HomeMy WebLinkAboutLegislation-SUBCity of Miami
Legislation
Resolution:
City Hall
3500 Pan American Drive
Miami, FL 33133
www.miamigov.com
File Number: 7906 Final Action Date:
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH ATTACHMENT(S),
URGING THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS AND THE FLORIDA
LEGISLATURE TO PROVIDE FUNDING TO ASSIST LOCAL GOVERNMENTS
WITH THE ELIMINATION OF SEPTIC SYSTEMS AND CONVERSION TO
SEWER SYSTEM CONNECTIONS; DIRECTING THE CITY MANAGER TO
INCLUDE THIS REQUEST AMONG THE CITY OF MIAMI'S FEDERAL AJDo
STATE LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES IN 2020 AND 2021 AND DIRECTINt Thy
CITY CLERK TO TRANSMIT A COPY OF THIS RESOLUTION TO THIOAI D
OFFICIALS LISTED HEREIN; PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE. :445A
SPONSOR(S): Commissioner Manolo Reyes
WHEREAS, the City of Miami ("City") is the largest and oldest municipality in l gni-N CD
Dade County and is the second largest city in the State of Florida; and ,�
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WHEREAS, septic systems are on -site sewage treatment and disposal systems that
treat wastewater from individual properties; and ° ,u
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WHEREAS, historically, many septic tanks were installed due to a lack of a centralized a A g
sewer systems available to service individual properties; and M Q 0
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WHEREAS, older regulations only required one (1) foot of soil under the septic tank to m w
allow for the filtration of liquid waste to the underlying aquifer; and in 1-
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WHEREAS, although current regulations in Miami -Dade County ("County") require two Y c
(2) feet of soil, that depth is often inadequate to allow for proper filtration without affecting W Q W
nearby water quality; and °p s
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WHEREAS, exacerbating this problem is that regulations and traditional engineering c Q
standards were historically premised on the fact that groundwater elevation would remain stable v, 2 W
over long periods of time; and x 0 N
WHEREAS, this premise has proven to be incorrect due to sea level rise, which is
degrading any protection of the septic systems in the City and County; and
WHEREAS, sea level rise, heavy rains, and king tides are negatively impacting many
low-lying septic tank systems and can push feces ridden water into the Biscayne Aquifer and
into the water supply thereby exacerbating an environmental and health concern as recently
evidenced with the large-scale fish kill in Biscayne Bay; and
WHEREAS, this seepage poses a threat to the public health, safety, and general welfare
of the residents of the City and County; and
City of Miami
Page 1 of 3 File ID: 7906 (Revision:) Printed On: 9/16/2020
7qo LqisJoas'oi Sue
File ID: 7906 Enactment Number:
WHEREAS, of the approximately 108,000 properties within the County that use septic
tanks, 105,000 of those are residential properties with more than 65,000 properties lying within
the unincorporated areas of the County and the remainder in municipalities; and
WHEREAS, according to the Miami -Dade Water and Sewer Department ("WASD"),
there are approximately 2,000 properties in the City without access to the sanitary sewer
system, with those properties depicted in teal in the map attached and incorporated as Exhibit
"A"; and
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WHEREAS, sea level rise poses a concern for septic systems because it acceteg�
water table rise, diminishes treatment capacity for drain fields, and results in elevatedt alelsq
ground water pollution; and -el-
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WHEREAS, legislative notice is taken of the November 2018 Report ("County Gorge <
presented to the Miami -Dade County Board of County Commissioners by the County'_-�a C"3
Department of Regulatory and Economic Resources, WASD, and the State of Florida's PSt1")
Department of Health which found that approximately half the septic tanks in the Countyreg
down each year which is expected to increase to 64% by 2040; and
