HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda Item Summary FormAGENDA ITEM SUMMARY FORM
File ID: #18708
Date: 12/26/2025
Commission Meeting Date: 04/09/2026
Type: Ordinance
Subject: Amend Code - Chapter 20 -
Drainage Re -Certification Guidelines
Requesting Department: Department of
Building
Sponsored By: Christine King
District Impacted: All
PURPOSE OF ITEM:
AN ORDINANCE BY THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION AMENDING CHAPTER 20 OF
THE CODE OF THE CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA, AS AMENDED ("CITY CODE"),
TITLED "FLOOD DAMAGE PREVENTION," PROVIDING GUIDELINES AND
TIMELINES FOR RE -CERTIFICATION OF EXISTING DRAINAGE SYSTEMS,
ESTABLISHING REPORTING CRITERIA FOR COMPLIANCE, AND ALIGNING
DRAINAGE RECERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS WITH THE CITY'S BUILDING
RECERTIFICATION PROGRAM; CONTAINING A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE; AND
PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
The City of Miami ("City") is increasingly vulnerable to flooding, sea level rise, and
extreme weather events, making the proper operation and maintenance of drainage
systems essential to public safety and flood damage prevention.
Chapter 20 of the Code of the City of Miami, Florida, as amended ("City Code"),
governs flood damage prevention and includes requirements related to drainage
systems in both special flood hazard areas and nonspecial flood hazard areas.
The City Commission adopted amendments to Chapter 20 under Ordinance No. 14295
on July 11, 2024, including drainage system re -certification requirements, and further
clarification is necessary to ensure consistent understanding and implementation by
property owners and certifying professionals.
The establishment of clear reporting criteria, standardized documentation, and defined
timelines will improve compliance and administrative efficiency and ensure reliable
evaluation of existing drainage systems.
Aligning drainage re -certification requirements with the City's Building Recertification
Program —including phased timelines based on system age, standardized inspection
protocols, and equivalent review fees —will promote consistency, clarity, and long-term
infrastructure planning.
These amendments advance the City's flood resilience and climate adaptation
objectives while protecting public health, safety, and welfare.
Budget Impact Analysis
City of Miami File ID: 18708 (Revision: B) Printed On: 4/20/2026
Item is Related to Revenue
Item is NOT an Expenditure
Item is NOT funded by Bonds
Total Fiscal Impact:
N/A
City Commission
Department of Building
Office of Management and Budget
Office of Management and Budget
City Manager's Office
Legislative Division
Office of the City Attorney
City Manager's Office
Office of the City Attorney
Office of the City Attorney
City Commission
City Commission
Reviewed B
Teri Samuels
Eduardo Santamaria
Fred Pericles
Leon P Michel
Asael Marrero
Valentin J Alvarez
Angelica knight
Natasha Colebrook -Williams
Xavier Alban
George K. Wysong III
Teri Samuels
Nicole Ewan
Meeting Completed
Department Head Review Completed
Budget Analyst Review Completed
Budget Review Completed
Assistance City Manager Review Completed
Legislative Division Review Completed
ACA Review Completed
Approved on behalf of the City Manager
Deputy Attorney Review Completed
Approved Form and Correctness
Meeting
Meeting
Completed
Completed
Completed
02/26/2026 9:00 AM
02/27/2026 2:25 PM
02/28/2026 8:37 PM
03/01/2026 2:25 PM
03/02/2026 2:20 PM
03/02/2026 2:39 PM
03/02/2026 4:30 PM
Completed
03/03/2026 11:22 AM
03/03/2026 3:04 PM
03/12/2026 9:00 AM
04/09/2026 9:00 AM
City of Miami File ID: 18708 (Revision: B) Printed On: 4/20/2026
City of Miami
Legislation
Ordinance
Enactment Number
City Hall
3500 Pan American Drive
Miami, FL 33133
www.miamigov.com
File Number: 18708 Final Action Date: 4/9/2026
AN ORDINANCE OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION AMENDING
CHAPTER 20 OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA, AS
AMENDED ("CITY CODE"), TITLED "FLOOD DAMAGE PREVENTION,"
PROVIDING GUIDELINES AND TIMELINES FOR RE -CERTIFICATION OF
EXISTING DRAINAGE SYSTEMS, PROVIDING A FEE FOR THE RE-
CERTIFICATION REVIEW, ESTABLISHING REPORTING CRITERIA FOR
COMPLIANCE, AND ALIGNING DRAINAGE RECERTIFICATION
REQUIREMENTS WITH THE CITY'S BUILDING RECERTIFICATION
PROGRAM; CONTAINING A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE; AND PROVIDING
FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
WHEREAS, the City of Miami ("City") is increasingly vulnerable to flooding, sea level
rise, and extreme weather events, making the proper operation and maintenance of drainage
systems essential to public safety and flood damage prevention; and
WHEREAS, Chapter 20 of the Code of the City of Miami, Florida, as amended ("City
Code"), governs flood damage prevention and includes requirements related to drainage
systems in both special flood hazard areas and nonspecial flood hazard areas; and
WHEREAS, the City Commission adopted amendments to Chapter 20 under Ordinance
No. 14295 on July 11, 2024, including drainage system re -certification requirements, and further
clarification is necessary to ensure consistent understanding and implementation by property
owners and certifying professionals; and
WHEREAS, the establishment of clear reporting criteria, standardized documentation,
and defined timelines will improve compliance and administrative efficiency and ensure reliable
evaluation of existing drainage systems; and
WHEREAS, aligning drainage re -certification requirements with the City's Building
Recertification Program —including phased timelines based on system age, standardized
inspection protocols, and equivalent review fees —will promote consistency, clarity, and long-
term infrastructure planning; and
WHEREAS, these amendments advance the City's flood resilience and climate
adaptation objectives while protecting public health, safety, and welfare.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF MIAMI,
FLORIDA:
Section 1. The recitals and findings contained in the Preamble to this Ordinance are
adopted and incorporated as if fully set forth in this Section.
