Resolution 2019-30950 RESOLUTION NO. 2019-30950
A RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF MIAMI
BEACH, FLORIDA, ACCEPTING THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE FINANCE AND
CITYWIDE PROJECTS COMMITTEE AT ITS JUNE 28, 2019 MEETING, AND
AUTHORIZING THE ADMINISTRATION TO PROCEED WITH THE DEVELOPMENT
OF A BIOSWALE PILOT PROJECT WITHIN THE WEST 59TH STREET RIGHT-OF-
WAY, BETWEEN ALTON ROAD AND BISCAYNE BAY.
WHEREAS, the City of Miami Beach is investigating the use of stormwater infrastructure best
management practices to improve water quality of the City's stormwater discharges into Biscayne
Bay, designated an Outstanding Florida Water by the Florida Department of Environmental
Protection; and
WHEREAS, a bioswale, a manmade swale typically vegetated and mulched with engineering
soils below the surface, can be deployed to address both water quality(treatment) and water quantity
(attenuation); and
WHEREAS, the City is seeking to implement a bioswale pilot project ("Bioswale Project"), as
a mean to test the efficacy and value of this technology, to provide water quality improvements and
attenuation of the runoff from developed areas of the City; and
WHEREAS, the La Gorce neighborhood, West 59th Street between Alton Road and Biscayne
Bay, was targeted for this pilot Bioswale Project; and
WHEREAS, a bioswale can provide certain benefits and limitations, as more fully delineated
in the Commission Memorandum accompanying this Resolution; and
WHEREAS, on June 5, 2019, the City Commission referred this item to the Sustainability and
Resilience Committee (SRC), and to the Finance and Citywide Projects Committee (FCWPC); and
WHEREAS, at the June 26, 2019 meeting of the SRC, the SRC expressed full support for
the Bioswale Project, inclusive of pedestrian access leading to the Biscayne Bay; and
WHEREAS, at the FCWPC's June 28, 2019 meeting, the FCWPC expressed full support for the
project, recommended funding the proposed Bioswale Project from the stormwater bond program and
directed City staff to look for ways to lower the cost of the proposed project; and
WHEREAS, the FCWPC also requested the City to coordinate with the FDOT Alton Road
Project, and to identify potential locations for a FPL transformer to be located in the area, in the event
that Upper North Bay Road residents approve the undergrounding of the power lines in their
neighborhood; and
WHEREAS, the City's design engineer is identifying value engineering options, with a potential
to reduce the cost of the Bioswale Project by as much as $200,000, from the original cost estimate of
$850,000 to $650,000, provided that such options do not sacrifice the treatment and attenuation
capacities of the Bioswale Project as originally contemplated; and
WHEREAS, City staff anticipates that the Bioswale Project may be impacted the following future
projects, especially along 59 Street between Alton Road and North Bay Road: Alton Road
Reconstruction Project; the La Gorce Neighborhood Improvement Project; and with the FPL
undergrounding project, if approved by the neighborhood; however, as the earliest that these other
projects are anticipated to be constructed is within five (5) years, by that time, the City would have had
the benefit of verifying the efficacy and value of the proposed pilot Bioswale Project, which is the main
intent of the pilot Bioswale Project.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT DULY RESOLVED BY THE MAYOR AND THE CITY
COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA, that the Mayor and City Commission
hereby accept the recommendation of the Finance and Citywide Projects Committee at its June 28,
2019 meeting, and authorizing the Administration to proceed with the development of a bioswale pilot
project within the West 59th Street right-of-way, between Alton Road and Biscayne Bay.
PASSED AND ADOPTED this 1/ day of September, 2019. -
ATTEST:
Dan Gelber, Mayor
rN
Rafal Granado, Cit Clerk
4f" APPROVED AS TO
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City Attorney
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Resolutions- C7 M
MIAMI BEACH
COMMISSION MEMORANDUM
TO: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Commission
FROM: Jimmy L. Morales, City Manager
DATE: September 11, 2019
SUBJECT:A RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY
OF MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA, ACCEPTING THE RECOMMENDATION OF
THE FINANCE AND CITYWIDE PROJECTS COMMITTEE AT ITS JUNE 28,
2019 MEETING, AND AUTHORIZING THE ADMINISTRATION TO
PROCEED WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF A BIOSWALE PILOT PROJECT
WITHIN THE WEST 59TH STREET RIGHT-OF- WAY, BETWEEN ALTON
ROAD AND BISCAYNE BAY.
RECOMMENDATION
The Administration recommends approving the Resolution.
ANALYSIS
The City of Miami Beach is investigating the use of stormwater infrastructure best management
practices to improve water quality of the City's stormwater discharges into Biscayne Bay which
designated an Outstanding Florida Water by the Florida Department of Environmental
Protection.
Bioswales, a manmade swale typically vegetated and mulched with engineering soils below the
surface, is one of the strategies that can be deployed to address water quality (treatment) and
some water quantity(attenuation).
