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HomeMy WebLinkAboutClimate Resilience Committee ReportCite of j.iacmi, jftoribac coy Wayne Pathman CHAIR IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII 4"214IENGt.G January 13, 2023 Mr. Arthur Noriega, City Manager City of Miami 3500 Pan American Drive Miami, FL 33133 Re: 2022 Climate Resilience Committee Annual Report Dear Mr. Noriega, City of Miami CLIMATE RESILIENCE COMMITTEE 2022 was the 7th year the Climate Resilience Committee (formerly the Sea Level Rise Committee) has served as the City of Miami's advisory board on climate change threats and solutions; it was created in 2016. I have served on the Committee since its inception and am happy to have been re-elected as the Chair to help steer the Committee towards greater service to the City. The Committee currently has two vacancies, District 1 appointment (formerly held by Jose Regalado, resigned May 2, 2022) and At -Large appointment (formerly held by Amy Clement, resigned January 9, 2023). We encourage the Commission to make timely appointments and fill the existing vacancies so we can be most effective. Section 1: Is the board serving the purpose for which it was created? The Committee continues to serve the purpose for which it was created and as outlined in City Ordinance No. 13640. This mandate was updated in 2019, from the original Sea Level Rise Committee language, to broaden the Committee's purview to climate resilience and taking on the responsibilities of the former Waterfront Advisory Board. In 2022, the Committee held eight regular meetings. In addition, five workshops were held on the following topics: Committee business, planning session on Committee priorities, Waterfront Advisory criteria, Back Bay Study, and the Stormwater Master Plan. The Committee put forth four legislative items that were discussed at Commission and heard presentations on four waterfront projects. To better meet the Committee's Waterfront Advisory Board duties, Committee members are in the process of developing a criteria to review projects and provide more consistent feedback for city -owned waterfront projects. However, the Committee could be more effective and better serve the City if there was more input from staff and resources. 1 Section 2: Is the board serving current community needs? Yes, I believe the Committee is serving and responsive to current community needs in addressing the complex and intersectional challenges associated with climate resilience including: the built environment and building, planning and zoning considerations; transportation and mobility; the natural environment and ecological health; public health; hurricane preparedness and recovery planning; social equity considerations; applicable state and federal regulatory landscapes; and economic- related impacts and considerations. We are exploring options and ideas on how to increase public input and awareness of the Committee and its role. In the past, prior to COVID, we would hold meetings in different City neighborhoods (well - attended) to gain insight from diverse communities and the Committee hopes to resume this practice in the corning year. Section 3: What are the board's major accomplishments? The following highlights some of the Committee's major accomplishments during the reporting period: • Youth Representation on CRC o City Ordinance No. 14067 passed unanimously on April 14, 2022, requiring that at least two (2) members shall be eighteen to twenty-five (18 — 25) years of age and possess a strong interest in and background or education in climate resilience including but not limited to impacts on infrastructure, water supply and quality, ecosystem health, housing, socioeconomics, or advocacy for vulnerable low-income communities. o AN ORDINANCE OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION AMENDING CHAPTER 2/ARTICLE XI/DIVISION 18/SECTION 2-1272 OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA, AS AMENDED, TITLED "ADMINISTRATION/BOARDS, COMMITTEES, COMMISSIONS/CLIMATE RESILIENCE COMMITTEE/COMPOSITION; APPOINTMENT AND TERMS OF OFFICE OF MEMBERS; FILLING OF VACANCIES," TO REQUIRE AT LEAST TWO (2) MEMBERS BE CITY OF MIAMI RESIDENTS FROM THE YOUTH POPULATION OF EIGHTEEN TO TWENTY-FIVE (18 — 25) YEARS OLD WITH A STRONG INTEREST AND BACKGROUND OR EDUCATION IN CLIMATE RESILIENCE; CONTAINING A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE; AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE. o This ordinance was catalyzed by public engagement with the Committee and interest in creating a permanent spot for youth voices within the Committee. • Stormwater Capital Improvements Resolution o Resolution R-22-0419 adopted unanimously on October 27, 2022. o A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION DIRECTING THE CITY MANAGER TO ADOPT A POLICY TO REQUIRE CITY OF MIAMI ("CITY") CAPITAL PROJECTS THAT ADDRESS STORMWATER MANAGEMENT OR FLOOD MITIGATION TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION AND ADDRESS, AS APPROPRIATE AND AS REASONABLY FEASIBLE, HEAT MITIGATION, HEAT AND STORMWATER MONITORING, GREENHOUSE GAS REDUCTION, AND FUTURE MOBILITY WITH AN EMPHASIS ON NON -CARBON -EMITTING MODES OF TRANSPORTATION; FURTHER, IN ORDER TO IMPLEMENT THIS POLICY, DIRECTING THE CITY MANAGER TO REQUIRE THE FOLLOWING 2 FOR APPROPRIATE CITY CAPITAL PROJECTS: THAT NATURE-BASED/LOW- IMPACT DEVELOPMENT BE INCORPORATED IN THE