Cape Coral grapples with fertilizer rules to prevent water pollution

Cape Coral city council members walked gingerly around the tradeoff between lush green lawns and restrictions on nutrient-rich lawn care products as they grappled with potential changes to the city's fertilizer ordinance.

Ugly algae blooms in city canals has raised political and public consciousness of fertilizer pollution.

Council members held a workshop session last week on whether stricter regulation, including extending the current June to September ban on use of phosphorus and nitrogen as fertilizer, is needed.

Proposals would include banning the use of phosphorus and increasing a no-chemical zone near canals from 10 feet to 15 feet.