HomeMy WebLinkAboutExhibit ACity of Miami
Legislation
Resolution: R-20-0232
City Hall
3500 Pan American Drive
Miami, FL 33133
www.miamigov.com
File Number: 7661 Final Action Date: 7/23/2020
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION DIRECTING THE CITY
MANAGER TO PROVIDE THE CITY OF MIAMI'S ("CITY'S") REQUESTS AND
RECOMMENDATIONS GIVEN AT THE JULY 9, 2020 AND JULY 23, 2020 CITY
COMMISSION MEETINGS AS COMMENTS TO THE UNITED STATES ARMY
CORPS OF ENGINEERS' ("ARMY CORPS") MIAMI-DADE BACK BAY
COASTAL STORM RISK MANAGEMENT DRAFT INTEGRATED FEASIBILITY
REPORT AND PROGRAMMATIC ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT
AS PART OF THE ARMY CORPS' MIAMI-DADE BACK BAY COASTAL STORM
RISK MANAGEMENT FEASIBILITY STUDY, AS WELL AS ANY
RECOMMENDATIONS, COMMENTS, OR CONCERNS FORMULATED BY THE
CITY'S ADMINISTRATION.
SPONSOR(S): Commissioner Ken Russell
WHEREAS, the United States Army Corps of Engineers ("Army Corps") has invited
comment for its "Miami -Dade Back Bay Coastal Storm Risk Management Draft Integrated
Feasibility Report and Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement" ("Draft Report") as part
of the Army Corps' "Miami -Dade Back Bay Coastal Storm Risk Management Feasibility Study"
("Back Bay Study"); and
WHEREAS, the Draft Report contemplates a variety of improvements to "address
coastal storm surge and flood risk to vulnerable populations, property, ecosystems, and
infrastructure along the coast" of Miami -Dade County from Cutler Bay to Miami Shores including
the coastal portion of the City of Miami ("City"); and
WHEREAS, the Draft Report contemplates moveable storm surge barriers at the mouth
of the Miami River and in the Little River at its intersection of Biscayne Boulevard; and
WHEREAS, the Draft Report further contemplates a series of floodwalls adjacent to
storm surge barriers in order to avoid overland flooding from storm surge; and
WHEREAS, on July 9, 2020, the Army Corps presented the Draft Report and its findings
to the City Commission; and
WHEREAS, the City Commission offered comments and concerns regarding the Draft
Report's recommendations causing negative impacts on the City's coastal neighborhoods,
including to the City's Baywalk system; and
WHEREAS, the City has been planning and completing the Baywalk as an active
recreational space but also as a measure to mitigate storm surge and sea level rise as well as
to assist with absorbing stormwater; and
WHEREAS, the Army Corps' representative indicated that such comments are not
automatically incorporated into the official comments on the Draft Report; and
City of Miami Page 1 of 3 File ID: 7661 (Revision: A) Printed On: 8/26/2020
File ID: 7661 Enactment Number: R-20-0232
WHEREAS, the City Commission wishes to formalize its concerns and
recommendations related to the Back Bay Study, which include:
1. Potential to construct the City's Baywalk system along the new floodwalls at
the water's edge;
2. A preference for using State sovereign submerged land over private land or
City parks for any pumps associated with storm surge barriers;
3. Minimize impacts to bayfront views within the City;
4. Reconstruction of the Brickell Key Bridge to allow residents to retain access
to/from Brickell Key when any surge barrier or gate is closed;
5. Undertaking preemptive measures to protect environmental resources during
construction, including the prevention of silting of underwater corals and
grasses as well as fully mitigate negative impacts to said environmental
resources;
6. Requiring any wall north of the Miami River to be east of the City's parks and
museums to be consistent with the alignment in Brickell which is coterminous
with the current shoreline;
7. Providing natural solutions (such as planting of mangroves) in connection
with hard infrastructure to mask appearance of the same;
8. Requiring that the Army Corps work in conjunction with the City to design
floodwalls and other infrastructure in a manner that would allow for
construction of the City's Baywalk system adjacent to the water's edge with
such features being considered the City's locally preferred plan;
9. Providing that any filled land between current seawalls and any new
floodwalls provide for the ability to plant native plant species to mitigate storm
surge and wind and enhance the Baywalk;
10 Redesigning impacted stormwater outfalls and associated infrastructure in a
manner that maximizes stormwater capacity in an environmentally sensitive
manner; and
11. Account for access to the water by the general public; and
WHEREAS, August 19, 2020 is the deadline to offer comments on the Draft Report; and
WHEREAS, in addition to the City Commission's concerns, the City Commission wishes
to allow the City's Administration with subject matter expertise to add any other pertinent
comments on the Draft Report and Back Bay Study;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF
MIAMI, FLORIDA:
Section 1. The recitals and findings set forth in the Preamble to this Resolution are
hereby adopted by reference thereto and incorporated herein as if fully set forth in this Section.
Section 2. The City Manager is directed to provide the City Commission's requests and
recommendations given at the July 9, 2020 and July 23, 2020 City Commission meetings as
comments to the Army Corps' Draft Report for the Back Bay Study as well as any
recommendations, comments, or concerns formulated by the City's Administration.
Section 3. The City Manager is further directed to transmit any comments regarding the
Back Bay Study from the Miami Downtown Development Authority of the City of Miami, Florida
to the Army Corps.
City of Miami Page 2 of 3 File ID: 7661 (Revision: A) Printed on: 8/26/2020
File ID: 7661 Enactment Number: R-20-0232
Section 4. The Resolution shall become effective immediately upon its adoption.
APPROVED AS TO FORM AND CORRECTNESS:
ndez, City ttor ey 8/7/2020
City of Miami Page 3 of 3 File ID: 7661 (Revision: A) Printed on: 8/26/2020