§ 19-245. 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 administrator, or an administrative official of the county government designated by the county administrator 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 Marion County, Florida.

Board or governing board means the Board of County Commissioners of Marion 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 Marion County whose duty it is to enforce codes and ordinances enacted by Marion County.

Commercial fertilizer applicator means any person who applies fertilizer on turf and/or landscape plants in Marion County in exchange for money, goods, services or other valuable consideration.

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

Fertilizer means any substance or mixture of substances, except pesticide/fertilizer mixtures such as "weed and feed" products, that contains one 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.

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 noncommercial or 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 and managers 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 six (6) feet wide adjacent to water courses which is planted and managed in order to minimize the need for fertilization, watering, mowing, etc.

Pasture means land used for livestock grazing that is managed to provide feed value.

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.

Marion County approved Best Management Practices Training Program means a training program approved by the Marion County Administrator that includes at a minimum, the most current version of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection's "Florida Green Industries Best Management Practices for Protection of Water Resources in Florida, June 2002," as revised and any more stringent requirements set forth in this article.

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.

Specialized turf manager means a person responsible for fertilizing or directing the fertilization of a golf course or athletic field.

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

(Ord. No. 08-35, § 5, 11-4-2008)