for by the directions on the fertilizer bag unless a soil or plant tissue deficiency has been verified by UF/IFAS Extension or another accredited laboratory or test. (b) No applicator shall apply fertilizers containing nitrogen and/or phosphorus to turf and/or landscape plants during times in which a tropical storm, or hurricane watch or warning issued by the National Weather Service is in effect for any portion of Broward County or a flood advisory has been issued for Coral Springs and immediate surroundings. (c) Fertilizer shall not be applied within ten (10) feet, or three (3) feet if a deflector shield or drop spreader is used, on any pond, stream, watercourse, lake, canal, or wetland or from the top of a seawall. Newly planted turf and/or landscape plants may be fertilized in this zone no more than once during the first sixty-day establishment period, unless specified otherwise by the manufacturer. Caution shall be used to prevent direct deposition of nutrients into the water. (d) A voluntary ten-foot low maintenance zone is strongly recommended, but not mandated, from any pond, stream, water course, lake, wetland or from the top of a seawall. A swale/berm system is recommended for installation at the landward edge of this low maintenance zone to capture and filter runoff. No mowed or cut vegetative material should be deposited or left remaining in this zone or deposited in the water. Care should be taken to prevent the over-spray of aquatic weed products in this zone. (e) Spreader deflector shields are required when fertilizing via rotary (broadcast) spreaders. Deflectors must be positioned such that fertilizer granules are deflected away from all impervious surfaces, fertilizer-free zones and water bodies, including wetlands. (f) Fertilizer shall not be applied, spilled, or otherwise deposited on any impervious surfaces. (g) Any fertilizer applied, spilled, or deposited, either intentionally or accidentally, on any impervious surface shall be immediately and completely removed to the greatest extent practicable. (h) Fertilizer released on an impervious surface must be immediately contained and either legally applied to turf or any other legal site, or returned to the original or other appropriate container. (Ord. No. 2011-117, § 2, 7-5-11; Ord. No. 2023-101, § 181, 4-19-23)

Source: City of Coral Springs, Florida, Code of Ordinances, Charter and Land Development Code (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/fl/coral_springs/codes/land_development_code?nodeId=CH25ZOOR_ARTIXMILARE_S250835.1FEMAFetched: 11/8/2026