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HomeMy WebLinkAboutRelease, Hold Harmless Agreement 11-16-2020 - Eastside RidgeRELEASE, HOLD HARMLESS, AND INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT THIS RELEASE, HOLD HARMLESS, AND INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT ("Agreement"), is made and entered into this b day of ) c" C:2) (3:tN , a , 20iD, by , ("Applicant") to the City of Miami, Florida, a municipal corporation of the State of Florida, in the County of Miami -Dade ("City"); and WHEREAS, the Applicant has applied to the City for ("Request(s)") for the Property located at approximately i""""A' r"lkv41‘k,.. ("Property"); and 5175 NE 2 Av, 5035 NE 2Av, and 5125 NE 2 Ct Miami Florida 33137 WHEREAS, the Applicant's Request(s) require(s) one or more Proceedings (as hereinafter defined); and WHEREAS, Miami -Dade County ("County") has issued several Emergency Orders associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, including Emergency Order 10-20 which provides that no group of 10 or more individuals shall gather on a public street, alley, public sidewalk, or government facility open to the public in the County, with some exceptions; and WHEREAS, the City will allow meetings and Proceedings to have virtual components by using communications media technology as allowed by law ("Virtual Components") as described herein; and WHEREAS, the City will be conducting in -person hearings with Virtual Components ("Proceedings"); and WHEREAS, the City Commission adopted Ordinance No. 13903 on May 28, 2020, and Ordinance No. 13914 on July 23, 2020, which, inter alia, modified the requirements regarding the swearing in of parties and participants for any planning and zoning items and quasi-judicial Release, Hold Harmless, and Indemnification Page 1 of 8 hearings, including all appeals from both, during the COVID-19 pandemic; andWHEREAS, Ordinance No. 13903 temporarily suspends any requirement of members of the general public who are not parties to be sworn in and temporarily allows parties to appear virtually and make arrangements to be sworn in by oath or affirmation in -person at their location by an individual qualified to perform such duty or be physically present at City Hall to be sworn in by oath or affirmation by the City Clerk; and WHEREAS, Ordinance No. 13914 temporarily allows qualified City staff, namely staff of the City Clerk and staff of Hearing Boards, to swear in City staff appearing before any City body for planning, zoning, or quasi-judicial hearings remotely by audio -video communication technology from a location within the State, provided City staff can be positively identified; and WHEREAS, all physical proceedings will include certain social distancing requirements, screenings, and protective measures consistent with all Federal, State, and Local Emergency Orders, Executive Orders, and guidelines in order to protect the health, safety, and welfare of the employees and residents of the City; and WHEREAS, the Applicant still wishes to proceed with the Virtual Components for the Proceedings as described herein on its Request(s) at their own risk; and WHEREAS, the City requires the execution of this Agreement as a condition precedent to move forward with Virtual Components for Proceedings on the Request(s); NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the City allowing the Applicant to move forward with the Virtual Components for the Proceedings on the Request(s), subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, and in further consideration of these premises, the Applicant does hereby agree as follows: Release, Hold Harmless, and Indemnification Page 2 of 8 1. The Applicant acknowledges that the foregoing recitals are true and correct and are incorporated herein by reference as if fully set forth in this Section. 2. The Applicant acknowledges and agrees that if they proceed with their Request(s) without delay, the City will hold Proceedings with Virtual Components on the Applicant's Request(s) pursuant to Ordinance Nos. 13903 and 13914 as described above, with the Applicant, the Applicant's representative(s), and all those that intend to testify required to make arrangements to be sworn in by oath or affirmation in -person at their off -site location by an individual qualified to perform such duty or to coordinate with the City to be sworn in at City Hall, as required by the City' s procedures. 3. The Applicant also acknowledges that per Ordinance No. 13903, the general public will not be required to physically appear at the Proceedings' location to be sworn by oath or affirmation, but will have several different avenues for public comment, which may include prerecorded phone and video submission, an online public comment form, preregistration for a live call back during the meeting, and in -person comment at City Hall. 4. The Applicant further acknowledges that while the City has established and implemented precautionary and preventative measures to reduce the spread of COVID-19 pursuant to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention ("CDC") and the Florida Department of Health ("FDOH") recommendations, the City cannot and does not guarantee that persons will not become affected. The Applicant acknowledges that they are proceeding at their own risk. 5. The Applicant for themselves, their heirs, grantees, personal representatives, successors, and assigns, expressly and unequivocally agrees to release, waive, forever discharge, and covenant not to sue the City, and its officers, officials, directors, employees, personnel, volunteers, agents, assigns, successors, representatives, attorneys, contractors, and all other Release, Hold Harmless, and Indemnification Page 3 of 8 persons, entities, organizations, instrumentalities, and corporations affiliated therewith (collectively, "Released Parties") of and from any and all claims, including all liabilities, claims, actions, damages, costs, or expenses, of any kind, arising out of or relating to the Applicant's, or any of its representatives', exposure to COVID-19 due to Applicant's or any of its representatives' physical appearance at the Proceeding(s). 