Agenda 05/25/2021 Item #16A19 (County Manager's Review of CAC Proposal)05/25/2021
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Recommendation to accept the information and findings of the County Manager’s review of the Coastal
Advisory Committee’s proposed approach to addressing coastal water quality issues and direct staff to
work towards implementing the Coastal Advisory Committee’s recommendations.
OBJECTIVE: Continue to address recurring coastal water quality issues within Collier County.
CONSIDERATIONS: On October 27, 2020 the Collier County Board of County Commissioners
(Board) approved item 16.A.6 which recommended that staff review and research the guidance provided
by the Coastal Advisory Committee (CAC) and provide a report detailing any activities that are currently
underway, as well as options for implementing the remaining recommendations, including any associated
costs, to be considered by the Board at a future meeting.
The CAC made three recommendations as follows:
CAC Recommendation One - Improve compliance with the Fertilizer and Urban Landscaping
Ordinance. The CAC recommends that adequate/additional county resources be made available to
promote/enforce compliance with Ordinance No. 2019-18, the Fertilizer and Urban Landscaping
Ordinance which, if followed, would reduce nutrient levels in inland ponds and waterways leading to
coastal areas. The limited resources that are devoted to water quality issues preclude robust training and
enforcement. As such, the ordinance has little value, relying mostly on voluntary compliance from those
aware of the new rules. Even a modest increase in staff for training, inspection, and enforcement
purposes would, we believe, be beneficial.
The majority of existing activities geared toward improving Fertilizer Ordinance compliance are
education based. Examples of existing activities include maintenance of the www.dontoverfeed.com
website, geo-located Facebook ads, teaching Green Industry Best Management Practices classes that are
required for a fertilizer applicators license, and radio ads on Spanish and English speaking radio stations.
Currently there is no proactive enforcement of the fertilizer ordinance, as it is all complaint driven.
Pollution Control received eight fertilizer ordinance related complaints during FY 2020, most of which
were reported by staff; none were turned over to Code Enforcement for further action. Fertilizer
ordinance complaints are first addressed by Pollution Control who investigates and provides education.
Should there be ongoing violations of the same type by the same company or resident the violation would
be turned over to Code Enforcement. Increased compliance could be achieved through proactive
enforcement of the ordinance. Pollution Control Staff and Code Enforcement Staff will continue to work
together to identify opportunities for proactive enforcement, however legislation pending presentation to
the Governor may create limitations to some of these enhanced activities and therefore would also impact
requests for future resources.
CAC Recommendation Two - Form a working group to meet with lawn/landscape maintenance
companies that work in Collier County to ensure the necessary training and certification to comply with
the Fertilizer and Urban Landscaping Ordinance, and the understanding to adjust fertilizer levels when
using reclaimed water for irrigation. The CAC recommends the working group be composed of
knowledgeable representatives from responsible County departments to focus on the following tasks:
• Education about nutrient impacts from fertilizer.
• Education about nutrients in reclaimed water and reducing fertilizer use in areas served by
reclaimed water.
• Enforcement of the Fertilizer and Urban Landscaping and Collier County Water Pollution
Control and Prevention Ordinances.
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• Use of best management practices for landscape and lake management.
• The County Manager, or his designee, will assemble members of the group.
Recommendation Two is also generally focused on education. Existing activities for Recommendation
Two include quarterly reports emailed to Collier County Water-Sewer District reclaimed water customers
that detail the amount of nutrients in the reclaimed water with a reminder to use that information to reduce
fertilizer use; social media posts; and internal and external training.
Increased compliance with the Pollution Control Ordinance may be achieved through proactive
enforcement of the ordinance by identifying violations and implementing associated corrective actions.
However, like Recommendation 1, legislation pending presentation to the Governor may create
limitations to some of these enhanced activities and therefore would also impact requests for future
resources.
Options for addressing the remaining points of Recommendation Two include:
• One on one meetings/educational presentations with landscapers and fertilizer application
companies.
• Work one on one with HOAs/COAs for reclaimed water customers to ensure their contractors are
not using or significantly reducing the amount of fertilizer being used and that no irrigation water is
running off into the stormwater management system.
