LTC 320-2017 Town of Medley, Florida Resolution C-1492MIAMI BEACH
OFFICE OF THE CITY CLERK
No. 320-2017 LETTER TO COMMISSION
TO: Mayor Philip Levine and Members of the City Commission
FROM: Rafael E. Granado, City Clerk 7Y
DATE: June 15, 2017
SUBJECT: TOWN OF MEDLEY, FLORIDA RESOLUTION C-1492
Attached for your information is Resolution C-1492, adopted by the Mayor and Council of the
Town of Medley, Florida on June 5, 2017.
A RESOLUTION OF THE TOWN COUNCIL OF THE TOWN OF MEDLEY,
FLORIDA, SUPPORTING UNITED STATES CONGRESSIONAL BILLS S.
279 AND H.B. 833 TO AMEND THE WATER RESOURCES
DEVELOPMENT ACT OF 1986 TO FACILITATE THE USE OF FOREIGN
OFFSHORE SAND IN BEACH NOURISHMENT PROJECTS; URGING THE
UNITED STATES CONGRESS TO EXPEDITE AND FUND THE STUDY TO
ALLOW FOREIGN SAND TO BE USED IN BEACH NOURISHMENT
PROJECTS IN MIAMI-DADE COUNTY; DIRECTING THE VILLAGE CLERK
TO TRANSMIT A COPY OF THIS RESOLUTION TO THE OFFICIALS
STATED HEREIN; PROVIDING FOR AUTHORIZATION AND
IMPLEMENTATION; AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
The Town of Medley Clerk has requested that a copy of this resolution be provided to the Miami
Beach Mayor and Commissioners.
If you have any questions, please contact the Office of the City Clerk at 305.673.7 411.
RB/REG
Attachment
F:\CLER\$ALL\REGIS\Reso C-1492.docx
RESOLUTION C-1492
A RESOLUTION OF THE TOWN COUNCIL OF THE
TOWN OF MEDLEY, FLORIDA, SUPPORTING UNITED
STATES CONGRESSIONAL BILLS S. 279 AND H.B. 833 TO
AMEND THE WATER RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT
ACT OF 1986 TO FACILITATE THE USE OF FOREIGN
OFFSHORE SAND IN BEACH NOURISHMENT
PROJECTS; URGING THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS
TO EXPEDITE AND FUND THE STUDY TO ALLOW
FOREIGN SAND TO BE USED IN BEACH NOURISHMENT
PROJECTS IN MIAMI-DADE COUNTY; DIRECTING THE
VILLAGE CLERK TO TRANSMIT A COPY OF THIS
RESOLUTION TO THE OFFICIALS STATED HEREIN;
PROVIDING FOR AUTHORIZATION AND
IMPLEMENTATION; AND PROVIDING FOR AN
EFFECTIVE DATE
WHEREAS, beaches and dunes serve as a vital buffer between coastal infrastructure and
the destructive forces of ocean waves and surge during storm events; and
WHEREAS, beach renourishment adds sand to the coastal system, helps keep the
erosive power of strong waves from reaching dunes and structures, and buffers against the
effects of sea level rise and climate change, thereby protecting coastal properties and the coastal
environment; and
WHEREAS, beach renourishment has been an ongoing practice in southeast Florida as
part of the Dade County Beach Erosion Control and Hurricane Protection Project ("Project")
providing essential economic, environmental and recreational benefit to coastal communities;
and
WHEREAS, throughout the regwn, 24 federal and nonfederal beach nourishment
projects provide storm damage reduction to infrastructure as well as incidental recreational
opportunities; and
Resolution C-1492
Page 1 of 4
WHEREAS, Miami~ Dade County, the State of Florida and the Federal government are
cost~sharing partners in the Project; and
WHEREAS, Miami~Dade, Broward, Monroe, Palm Beach, Martin and St. Lucie
Counties are running out of dependable, economical, and environmentally practicable sand
sources; and
WHEREAS, Section 935 of the Water Resources Development Act of 1986 ("WRDA")
states that the Army Corps can only use domestic sources of sand for renourishment of this
Project, unless the Secretary of the Army provides written certification that domestic sources
are not available for environmental or economic reasons; and
WHEREAS, in March 2016, the Army Corps completed a Limited Reevaluation Report
and Environmental Assessment with a Finding of No Significant Impact with updated economics
to justify potential alternative sand sources for future renourishment projects, including
Bahamian sand; and
WHEREAS, having the option to import offshore sand from the Bahamas to expedite
beach renourishment projects throughout Miami-Dade and Monroe County is important because
the sand may be closer to the quality of the sand on Florida beaches than some of the alternative
sources listed by the Army Corps; and
WHEREAS, foreign offshore sources may have a lower cost to import than purchasing
sand from approved upland sources, and there may be fewer impacts on roads, such as reduced
quality of life impacts resulting from truck traffic and fewer carbon emission; and
WHEREAS, the Town of Medley (the "Town") supports a recent decision by the federal
government to study the benefits of replenishing Florida beaches with foreign sand; and
Resolution C-1492
Page 2 of4
WHEREAS, on February 2, 2017, United States Senator Marco Rubio introduced S.279
and United States Congresswoman Lois Frankel introduced companion bill H.B.833 to amend
the WRDA with respect to the acquisition of beach fill to eliminate the restriction against
offshore sand; and
WHEREAS, the Town Council deems it in the best interest of the Village and its
residents to support S.279 and H.B. 833 to eliminate the restriction against offshore sand, and to
urge the United States Congress to expedite and fund the study to evaluate the benefits of
replenishing Florida beaches with foreign sand.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY TOWN COUNCIL OF THE TOWN
OF MEDLEY, FLORIDA, AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Recitals. The above Recitals are true and correct and are
incorporated herein by this reference.
Section 2. Supporting United States Congressional Bills S. 279 and H.B. 833 to
Amend the Water Resources Development Act of 1986. The Town Council hereby supports
S. 279 and H.B. 833 to amend Section 935 of the WRDA to eliminate the restriction
promulgated by Section 935 of the WRDA and to facilitate the use of foreign offshore sand in
beach nourishment projects. The Town urges the United States Congress to expedite and fund
the study to evaluate the benefits of replenishing Florida beaches with foreign sand.
Section 3. Transmittal. The Town Clerk is hereby directed to send a copy of this
Resolution to sponsoring legislators, United States Senator Marco Rubio and Congresswoman
Lois Frankel, and United States Senator Bill Nelson, the Secretary of the Army, the Governor of
Florida, and Mayors of coastal communities throughout Miami-Dade, Broward and Monroe
Counties.
Resolution C-1492
Page 3 of 4
Section 4. Authorization of Town Officials. The Town Mayor and/or his
designee are hereby authorized to take all actions necessary to implement the terms and
conditions of this Resolution.
Section 5. Effective Date. This Resolution shall be effective immediately upon
its adoption.
PASSED AND ADOPTED this 5th day of June, 2017.
RO
ATTEST:
~d~t~·~L~
HERLINA TABOADA, TOWN CLERK
APPROVED AS TO FORM AND
LEGAL SUFFICIENCY:
WE~~·
COLE & BIERMAN, P.L.,
TOWN ATTORNEY
SUMMARY OF THE VOTE
Mayor Roberto Martell
Vice-Mayor Ivan Pacheco
Councilperson Edgar Ayala
Councilperson Griselia DiGiacomo
Councilperson Jack Morrow
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Resolution C-1~
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