6. The Applicant, for themselves, their heirs, grantees, personal representatives, successors, and assigns, expressly and unequivocally agrees to release, waive, forever discharge, and covenant not to sue the Release Parties from any and all claims, demands, suits, causes of action (including by way of illustration and not limitation, actions to challenge, set aside, or void any proceeding or entitlement; actions to assert any constitutional, due process, or property rights claims or violations; any actions or claims for loss, injury, loss of life), appeals, administrative appeals, damages, losses, liabilities, costs, and expenses (including, without limitation, court costs and attorney's fees, at all levels of proceedings [administrative, trial, and appellate levels] for any and all defense, investigation, or processing thereof whatsoever), judgments, orders, decrees, and settlements in any way based on, arising from, relating to, incidental to, or connected to, directly or indirectly, in whole or in part, any one or more of the following enumerated matters (collectively, "Released Matters"): (i) this Agreement; (ii) the Virtual Components of the Proceedings on Applicant's Request(s), including, without limitation, the City's procedures regarding Virtual Components (including but not limited to those found in Ordinance Nos. 13903 and 13914), the swearing -in procedures, the public comment procedures, the scheduling procedures, and all other aspects involving the Virtual Components of the Proceedings and the City's procedures thereon (including, without limitation, any due process claim(s), claim(s) of defective notice, or any other claim(s) arising from the format, legal sufficiency, or technological Release, Hold Harmless, and Indemnification Page 4 of 8 specifications of the Virtual Components of the Proceedings or communications media technology used to conduct the Proceedings); (iii) the City's use of communications media technology while conducting an in -person meeting while social distancing guidelines remain in place; or (iv) any and all third -party claim(s), challenge(s), appeal(s), or other proceeding(s) arising from any of the matters described in this Section, in whole or in part. 7. Applicant hereby agrees to defend, indemnify, and hold harmless the Released Parties against any and all claims, demands, suits, causes of action (including by way of illustration and not limitation, actions to challenge, set aside, or void any proceeding or entitlement; actions to assert any constitutional, due process, or property rights claims or violations; any actions or claims for loss, injury, loss of life), appeals, administrative appeals, damages, losses, liabilities, costs, and expenses (including, without limitation, court costs and attorney's fees, at all levels of proceedings [administrative, trial, and appellate levels] for any and all defense, investigation, or processing thereof whatsoever), judgments, orders, decrees, and settlements in any way based on, arising from, relating to, incidental to, or connected to, directly or indirectly, in whole or in part, any of the Released Matters. 8. Nothing herein is intended to waive or deprive Applicant of its right to appeal a determination of the body for reasons wholly unrelated to, and not at all associated with, the Virtual Components of the Proceedings, to the extent such a right to appeal exists. 9. The Applicant is voluntarily executing this Agreement and has not been pressured, forced, threatened, or coerced to execute this Agreement or to proceed with the Virtual Components of the Proceedings required for the Applicant's Request(s). The Applicant understands that they have a right to consult with an attorney before signing this Agreement and have either consulted with an attorney or knowingly and voluntarily decided not to consult with Release, Hold Harmless, and Indemnification Page 5 of 8 an attorney. The Applicant is not under the influence of any drugs, alcohol, medication, any other narcotic or have any mental illness that might tend to affect the ability to knowingly enter into this Agreement and move forward with the Proceedings. 10. The Applicant has read and understand(s) the terms of this Agreement. 11. The Applicant acknowledges and agrees that nothing in this Agreement shall prejudice the City's right to impose protections pursuant to State, County, City, or any other agency orders, regulations, guidelines, resolutions, and ordinances otherwise necessary to ensure the public health, safety, and welfare of the citizens and employees of the City; nor shall the City be estopped from enforcing the terms of this Agreement for any reason. 12. Invalidation of any of provisions of this Agreement by judgment of a court shall not affect any of the other provisions, which shall remain in full force and effect. 13. The undersigned confirms that they are the Applicant (or the authorized representative(s) of the Applicant), are authorized to enter this Agreement, and have authority to bind the Applicant. As applicable, the most recent Sunbiz and a duly adopted Resolution from the Applicant entity is attached hereto. 14. This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which so executed shall be deemed to be an original, and such counterparts shall together constitute but one and the same Agreement. The parties shall be entitled to sign and transmit an electronic signature of this Agreement (whether by facsimile, PDF or other email transmission), which signature shall be binding and have the same effect as original signatures. [Signature pages follow] Release, Hold Harmless, and Indemnification Page 6 of 8 This space intentionally left blank IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Applicant has caused these presents to be executed and signed in its name by its proper officer on the day set forth above. Signed, Sealed and Delivered STATE OF (Name of Ap (Type of (VW By: (Signature) dividual) r^, (Name of Person Authorized to Sign) (Title) ) COUNTY OF ) SS \-1,3v114, The foregoing instrument was acknowledged before me by means of physical p‘rescnce OR online notarization, this AL, day of , 20 2 , by a \f„„A as of (-A-( . Personally Known or Produced Identfication Type of Identification Produced r4<„ Print or Stamp Name: Notary Public, State of Commission No.: My Commission Expir Release, Hold Harmless, and Indemnification ELCHANAN MORDECHA1 „Not rYPu-ra - Staled New York Iwo.lified in Kings County Commission Expires Jul 24,2021 Page 7 of 8 CITY OF MIAMI, a municipal corporation of the State of Florida By: Arthur Noriega, V City Manager ATTESTED: By: Todd B. Hannon City Clerk APPROVED AS TO LEGAL FORM AND CORRECTNESS: Victoria Mendez, City Attorney Release, Hold Hannless, and Indemnification Page 8 of 8