• Require customers that are applying for permits and/or business tax licenses to view an online
presentation and complete an acknowledgement about the Fertilizer and Pollution Control and
Prevention ordinances.
• Develop strategies to implement Florida Friendly Landscaping™ for new development and
redevelopment.
These program expansions will continue to be prioritized as additional resources become available or as
staff time allows.
CAC Recommendation Three - A recommendation as to the cost-benefit of installing Advanced
Wastewater Treatment to reduce nutrient levels in reclaimed water. Collier County does not use
Advanced Wastewater Treatment (AWT). The technology is well developed and could be adapted to
Collier County Water-Sewer District facilities. The question is whether the nutrient reduction would
justify the cost.
• The CAC recommends an investment/operating cost assessment be made. Adequate data may be
available to allow such an assessment without hiring an outside consultant.
• If such data are not available, the CAC recommends that a consultant study be undertaken to
evaluate the cost-benefit of installing such AWT for substantially reducing nutrient levels in
reclaimed water.
All Collier County Water-Sewer District (CCWSD) wastewater treatment facilities are operated and
maintained in accordance with Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) issued operating
permits and applicable Florida Administrative Codes (FAC). The CCWSD is moving towards AWT.
The designs for both the future Central County Water Reclamation Facility (Golden Gate City) and the
future Northeast County Water Reclamation Facility can be converted to AWT with minor process
modifications.
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At an estimated $204 million, immediate conversion of the North and South County Water Reclamation
Facilities to AWT is cost prohibitive. These facilities already produce irrigation quality or reuse water
effluent to a higher standard than conventional wastewater treatment plants. However, the CCWSD will
evaluate conversion to AWT based on existing asset life cycles as part of its master planning efforts.
FISCAL IMPACT: Resources and staffing will continue to be evaluated to support any future requests
associated with implementing Recommendations One and Two. Recommendation Three is being
addressed by future infrastructure improvements that are either programmed within the Water -Sewer
District capital program and budgets or will be evaluated through master planning efforts as discussed
above.
GROWTH MANAGEMENT IMPACT: The CAC Recommendations are consistent with the
applicable sections of the Stormwater Management and Conservation and Coastal Management elements
of the Collier County Growth Management Plan.
LEGAL CONSIDERATIONS: This item has been reviewed by the County Attorney, raises no legal
issues at this time and requires majority vote for any Board action. -JAK
RECOMMENDATION: To accept the information and findings of the County Manager’s review of the
Coastal Advsory Committee’s proposed approach to addressing coastal water quality issues and direct
staff to work towards implementing the Coastal Advsory Committee’s recommendtions.
Prepared by: Danette Kinaszczuk, Interim Director, Capital Project Planning, Impact Fees, and Program
Management Division
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COLLIER COUNTY
Board of County Commissioners
Item Number: 16.A.19
Doc ID: 15987
Item Summary: Recommendation to accept the information and findings of the County
Manager’s review of the Coastal Advisory Committee’s proposed approach to addressing coastal water
quality issues and direct staff to work towards implementing the Coastal Advisory Committee’s
recommendations.
Meeting Date: 05/25/2021
Prepared by:
Title: Sr. Operations Analyst – County Manager's Office
Name: Geoffrey Willig
05/19/2021 10:26 AM
Submitted by:
Title: Division Director - IF, CPP & PM – County Manager's Office
Name: Amy Patterson
05/19/2021 10:26 AM
Approved By:
Review:
Office of Management and Budget Debra Windsor Level 3 OMB Gatekeeper Review Completed 05/19/2021 10:40 AM
Office of Management and Budget Laura Zautcke Additional Reviewer Completed 05/19/2021 10:45 AM
County Attorney's Office Jeffrey A. Klatzkow Level 3 County Attorney's Office Review Completed 05/19/2021 11:32 AM
County Manager's Office Amy Patterson Level 4 County Manager Review Completed 05/19/2021 12:24 PM
Board of County Commissioners Geoffrey Willig Meeting Pending 05/25/2021 9:00 AM
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