The City is seeking to implement a pilot project as means to test the efficacy and value of this
technology to provide water quality improvements and attenuation of the runoff from developed
areas of the City. The La Gorce neighborhood, West 59th Street between Alton Road and
Biscayne Bay, was targeted for this pilot project.
The Bioswale can provide the following benefits and limitations:
BENEFITS LIMITATIONS
Effective removal of suspended solids, Bioswales are not intended to solve water
nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus)and quantity issues; thus,flooding would not be
other pollutants before it enters the bay. completely addressed by a bioswale.
Allows stomiwater infiltration to replenish Periodic maintenance is required to preserve
the fresh water lens beneath the ground vegetation,grading, and permeability.
Page 350 of 2228
Captures the first flush(1.5-inches)of Only the first 1.5 inches of large rain events will
runoff from every rain event to remove be captured —excess water will bypass the
ccoontaminants and attenuates the intensity bioswale due to limited capacity; however, this
f rainfalls especially for high frequency, adequately treats contaminated runoff per County
low volume rains. and State regulations.
Beautifies the area with attractive Potential loss of parking if bioswales are placed
landscape and utilizes a variety of native in right-of-way areas currently being used by
plants to minimize maintenance
Properly owners for parking.
requirements.
The City Commission referred this item to the Sustainability and Resilience Committee (SRC)
and the Finance and Citywide Projects Committee (FCWPC)on June 5, 2019. At the June 26
meeting, the SRC expressed full support for the project inclusive of a pedestrian access
leading the Biscayne Bay. At the June 28, 2019 meeting, the FCWPC expressed full support
for the project and agreed to fund it from the stormwater bond program and directed City staff to
look for ways to lower the cost either by reducing the number of optional types bioswales or
other measures without lessening the benefits.
The FCWPC also requested the City to coordinate with the FDOT Alton Road Project and look
for potential locations for the FPL transformer to be located in the event that the Upper North
Bay Road residents approve the undergrounding of the power lines.
The design engineer is looking into performing value engineering with a potential to reduce the
cost of the bioswale as much as $200K from the original cost estimate of $850 to $650K by
changing out one of the three types of bioswales to two types of bioswales without sacrificing
the treatment and attenuation capacities as originally designed.
The City anticipates some impacts to the proposed bioswales, especially along 59 Street
between Alton Road and North Bay Road due to the following future projects: Alton Road
Reconstruction Project; the La Gorce Neighborhood Improvement Project; and with FPL for
potential undergrounding efforts; however, the soonest these projects are anticipated to be
constructed will be in five years and by then the bioswale pilot project would have demonstrated
the efficacy and value which is the main intent of this project.
CONCLUSION
The Administration recommends approving the Resolution.
Legislative Tracking
Public Works
ATTACHMENTS:
Description
❑ LTC 431-2019 Overview of Bioswale Method
D Form Approved reso
Page 351 of 2228
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OFFICE OF THE CITY MANAGER
NO. LTC# 431-2019 LET A R TO COMMISSION
TO: Mayor Dan Gelber and Members of e CityC•"mission
Y
FROM: Jimmy L. Morales, City Manager
DATE: August 2, 2019
SUBJECT: Overview of Bioswale Method
The purpose of this Letter to Commission is to provide an overview of a bioswale design,
objectives, benefits, and limitations.
Bioswales can improve stormwater runoff quality by allowing sediments and other deposits to
settle out of the water naturally in the bioswale retention area and the engineered soils beneath
the surface of the basin. Bioswales help to reduce the velocity of water by slowing down and
retaining water, treating the stormwater before it passes into the stormwater system and
eventually the waterways and ecosystems.
In the Urban Land Institute's Technical Advisory Panel Report, it is recommended that the city
integrate flood management into the larger resilience strategy, to holistically move to a "living
with water"approach and to actively use green space to enhance permeability citywide. Jacobs
Engineering has been retained to develop an integrated water management approach. Jacobs'
first task order is to evaluate blue and green infrastructure and provide guidance on how to best
utilize these approaches. Bioswales will be a green infrastructure method evaluated by Jacobs.
This task order will be complete by October 2019.
BENEFITS LIMITATIONS
Effective removal of suspended solids, Bioswales are not intended to solve water I
nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus) and other ! quantity issues; thus, flooding would not be
pollutants before it enters the bay. completely addressed by a bioswale.
Allows stormwater infiltration to replenish the Periodic maintenance is required to preserve
fresh water lens beneath the ground vegetation, grading, and permeability.
Can capture the first flush (1.5-inches) of Only the first 1.5 inches of large rain events
runoff of rain events to remove contaminants. will be captured—excess water will bypass the
bioswale due to limited capacity; however, this
adequately treats contaminated runoff per
county and state regulations.
Beautifies the area with attractive landscape Potential loss of parking if bioswales are
and utilizes a variety of native plants to placed in right-of-way areas currently being
minimize maintenance requirements. used by property owners for parking.
Page 352 of 2228
Several examples of typical bioswale designs in public spaces:
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Page 353 of 2228