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WHEREAS, the best way to address long term risks with rising groundwater levels is to 0 z 2
extend sewer connections to new and existing structures and prohibit or sharply reduce F 5 m
approvals for new septic systems in the County and in other vulnerable areas of the State; and I- a 0
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WHEREAS, the County Report estimated that the cost to connect the remaining m co 2
0 residential areas that do not have County or City water and/or sewer service that are within a a LL
certain proximity of wastewater infrastructure to the regional wastewater system would be t„ n O
approximately $3.3 billion; and z
WHEREAS, although the County may require property owners to connect to the sewer 2 -i x
system at the property owner's expense, such cost may be prohibitive, especially for residential G z I —
properties; and 0 O Z
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"IWHEREAS, the elimination of septic systems and conversion to sewer system 1 0
connections is not just a local issue but is a Federal and State level concern touching on public
health and water quality issues; and
WHEREAS, legislative notice is taken of County Resolution Nos. R-1160-19 adopted on
October 29, 2019 and R-881-20 adopted on August 31, 2020 urging the Florida Legislature to
assist the County and affected cities within the County in eliminating the septic systems and
replacing them with sewer system connections and to identify this issue as a federal and state
legislative funding priority; and
WHEREAS, the Florida Legislature included twenty-five million dollars ($25,000,000.00)
in funding for water quality improvement projects including septic to sewer grants and septic to
sewer conversions; and
WHEREAS, notwithstanding the Florida Legislature's action, this funding was vetoed
and is still needed to address these serious and worsening conditions relative to septic systems;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF
MIAMI, FLORIDA:
City of Miami Page 2 of 3 File ID: 7906 (Revision:) Printed on: 9/16/2020
File ID: 7906 Enactment Number:
Section 1. The recitals and finding contained in the Preamble to this Resolution are
adopted by reference and incorporated as if fully set forth in this Section.
Section 2. The City Commission urges the United States Congress and the Florida
Legislature to provide funding to assist local governments with the elimination of septic systems
and conversion to sewer system connections.
Section 3. The City Manager is directed to include this request among the City's Federal
and State legislative priorities in 2020 and 2021.
Section 4. The City Clerk is directed to submit a certified copy of this Resolution to the
County Mayor, Clerk to the Board of County Commissioners, President of the United States, the
Florida Congressional Delegation, the Governor of the State of Florida, United States Senate
President, House Speaker of the State, and the members of the Miami -Dade County Legislative
Delegation.
Section 5. This Resolution shall become effective immediately upon its adoption.
APPROVED AS TO FORM AND CORRECTNESS:
91 :ZI lid L I d3S OZOZ
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City of Miami Page 3 of 3 File ID: 7906 (Revision: ) Printed on: 9/16/2020
THIS DOCUMENT IS A SUBSTITUTION TO
ORIGINAL. BACKUP ORIGINAL CAN BE
SEEN AT THE END OF THIS DOCUMENT.
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City of Miami
Legislation
Resolution:
City Hall
3500 Pan Amer' . n Drive
Miami, F 3133
www.mi. igov.com
File Number: 7906 Fina Action Date:
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION URGING ' E UNITED
STATES CONGRESS AND THE FLORIDA LEGISLATURE T PROVIDE
FUNDING TO ASSIST LOCAL GOVERNMENTS WITH THE ' LIMINATION OF
SEPTIC SYSTEMS AND CONVERSION TO SEWER SYS M
CONNECTIONS; DIRECTING THE CITY MANAGER TO CLUDE THIS
REQUEST AMONG THE CITY OF MIAMI'S FEDERAL ND STATE
LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES IN 2020 AND 2021 AND r, RECTING THE CITY
CLERK TO TRANSMIT A COPY OF THIS RESOL ION TO THE NAMED
OFFICIALS LISTED HEREIN; PROVIDING AN E ECTIVE DATE.
