§ 9-83. Definitions.

For this article, the following terms shall have the meanings set forth in this section unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

Administrator means the county manager, or an administrative official of the county government designated by the county manager to administer and enforce the provisions of this article.

Application or apply means the actual physical deposit of fertilizer to turf or landscape plants.

Applicator means any person who applies fertilizer on turf and/or landscape plants in the county.

Board or governing board means the board of county commissioners of Osceola County, Florida.

Best Management Practices means turf and landscape practices or combination of practices based on research, field-testing, and expert review, determined to be the most effective and practicable on-location means, including economic and technological considerations, for improving water quality, conserving water supplies and protecting natural resources.

Code enforcement officer, official, or inspector means any designated employee or agent of the county whose duty it is to enforce codes and ordinances enacted by the county.

Commercial fertilizer applicator, except as provided in F.S. § 482.1562(9), means any person who applies fertilizer for payment or other consideration to property not owned by the person or firm applying the fertilizer or the employer of the applicator.

Fertilize, fertilizing, or fertilization means the act of applying fertilizer to turf, specialized turf, or landscape plants.

Fertilizer means any substance or mixture of substances that contains one (1) or more recognized plant nutrients and promotes plant growth, or controls soil acidity or alkalinity, or provides other soil enrichment, or provides other corrective measures to the soil. For the purposes of this article, the term fertilizer does not include unmanipulated vegetable manures, peat, or compost which make no claims as described in the preceding sentence.

Guaranteed analysis means the percentage of plant nutrients or measures of neutralizing capability claimed to be present in a fertilizer.

Institutional applicator means any person, other than a private, non-commercial or a commercial applicator (unless such definitions also apply under the circumstances), that applies fertilizer for the purpose of maintaining turf and/or landscape plants. Institutional applicators shall include, but shall not be limited to, owners, managers or employees of public lands, schools, parks, religious institutions, utilities, industrial or business sites and any residential properties maintained in condominium and/or common ownership.

Landscape plant means any native or exotic tree, shrub, or groundcover (excluding turf).

Low maintenance zone means an area a minimum of ten (10) feet wide adjacent to water courses which is planted and managed in order to minimize the need for fertilization, watering, mowing, etc.

Person means any natural person, business, corporation, limited liability company, partnership, limited partnership, association, club, organization, and/or any group of people acting as an organized entity.

Prohibited application period means the time period during which a flood watch or warning, or a tropical storm watch or warning, or a hurricane watch or warning is in effect for any portion of the county, issued by the National Weather Service, or if heavy rain is likely.

Osceola County Approved Best Management Practices Training Program means a training program approved per F.S. § 403.9338, or any more stringent requirements set forth in this article that includes the most current version of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection's Florida-Friendly Best Management Practices for Protection of Water Resources by the Green Industries as revised, and approved by the administrator.

Saturated soil means a soil in which the voids are filled with water. Saturation does not require flow. For the purposes of this article, soils shall be considered saturated if standing water is present or the pressure of a person standing on the soil causes the release of free water.

Slow release, controlled release, timed release, slowly available, or water insoluble nitrogen means nitrogen in a form which delays its availability for plant uptake and use after application, or which extends its availability to the plant longer than a reference rapid or quick release product.

Turf, sod, or lawn means a piece of grass-covered soil held together by the roots of the grass.

Urban landscape means pervious areas on residential, commercial, industrial, institutional, highway rights-of-way, or other nonagricultural lands that are planted with turf or horticultural plants. For the purposes of this section, agriculture has the same meaning as in F.S. § 570.02.

(Ord. No. 2015-05, § 2, 1-12-15)