Resolution 2019-30960 RESOLUTION NO. 2019-30960
A RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION OF MIAMI
BEACH, FLORIDA, DIRECTING THE CITY ADMINISTRATION TO
INITIATE THOSE REVISIONS THAT WILL IMPROVE THE EXISTING
SWIM ADVISORY PUBLIC NOTIFICATION PROCESS TO ENSURE
THAT BOTH RESIDENTS AND TOURISTS ARE ADEQUATELY
INFORMED OF SWIMMING CONDITIONS.
WHEREAS, the City of Miami Beach (the "City") hosts approximately 15 million
visitors each year, and is considered one of the world's most popular tourist destinations
because of its beaches, crystal-clear, warm, blue water, and amazing tropical
environment; and
WHEREAS, the City's beaches and coastal areas are subject to varying natural-
occurring conditions, including those hazards that can pose potential risks to the safety
of tourists, visitors, and the general public, thereby making it important to properly inform
the public of the need to exercise caution during dangerous swim conditions; and
WHEREAS, currently, the City implements a uniform flag system developed by the
Department of Environmental Protection pursuant to Section 380.276 of the Florida
Statutes, which requires all Florida public beaches to display color-based warning flags
developed for the state's warning program; and
WHEREAS, green flag indicates low hazard, orange flag indicates medium hazard,
single red flag indicates high hazard, double red flags indicate swimming is entirely
prohibited, and purple flag indicates stinging marine life; and
WHEREAS, a sign displaying all the flags and briefly describing what each flag
color represents is posted at every lifeguard tower on the public beaches; and
WHEREAS, hazards common to urban beaches and coastal areas include high
bacteria levels occurring from natural causes, such as changes in temperature, water
currents and weather patterns, as well as anthropogenic sources, such as wastewater
discharges; and
WHEREAS, the Miami-Dade Department of Health monitors water quality the
City's public beaches, and notifies the City should tests indicate high bacteria levels that
warrant a swim advisory; and
WHEREAS, the City notifies Miami-Dade County's Department of Environmental
Resources Management ("DERM"), the State Warning Point, and the Florida Department
of Environmental Protection Southeast District Office, of any wastewater discharge, which
will require these entities to initiate water quality sampling, and issues a precautionary
swim advisory for potentially affected surface waters within twenty-four hours; and
WHEREAS, if beaches and/or bay area are affected, the City Communication's
team sends out citywide swim advisories via a citywide e-mail distribution list; and
WHEREAS, the City also sends swim advisories to non-profit environmental
groups such as the Surfrider Foundation and Miami Waterkeeper, who in turn disseminate
the information to their far-reaching audiences; and
WHEREAS, the City works closely with many beach concession operators, local
surf shop, paddle board, and other watersport rental companies and notifies its point of
contact directly when their areas of operation may be affected; and
WHEREAS, beachgoers are also able to telephone Miami Beach Patrol Ocean
Rescue for daily updates on the beach and swimming conditions; and
WHEREAS, the Mayor and City Commission require the City Administration to
improve the existing swim advisory public notification process by working with the Florida
Department of Health to develop and implement swim advisory signage, which will be
used to supplement the flag warning system on the public beaches; and
WHEREAS, to ensure that the tourists are adequately informed of the swimming
conditions, the City Administration shall work with the Greater Miami and the Beaches
Hotel Association to develop a notifying procedure for future swim advisories on the
beach; and
WHEREAS, the City Administration shall further develop a plan to build a more
extensive database of watersports businesses in order to increase its reach to
watersports users for future swim advisory notification process.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT DULY RESOLVED BY THE MAYOR AND CITY
COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA, that the Mayor and City
Commission hereby direct the City Administration to initiate those revision that will improve the
existing swim advisory public notification process to ensure that both residents and tourists are
adequately informed of swimming conditions.
PASSED AND ADOPTED this 11th day of September 2019.
ATTEST: �1
)/ �+ Dan Gelber, Mayor
[lc I I
Raf el E. Granado, City Clerk "NT••••N �''�,,,,,
y APP r• D AS TO
: & NGUAGE
(Sponsored by Commissioner John gitdpiat & •O XECUTION
4 � \ .• N
,\�r
��► '4Cy�264222((1
1►���\►\\\oa,,,,, City Attorney Date
Resolutions -C7 W
MIAMI BEACH
COMMISSION MEMORANDUM
TO: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Commission
FROM: Raul J.Aguila, City Attorney
DATE: September 11, 2019
SUBJECT:A RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION OF MIAMI
BEACH, FLORIDA, DIRECTING THE CITYADMINISTRATION TO INITIATE
THOSE REVISIONS THAT WILL IMPROVE THE EXISTING SWIM
ADVISORY PUBLIC NOTIFICATION PROCESS TO ENSURE THAT BOTH
RESIDENTS AND TOURISTS ARE ADEQUATELY INFORMED OF
SWIMMING CONDITIONS.
RECOMMENDATION
Pursuant to the request of Commissioner John Elizabeth Aleman, the above-referenced
Resolution is submitted for consideration by the Mayor and City Commission at the September
11, 2019 Commission meeting.
Legislative Tracking
Office of the CityAttomey
Sponsor
Commissioner John Elizabeth Aleman
ATTACHMENTS:
Description
D Resolution
Page 487 of 2228