SCOPE OF WORK ("SOW"), THAT A LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT WITH NATURE -BASED INFRASTRUCTURE EXPERIENCE AND PERSONNEL WITH ADAPTATION PLANNING EXPERIENCE BE INCLUDED IN THE PERSONNEL QUALIFICATION SECTION OF THE SOW, AND THAT WATERFRONT EDGE DESIGN GUIDELINES ("WEDG") AND ENVISION CERTIFICATION GUIDELINES BE CONSIDERED IN CITY CAPITAL PROJECT DESIGN. o City staff worked with former Committee Co -Chair Amy Clement on implementation. • Back Bay Study input and workshop • Peril of Flood input • Workshop with Miami Forever Bond Committee on Stormwater Master Plan priority projects • Exercise of Waterfront Advisory Board duties o Hyatt Redevelopment Presentation o Wharf Exception presentation o Virginia Key (Marine Stadium) Boat Ramp presentation o Waterfront Resilience Public Benefits • Input on Miami -Dade County Extreme Heat Action Plan o Provided by Amy Clement and Nkosi Muse Section 4: Is there any other board, either public or private, which would better serve the function of the board? Currently, no. The Climate Resilience Committee is the only board charged with the specific responsibility of helping the City better combat and plan for the deleterious effects of climate change and sea level rise as well as the responsibility to review and evaluate issues related to the use, disposition, and/or development of city -owned waterfront property and shall provide advice to the city commission concerning those issues and only such other matters as are referred to it by the city commission in regard to city or public land abutting water. If the Committee had more resources, funding, and interaction with City administration, they could better serve the purpose for which the Committee was created. The Committee continues to recognize the need for increased collaboration on overlapping issues with other boards including but not limited to the; Downtown Development Authority, Historic and Environmental Preservation Board, Parks and Recreation Advisory Board, Planning & Zoning and Appeals Board, Urban Development Review Board, Virginia Key Advisory Board, and the Miami Forever Bond Citizen's Oversight Committee. When applicable to informing its information gathering processes, the Climate Resilience Committee will host members of these boards and also participate in their hearings as requested/needed. Privately, the Committee utilizes the expertise of Urban Land Institute. Section 5: Should the ordinance creating the board be amended to better enable the board to serve the purpose for which it was created? The powers and duties of the Climate Resilience Committee are documented in Chapter 2, Article XI, Division 18 of the City of Miami Code of Ordinances. 3 We are interested in the following updates to the Climate Resilience Committee ordinance: • Update to Sec. 2-1272(a)(7), criteria for youth membership o Removal of "possess strong interest in" o Removal of city resident requirement • Language indicating that the City should better integrate feedback of CRC into the process of developing climate related projects and legislation • Definition of"city-owned waterfront property" to clarify which projects should come before the Committee for review • Language indicating the process and sequence by which city -owned waterfront projects are presented to the Climate Resilience Committee The City Code gives the Committee the following powers and we hope to work with the City administration to better exercise these powers in 2023: • Ability to create and submit a budget Section 6: Should the board's membership requirements be modified? Yes. Currently, the Committee still needs to appoint two youth members to meet the requirements stated in the City Code. We recommend the following updates and clarification to the youth member requirement: • Youth members are only types of members required to be City residents and this has created challenges in appointing youth members to the Committee. All other members have more flexible membership qualifications: "shall be city residents, work in the city, own a business in the city, or own real property in the city." We request that the City resident requirement is removed from the ordinance. • Clarify that youth members need to meet this requirement at the time of their appointment and do not need to meet the age requirement throughout their entire service. In addition, we would like to see vacancies filled within 60 days. Section 7: The cost, both direct and indirect, or maintaining the board • Currently a liaison from the Office of Resilience and Sustainability and an Assistant City Attorney have been assigned to provide administrative and legal support to the Committee. • The committee would appreciate the Manager's office assisting the committee in a budget request (funding)to be presented to the city commission. 4 Should you need further infoiuiation, please contact our board liaison, Miriam Flores with the Office of Resilience and Sustainability. Sincerely, Wayne Pathman Chair cc: Dr. Amy Clement, Vice -Chair Rodrigo Bilbao, Committee Member Reinaldo Borges, Committee Member Aaron DeMayo, Committee Member Avra Jain, Committee Member Nkosi Muse, Committee Member Chief Adrian Plasencia, Committee Member Todd Hannon, City Clerk Nicole Ewan, Assistant City Clerk Sonia Brubaker, Chief Resilience Officer Amber L. Ketterer, Assistant City Attorney Miriam Flores, Special Projects Coordinator 5