To be a landscaper in Sharon you need a permit

The official start of spring is in sight and thoughts will soon turn to gardens, lawns and all things green.

If you own a landscaping business operating in the Town of Sharon it is also time to apply for an annual permit.

The Board of Health passed a regulation in the fall of 2023 requiring landscapers to register and obtain a Landscape Operation Permit each year.

“I believe Sharon is one of the first in the area to adopt such regulations,” Assistant Town Engineer Kevin Davis said.                                   

The regulation protects public health, safety, welfare and the environment by requiring the proper application of potentially harmful plant nutrients, chemicals and pesticides.These materials can promote algae growth in water resources and pollute drinking water wells and waterways.

“The Board of Health passed the regulation last year to invest in lake quality,” Davis said. “Among its goals is to reduce nutrients in water.

“Algae growth is natural. However, the human addition of nutrients through lawn waste or septic discharge can exacerbate nutrient loading and cause harmful blue-green algae blooms, called cyanobacteria, to occur more often.”

Even if a landscaping business has the required state license to use pesticides, it must also have a Town of Sharon permit.

A permit costs $50 and it only takes a few minutes to fill out the online application at sharonma.viewpointcloud.com/categories/1081.

There is a $250 fine for failing to obtain a Landscape Operation Permit.

To view the regulation go to ecode360.com/SH3206/laws/LF1757227.pdf