SPONSOR(S): Commissioner Manolo Reyes
WHEREAS, the City of Miami ("City") is the lar
st and oldest municipality in Miami -
Dade County and is the second largest city in the St e of Florida; and
WHEREAS, septic systems are on -site s age treatment and disposal systems that
treat wastewater from individual properties; an
WHEREAS, historically, many septi
sewer systems available to service indivi
anks were installed due to a lack of a centralized
al properties; and
WHEREAS, older regulations ' ly required one (1) foot of soil under the septic tank to
allow for the filtration of liquid waste o the underlying aquifer; and
WHEREAS, although cu ent regulations in Miami -Dade County ("County") require two
(2) feet of soil, that depth is o n inadequate to allow for proper filtration without affecting
nearby water quality; and
WHEREAS, exa rbating this problem is that regulations and traditional engineering
standards were histori : Ily premised on the fact that groundwater elevation would remain stable
over long periods of ' e; and
WHERE . , this premise has proven to be incorrect due to sea level rise, which is
degrading any ' otection of the septic systems in the City and County; and
WH''EAS, sea level rise, heavy rains, and king tides are negatively impacting many
low-lying ptic tank systems and can push feces ridden water into the Biscayne Aquifer and
into the ater supply thereby exacerbating an environmental and health concern as recently
evide ed with the large-scale fish kill in Biscayne Bay; and
WHEREAS, this seepage poses a threat to the public health, safety, and general welfare
the residents of the City and County; and
City of Miami Page 1 of 3 File ID: 7906 (Revision:) Printed On: 9/17/2020
File ID: 7906
Enactment Number:
WHEREAS, of the approximately 108,000 properties within the County that use ptic
tanks, 105,000 of those are residential properties with more than 65,000 properties lyi : within
the unincorporated areas of the County and the remainder in municipalities; and
WHEREAS, sea level rise poses a concern for septic systems because it . celerates
water table rise, diminishes treatment capacity for drain fields, and results in ele ated levels of
ground water pollution; and
WHEREAS, legislative notice is taken of the November 2018 Repo- ("County Report")
presented to the Miami -Dade County Board of County Commissioners b he County's
Department of Regulatory and Economic Resources, the County's Wa • and Sewer
Department, and the State of Florida's ("State") Department of Healt hich found that
approximately half the septic tanks in the County break down each -ar which is expected to
increase to 64% by 2040; and
WHEREAS, the best way to address long term risks wi rising groundwater levels is to
extend sewer connections to new and existing structures an prohibit or sharply reduce
approvals for new septic systems in the County and in oth: vulnerable areas of the State; and
WHEREAS, the County Report estimated that t - cost to connect the remaining
residential areas that do not have County or City wat= and/or sewer service that are within a
certain proximity of wastewater infrastructure to the -gional wastewater system would be
approximately $3.3 billion; and
WHEREAS, although the County may
system at the property owner's expense, su
properties; and
quire property owners to connect to the sewer
cost may be prohibitive, especially for residential
WHEREAS, the elimination of s- •tic systems and conversion to sewer system
connections is not just a local issue b is a Federal and State level concern touching on public
health and water quality issues; an
WHEREAS, legislative n ' ice is taken of County Resolution Nos. R-1160-19 adopted on
October 29, 2019 and R-881- adopted on August 31, 2020 urging the Florida Legislature to
assist the County and affect: • cities within the County in eliminating the septic systems and
replacing them with sewer - stem connections and to identify this issue as a federal and state
legislative funding priori and
WHEREAS, t Florida Legislature included twenty-five million dollars ($25,000,000.00)
in funding for water uality improvement projects including septic to sewer grants and septic to
sewer conversion-, and
WHEREAS, notwithstanding the Florida Legislature's action, this funding was vetoed
and is still n- ded to address these serious and worsening conditions relative to septic systems;
, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF
MIAMI, ' LORIDA:
Section 1. The recitals and finding contained in the Preamble to this Resolution are
pted by reference and incorporated as if fully set forth in this Section.
SUBSTITUTED
City of Miami
Page 2 of 3 File ID: 7906 (Revision:) Printed on: 9/17/2020
File ID: 7906
Enactment Number:
Section 2. The City Commission urges the United States Congress and the
Legislature to provide funding to assist local governments with the elimination of se
and conversion to sewer system connections.
F 'rida
c systems
Section 3. The City Manager is directed to include this request among e City's Federal
and State legislative priorities in 2020 and 2021.
Section 4. The City Clerk is directed to submit a certified copy of is Resolution to the
County Mayor, Clerk to the Board of County Commissioners, President •f the United States, the
Florida Congressional Delegation, the Governor of the State of Florid-, United States Senate
President, House Speaker of the State, and the members of the Mi- i-Dade County Legislative
Delegation.
Section 5. This Resolution shall become effective imm
APPROVED AS TO FORM AND CORRECTNESS:
dez, i y ttor ey 9/15/2020
lately upon its adoption.
City of Miami
Page 3 of 3
File ID: 7906 (Revision:) Printed on: 9/17/2020