(A) Timing of fertilizer application. No lawn fertilizer shall be applied when the ground is frozen and in no event during the period of November 15 through April 1 of the succeeding year.
(B) Impervious surfaces. Lawn fertilizer shall not be applied, spilled or otherwise deposited on any impervious surfaces. Any lawn fertilizer applied, spilled or deposited, either intentionally or accidentally, on impervious surface shall be immediately and completely picked up.
(C) Buffer zones. No lawn fertilizer shall be applied within any established wetland buffer zone or within 20 feet of the edge of any wetland, pond, river, creek or lake.
(D) Lawn fertilizer content and application rate. No lawn fertilizer containing any amount of phosphorus or other compounds containing phosphorus, such as phosphate shall be applied to any turf within the city except when the following conditions apply:
(1) Newly established turf areas for the turf's first growing season; or
(2) In turf areas which a soil test confirms that the turf area is below phosphorus levels established by the University of Minnesota Extension Service. The fertilizer to be applied shall not contain an amount of phosphorus that exceeds the amount of phosphorus and the appropriate application rate recommended in the soil test evaluation.
(E) Notice requirement. Retail businesses selling lawn fertilizer containing phosphorus shall post a notice in a conspicuous location near the lawn fertilizer notifying customers of the limitation on the use of lawn fertilizer containing phosphorous contained in this section.
(F) Violations. For the first 12 months following the effective date of this section, no penalty shall attach to its violation. Thereafter, a person violating any provision of this section shall be guilty of a petty misdemeanor and upon conviction shall be subject to the penalties imposed by Minnesota Statutes for petty misdemeanor offenses.
(Ord. 2-17-1217, passed 7-10-17)