HomeMy WebLinkAboutMemo - Designated PropertiesCITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA
INTER -OFFICE MEMORANDUM
TO: Daniel J. Alfonso
City Manager
DATE: June 13, 2014 FILE:
SUBJECT: Findings to Designate Select City of
Miami Parks as Brownfield Sites
FROM: Mark Spanioli, P.E., irectoREFERENCES:
Capital Improvements and
Transportation Program ENCLOSURES: Property Locations
This memorandum respectfully requests your approval and adoption of the below described findings to
authorize designating six (6) City parks that are located outside of the City of Miami existing Brownfield
Area, as Brownfield Sites. The City has conducted environmental status evaluations at 112 parks located
within our jurisdiction due to contamination discovery at Blanche Park while implementing soil testing
within a 1-mile radius of the former City Incinerator #2 that operated in Coconut Grove located at 3900
Thomas Ave, which is currently the Grove Fire Rescue Training Center. During the environmental status
evaluation via visual park inspections, historical aerial photographs, and viewing archived City files;
several locations were suspected of former landfill operations prior to conversion into parks.
Following the initial environmental status evaluation, the soil was tested at each of the parks of concern
which resulted in confirmation of eight (8) City parks containing a combination of solid waste debris and
heavy metals at levels that exceed the Miami -Dade Cleanup Target Levels for the Residential Threshold
(residential threshold for parks is due to children's potential exposure to the soil). Per the requirements of
Florida Administrative Code (F.A.C.) 62-780, the City is required to remedy environmental hazards on any
property that it owns. The location and name of the parks tested with confirmation of solid waste debris
and heavy metals contamination are as follows;
Outside of the existing City of Miami Designated Brownfield Area
3045 Shipping Avenue (Blanche Park)
2795 SW 37th Avenue (Douglas Park)
3400 Grand Avenue (Billy Rolle Park)
3349 Pan American Drive (Site of Future Regatta Park)
4355 SW 42nd Avenue (Merrie Christmas Park)
140-142 SW 11th Street (Southside Park)
Within the existing City of Miami Designated Brownfield Area
1901 NW 24th Avenue (Curtis Park)
301 Biscayne Boulevard (Bayfront Park)
FINDINGS
As of the date of this memo, Blanche Park is currently under remediation, Merrie Christmas Park is in the
pre-remediation phase, and the remaining are either undergoing or concluding a thorough environmental
assessment by testing of the soil and groundwater. The City of Miami intends to remediate each park
with confirmed environmental contamination per requirements listed within F.A.C. 62-780. Each park
remediated will be restored to its original form, and will remain as a park upon completion of the work.
Brownfields are typically associated with property that has a combination of environmental issues and
redevelopment potential. Although there will be no redevelopment component in these instances, the
City intends to; 1.) Designate each of the six (6) parks affected and not currently in the City Designated
Brownfield Area, as a Brownfield Site; 2.) Enter into a Brownfield Site Rehabilitation Agreement with the
Miami -Dade Department of Environmental Resources Management (DERM) for all eight (8) parks and; 3.)
Upon successful remediation, apply for Voluntary Cleanup Tax Credits for the purpose of sale or transfer
of the credit as allowed per Florida Statute 220.1845.
The City of Miami currently owns each City park. Dating back to as early as the 1930's, residual
incinerator ash was deposited on parcels of land throughout Dade County, some of which were converted
into City parks. The City of Miami owned the parcels of land in which the eight (8) City parks are located
at the time of this practice. This activity predated today's environmental laws, however currently Florida
Statute 376.80 imposes strict liability on any owner of a contaminated site. According to Florida Statute
376.82; any person who has not caused or contributed to the contamination of a Brownfield Site on or
after July 1, 1997, is eligible to participate in the brownfield program established in ss. 376.77-376.85.
The contamination discovered at each park was deposited prior to 1997, therefore the City would be
eligible to claim Voluntary Cleanup Tax Credits on each property, given that they are designated
Brownfield Sites, and that each has undergone remediation following the guidelines in F.A.C. 62-780.
Upon successful remediation, and issuance of a Site Rehabilitation Completion Order from the Florida
Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP), a maximum of $500,000 can be claimed on each
property; and the credits may be sold or transferred in units of not less than 25% of the remaining credit.
Unused credits may be carried forward for up to five (5) tax years.
The City has determined that designation of these properties as Brownfield Sites coupled with the
cleanup would be of future benefit for the purpose of recouping a portion of the overall costs that will be
expended to investigate and remediate these sites, which will total several millions of dollars.
Your signature below will indicate your concurrence with the above recommendation and acceptance of
these findings as your own justification for designating these six (6) park properties as Brownfield Sites
for the purpose of the sale or transfer of future Voluntary Cleanup Tax Credits that will be applied for and
issued for each property individ ally.
Approved b
Daniel J. Alfo
City Manager
Date:
$09° /!
Cc: Alice Bravo, P.E., Deputy City Manager/Chief of Infrastructure
Victoria Mendez, City Attorney
Mark Spanioli, P.E., Director, Capital Improvements and Transportation Program
Stanley Motley, Director, Parks and Recreation Department
CITY OF MIAMI PARKS BROWNFIELD DESIGNATION
PROPERTIES
BLANCHE PARK
Property Highlighted in Red: 3045 Shipping Avenue (Blanche Park); Folio: 01-4121-019-0030
DOUGLAS PARK
Property Highlighted in Red: 2795 SW 37 Avenue (Douglas Park); Folio: 01-4116-000-0220
BILLY ROLLE PARK
Property Highlighted in Red: 3400 Grand Avenue (Billy Rolle Park); Folio: 01-4121-007-4620
FUTURE REGATTA PARK
Property Highlighted in Red: 3349 Pan American Drive (Future Regatta Park) Folio: 01-4122-002-0010
MERRIE CHRISTMAS PARK
Property Highlighted in Red: 4355 SW 42 Avenue (Merrie Christmas Park) Folio: 01-4129-000-0150
$
• APOPile-
BARBAR.OSSAAVE
•
1
SOUTHSIDE PARK
Property Highlighted in Red: 140-142 SW 11 Street (Southside Park); Folio: 01-0208-050-1010