City of Miami File ID: 18708 (Revision: B) Printed On: 4/20/2026
Section 2. Chapter 20 of the City Code is hereby amended in the following particulars:1
"CHAPTER 20
FLOOD DAMAGE PREVENTION
Sec. 20-1. Definitions.
For the purpose of this chapter, the following words and phrases shall have the meanings
respectively ascribed to them by this section:
Development. Any manmade change to improved or unimproved real estate, including,
but not limited to, buildings or other structures, mining, dredging, filling, grading, paving,
excavating, drilling operations, or permanent storage of materials or equipment.
Drainage re -certification. The requirement for specific inspection of existing drainage
systems and the furnishing of a written report of such inspection as prescribed herein to the
Building Official.
Drainage systems. The surface and subsurface system for the removal of water from or
control of water on the land, including both the natural elements of streams, marshes, swales
and ponds, whether of an intermittent or continuous nature, and man-made elements which
include culverts, drains, ditches, channels, piping, drainage wells and storage facilities. Any
system which collects, conveys, channels, holds, inhibits, diverts or treats stormwater from a
given area either by drains, grading or other artificial or natural means thru the use of a drainage
structure, including but not limited to a culverts, storm drains, stormwater retention or detention
ponds with side slopes that must be stabilized by artificial means, French drains, or exfiltration
trench/systems, which convey stormwater into the underlying soil.
Drainage System Age. The difference between (a) the present year and (b) the year -built
information recorded with the County Property Appraiser for the building notwithstanding any
renovations or modifications that have been made to the building or structure, or drainage
system since the year built.
Elevated building. A non -basement building built to have the lowest floor elevated above
the ground level by means of fill, solid foundation, perimeter walls, pilings, columns (posts and
piers), shear walls, or breakaway walls.
Sec. 20-3. Development in special flood hazard areas and nonspecial flood hazard areas.
(15) Drainage systems as defined herein shall require re -certification in the manner
described below once such drainaqe system has reached a Drainage System Age of 10 years
and every 10 years thereafter. every 120 months from the date of final inspection as set forth
1 Words and/or figures stricken through shall be deleted. Underlined words and/or figures shall be
added. The remaining provisions are now in effect and remain unchanged. Asterisks indicate omitted
and unchanged material.
City of Miami File ID: 18708 (Revision: B) Printed On: 4/20/2026
herein. The property owner shall be notified of the required re certification 60 days in advance of
their due date with a Notice of Required Inspection relating to the required re -certification once
the Building Official has determined that a drainage system has a Drainage System Age of 10
years and every 10-year interval thereafter. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the failure by a
Building Official to provide courtesy advance notices shall not affect a property owner's
requirement to timely re -certify a drainage system. The re -certification review for compliance
along with the issuance of the re -certification shall carry a fee which shall be set by the City
Commission, by Resolution, which may be amended from time to time. A copy of the Resolution
setting forth current permit fees shall be on file with the City Clerk and the Director of Planning
and the Director of Zoning. An updated fee schedule shall be maintained electronically and can
be accessed at the City's website. Properties with three dwelling units or fewer are exempt from
this section. Residential properties with four dwelling units or more, or where the drainage
systems are comprised of five or more drainage structures on the property, shall require that the
drainage re -certification be completed by a registered professional engineer.
a. The owner of a property subject to re -certification shall furnish, or cause to be
furnished, a written report to the Building Official certifying that each such drainage system is
safe, or has been made safe, in conformity with the minimum inspection procedural guidelines
as issued by the Board of Rules and Appeals. The written report shall bear the impressed seal
and signature of the responsible Engineer or Architect who has performed the inspection,
or signature and notarization of the responsible contractor who has performed the inspection,
unless submitted electronically with a verifiable digital signature as described in F.S. Sec.
