Lawn Fertilizer and Pesticide Application

Saint Paul Legislative Code tit. XXIX, ch. 377

in effect

Saint Paul Legislative Code § 377.01 Definitions.

Sec. 377.01. - Definitions. For the purposes of this chapter, the terms defined in this section have the meanings ascribed to them: Person means any person, firm or corporation engaged in the business of lawn fertilizer or pesticide applications and includes those persons licensed by the State of Minnesota pursuant to Minnesota Statutes, Section 18A-21 et seq. Pesticide means any substance or mixture of substances intended for preventing, destroying repelling or mitigating any pest, and any substance or mixture of substances intended for use as a plant regulator, defoliant or desiccant. It also means any chemical or combination thereof registered as a pesticide with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, any agency later assuming registration in the U.S. federal government, the State of Minnesota Agricultural Department, or any other State of Minnesota government agency. (Ord. No. 17299, § 1, 10-15-85; C.F. No. 01-1112, § 1, 12-5-01)

Saint Paul Legislative Code § 377.02 License required; council approval.

Sec. 377.02. - License required; council approval. (a) No person shall engage in the business of lawn fertilizer or lawn pesticide application in the city without a license issued by the city. (b) All city programs for pesticide use shall be reviewed and approved by the city council prior to any application upon city property. (Ord. No. 17299, § 2, 10-15-85; Ord. No. 17370, § 1, 7-10-86; C.F. No. 01-1112, § 1, 12-5-01)

Saint Paul Legislative Code § 377.03 Fee.

Sec. 377.03. - Fee. The fee required for a license shall also be established by ordinance as specified in section 310.09(b) of the Saint Paul Legislative Code. (Ord. No. 17299, § 3, 10-15-85; C.F. No. 99-520, § 1, 7-7-99; C.F. No. 01-1112, § 1, 12-5-01)

Saint Paul Legislative Code § 377.04 Employees licensed by state.

Sec. 377.04. - Employees licensed by state. All of licensee's employees actually engaged in lawn pesticide applications shall be duly licensed by the state and shall be trained and qualified in the proper methods of handling and applications of pesticides. Satisfactory evidence that such employees are licensed by the state shall be maintained on file in the office of the license inspector. (Ord. No. 17299, § 4, 10-15-85; C.F. No. 01-1112, § 1, 12-5-01)

Saint Paul Legislative Code § 377.05 Department of safety and inspections.

Sec. 377.05. - Department of safety and inspections. The director of the department of safety and inspections or his/her designee is directed to monitor the health and safety effects of the chemical. (Ord. No. 17299, § 5, 10-15-85; C.F. No. 01-1112, § 1, 12-5-01; C.F. No. 07-149, § 129, 3-28-07)

Saint Paul Legislative Code § 377.06 Class I license.

Sec. 377.06. - Class I license. The license granted pursuant to the provisions of this chapter is designated as a Class R license, subject to the procedures applicable to Class R licenses in Chapter 310. (Ord. No. 17299, § 6, 10-15-85; C.F. No. 01-1112, § 1, 12-5-01)

Saint Paul Legislative Code § 377.07 Pesticide applications; posting.

Sec. 377.07. - Pesticide applications; posting. All persons who apply pesticides outdoors are required to post or affix warning signs on the street frontage of the property so treated. The warning signs must protrude a minimum of eighteen (18) inches above the top of the grass line. The warning signs must be of a material rain-resistant for at least a forty-eight-hour period and must remain in place for at least a forty-eight-hour period or longer if the human re-entry interval prescribed in the pesticide label specifies a longer hourly or daily interval. The information printed on the sign must be printed in contrasting colors and capitalized letters at least one-half-inch or in another format approved by the commissioner of agriculture, and shall provide the following information: (1) The name of the company applying the pesticide or, if not a company, the name of the person having done the application. (2) The following language: "This area chemically treated. Keep children or pets off until (date of safe entry—at least forty-eight (48) hours after application or longer if specified on pesticide label)" or a universally accepted symbol and text approved by the commissioner of agriculture specifying a date of safe entry as specified herein. The warning sign may include the name of the pesticide used. The sign shall be posted on the lawn or yard no closer than two (2) feet from the sidewalk or right-of-way and no further than five (5) feet from the sidewalk or right-of-way. (Ord. No. 17370, § 2, 7-10-85; Ord. No. 17385, § 1, 8-14-86; Ord. No. 17480, § 1, 7-30-87; C.F. No. 01-1112, § 1, 12-5-01)

Saint Paul Legislative Code § 377.08 Fertilizer content.

Sec. 377.08. - Fertilizer content. No person licensed under this chapter shall apply any lawn fertilizer, liquid or granular, within the city that is labeled to contain more than 0% phosphate (P2O5). This prohibition shall not apply to: (1) The naturally occurring phosphorus in unadulterated natural or organic fertilizing products such as yard waste compost; (2) Use on newly established or developed turf and lawn areas during their first growing season; (3) Turf and lawn areas which soil tests taken according to University of Minnesota guidelines and analyzed in a state certified laboratory confirm are below phosphorus levels established by the University of Minnesota. In such cases, lawn fertilizer application shall not exceed the University of Minnesota recommended application rate for phosphorous. Lawn fertilizers containing phosphorus applied pursuant to the above-listed exceptions shall be watered into the soil where the phosphorus can be immobilized and generally protected from loss by runoff. Fertilizer applied to impervious services, such as sidewalks, driveways and streets is to be removed by sweeping or other means immediately after fertilizer application is completed. Fertilizer is not to be applied to frozen soil, saturated soil or under conditions of impending heavy rainfall. The office of license, inspections and environmental protection shall be notified at least twenty-four (24) hours prior to the application of any lawn fertilizer containing phosphorus that such fertilizer will be used, the amount to be used and the reason for its application. (C.F. No. 01-1112, § 1, 12-5-01)

Source: City of Saint Paul, Minnesota, City Charter, Legislative Code and Administrative Code (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/mn/st._paul/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=PTIILECO_TITXXIXLI_CH377LAFEPEAPFetched: 11/1/2026