After overwhelming approval at Town Meeting, unanimous approval by the Cape Cod Commission and approval by the Attorney General, the Town of Mashpee has now added lawn fertilizer regulations to the Town Code. These regulations strongly recommend that only one to two pounds of nitrogen be applied per 1,000 square feet of lawn area. Phosphorus in lawn fertilizers should only be applied on new lawns or lawns where a soil test indicates a real need.
This Nitrogen Control Bylaw, Chapter 107 of the Town Code, as initially passed, includes the following performance standards that anyone who fertilizes their lawn areas must abide by:
- Nitrogen fertilizer cannot be applied between October 30th and April 14th of each year.
- Any fertilizer applied to impervious surfaces, such as roads, driveways, sidewalks and parking lots, must completely remove all of the fertilizer applied to that surface.
- No applications of fertilizer are allowed within 24 hours of a heavy rain event or on soils that are saturated with water.
- No applications of nitrogen fertilizer within 100 feet of a waterway. If there is a 50-foot wide naturally vegetated buffer strip, fertilizer can be applied up to that 500-buffer zone.
Violators are subject to fines for multiple offenses. To see the complete Bylaw, including modifications since it was first passed, go to https://www.mashpeema.gov.