668.001. The report shall indicate the manner and type of inspection(s) forming the basis for the
report and description of any matters identified as requiring remedial action, and include all All
relevant information on the existing drainage system, including, but not limited to, the approved
as -built drawings and a detailed description of the existing drainage, including the intent of the
system.
b. A site inspection of the entire drainage system to determine the general condition
pursuant to the Building Code and what, if any, maintenance, modification, and/or and repair _
work is required in order to re -certify the drainage system in accordance with the following
items:
1. Catch basin grates, manhole covers and outfalls are to be free of
obstructions.
2. Probe catch basins for mud, debris, silt, etc. (depth of material in a pipe shall
not exceed five percent of the diameter of the pipe and the depth of material
in a catch basin sump shall not exceed five percent of the distance from the
bottom of the structure to the lowest pipe invert).
3. Check headwalls for deterioration and any signs of erosion.
4. Check for broken grates.
5. Check weirs and baffles installation (12 inches minimum sump clearance
from bottom of structure to bottom of baffle, if applicable).
6. Check for areas of sunken or deteriorated pavement which may be a sign of a
drainage problem.
7. Check for modifications to swales and retention areas.
8. Check for proper maintenance of swale and retention areas.
9. Check for alterations to original design and construction of drainage system.
10 Chonk for alterations try original design rind construction Gf drainage system.
10. Verify that no vegetation exists over drainage system. 7
a. All pumps shall be inspected by a registered professional engineer irrespective of
property type. All drywells, including injection wells, shall be inspected by a certified well driller
irrespective of property type. Pressurized system with wells and/or pumps shall be certified that
it continues to function as designed and constructed. A gravity type drainage system, such as
City of Miami File ID: 18708 (Revision: B) Printed On: 4/20/2026
exfiltration systems shall require re -certification as per this section 1. through 11. 10. These
systems shall be required to function as designed, constructed and/or permitted. A detailed
report of inspection and proper function from a registered professional engineer or certified well
driller (as applicable) shall be required for re -certification.
b. Completion of all necessary required maintenance, modification, and/or repair
work as denoted by the certifying registered professional engineer as performed by a licensed
contractor and verified by the certifying engineer. shall require the certifying professional who
has performed the initial re -certification inspection and report to verify and provide an amended
report indicating that the property has been re -certified. In the event that maintenance,
modification, and/or repairs are found to be necessary as a result of the re -certification
inspection, the owner shall have a total of 150 days from the date of Notice of Required
Inspection in which to:
1. complete indicated maintenance, modification, and/or repairs which do not
require permits; or
2. acquire any necessary permits. Maintenance, modification, and/or repairs
requiring permits shall be executed in conformance with all applicable Sections of the Building
Code and shall follow the timeline provided in the applicable active permit.
c. All copies of plans and drawings, together with supporting calculations and
documentation submitted must be signed, sealed, and dated by a registered professional, as
required by F.S. chs. 471, 472, 481 or 492, as applicable, when the design of the system requires
the services of a registered professional.
d. A maintenance log, if not already kept by the property owner, will be required
for any future drainage re -certifications. The maintenance log shall include records related to the
operation of the drainage system, including but not limited, to an estimate of the stormwater
volume passing through the system in a year, dates of inspection and copies of any associated
documents that evidence inspection, and dates of repairs and/or replacements of parts with type
of maintenance and parts replaced, if any.
e. Existing drainage systems shall be inspected required to undergo an initial re-
certification within 24 months of the adoption of this ordinance and any amendments hereto.
Subsequent re -certifications shall run from when the drainage system has reached a Drainage
System Age of 10 years and every 10 years thereafter. The Building Official may revoke any re -
certifications if the Building Official determines that the written re -certification report contains any
misrepresentation of the actual conditions of the drainage system.
f. Should property owner be unable to meet the requirements set forth in this
section then an alternative engineered solution for flood protection may be presented to the
building official or his/her designee in consultation with the director of resilience and public
works.
g. Drainage systems subject to the requirements in subsection 20-3(15) of this
chapter where the owner fails to timely respond to the notice of required recertification re-
certification or fails to make all required repairs, maintenance, or modifications found to be
necessary by the deadline specified in the Code or any written extension granted by the building
official, or designee, shall result in enforcement as provided in chapter 2, article X of the City
Code in addition to any other enforcement provided in section 20-14.
*„
Section 3. If any section, part of a section, paragraph, clause, phrase, or word of this
Ordinance is declared invalid, the remaining provisions of this Ordinance shall not be affected.
Section 4. This Ordinance shall become effective ten (10) days after final reading and
adoption thereof.2
2 This Ordinance shall become effective as specified herein unless vetoed by the Mayor within ten (10)
days from the date it was passed and adopted. If the Mayor vetoes this Ordinance. it shall become
City of Miami File ID: 18708 (Revision: B) Printed On: 4/20/2026
APPROVED AS TO FORM AND CORRECTNESS:
g III, C y�ttor�ey / 3/3/2026
effective immediately upon override of the veto by the City Commission or upon the effective date stated
herein. whichever is later.
City of Miami File ID: 18708 (Revision: B) Printed On: 4/20/2026