Resolution 2023-32782RESOLUTION NO. 2023-32782
A RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF
MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA, AUTHORIZING THE ADMINISTRATION TO ENTER
INTO A GRANT AGREEMENT ("REEFLINE GRANT AGREEMENT") WITH
BLUE LAB PRESERVATION SOCIETY INC. ("REEFLINE") TO FUND THE
INSTALLATION OF AN ARTIFICIAL REEF ("PROJECT") FROM A PORTION
OF THE PROCEEDS OF THE GENERAL OBLIGATION BOND FOR ARTS &
CULTURE, SUCH REEFLINE GRANT AGREEMENT TO BE SUBSTANTIALLY
IN THE FORM PREVIOUSLY APPROVED BY THE CITY COMMISSION
PURSUANT TO RESOLUTION NOS. 2023-32423, 2023-32593 AND 2023-
32691, TOGETHER WITH AN ADDENDUM REQUIRING REEFLINE TO
FULFILL CERTAIN OBLIGATIONS OF THE CITY PURSUANT TO AN
AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY AND THE COUNTY RELATING TO THE
PROJECT; AND FURTHER, AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER AND CITY
CLERK TO EXECUTE THE FINALIZED REEFLINE GRANT AGREEMENT.
WHEREAS, on July 20, 2022, the Mayor and Commission approved Resolution 2022-
32261, authorizing a special election, submitting to the electorate of the City of Miami Beach
the question asking whether the City shall be authorized to issue general obligation bonds, not
exceeding $159,000,000, to improve facilities for resiliency of arts and cultural institutions
throughout the City, including museums, performance venues, artistic playgrounds,
senior/cultural centers, botanical garden, aquatic sculpture park, and related artist/workforce
housing; and.
WHEREAS, on November 8, 2022, the voters of the City of Miami Beach approved the
issuance of a General Obligation Bond for Arts & Culture (the "Bond") in the not to exceed
amount of $159 million; and
WHEREAS, on April 28, 2023, the City Commission adopted Resolution No. 2023-32592
accepting the FERC's recommendations and approving Tranche 1 in the not -to -exceed amount
of $101,700,000; and
WHEREAS, on May 17 and June 28, 2023, the first and second public readings of the
bond issuance resolution were held, and the issuance was approved; and
WHEREAS, Tranche 1 of the Bond was issued on July 27, 2023; and
WHEREAS, the final list of projects approved as part of the General Obligation Bond for
Arts & Culture included a $5 million allocation for the Aquatic Sculpture Park Project (the
"Project"); and
WHEREAS, Miami -Dade County (the "County"), through its Department of Regulatory
and Economic Resources, Division of Environmental Resources Management ("DERM"),
manages artificial reef activities and is the permittee for various local, state, and federal
regulatory permits for artificial reefs in Miami -Dade County outside of Biscayne National Park
and Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary (the "County Permits"); and
WHEREAS, the Project's first phase entails deploying an artificial reef within the
boundaries of the area covered by the County Permits; and
WHEREAS, Blue Lab Preservation Society Inc. ("Blue Lab" or "ReefLine") is a 501(c)3
non-profit foundation, led by Ximena Caminos, with a mission to build "positive community
impact by addressing ocean pollution, water quality, climate change, and environmental and
social issues"; and
WHEREAS, Blue Lab's most significant initiative is the conceptualization and design of
the "ReefLine," a series of artist -designed, scientist -informed artificial reefs to be located within
swimming distance of Miami Beach's shore; and
WHEREAS, since its inception in 2018, Blue Lab has established partnerships with
recognized leaders in artificial reef structure design and deployment, including Coral
Morphologic, Ocean Rescue Alliance (ORA), Miami -Dade County Division of Environmental
Resources Management (DERM), University of Miami (UM), and Cummins Cederberg, among
others; and
WHEREAS, on November 18, 2020, the Miami Beach Mayor and City Commission
adopted Resolution No. 2020-31489, accepting the recommendation of the Miami Beach
Sustainability Committee and the Miami Beach Cultural Arts Council to support the Project as
a concept to create habitats for local aquatic marine life, promote cultural and ecological tourism,
create a unique art experience, and provide recreational activities for locals and tourists; and
WHEREAS, the passing of this Resolution marked the beginning of ReefLine's unique
partnership with the City of Miami Beach; and
WHEREAS, in 2019, Caminos received a Knight Foundation Arts Challenge Award,
which provided the essential seed money to advance the Project to the next stages, which
included the development of the technical drawings and specifications required to satisfy all
permit requirements with agencies having jurisdiction such as DERM, the Florida Department
of Environmental Protection (FDEP) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE); and
WHEREAS, given the extensive knowledge, history and involvement with the Project,
Blue Lab is uniquely qualified to bring the Project to fruition with the most efficiency; and
WHEREAS, subject to the approval by the County's Board of County Commissioners,
DERM has agreed to allow the City to work under the County's permits subject to satisfaction
by the City of the terms and conditions set forth in a proposed agreement between the County
and the City ("County Agreement"), a copy of which is attached as Attachment B to the
Memorandum accompanying the Resolution for a companion item (item C7 A) included in the
September 27, 2023 Commission Agenda. The companion item requests approval by the Mayor
and City Commission of the County Agreement; and
WHEREAS, the Project will be executed by Blue Lab via a Grant Agreement to be
funded out of a portion of the proceeds of the General Obligation Bond for Arts & Culture; and
WHEREAS, the Grant Agreement with Blue Lab will include an addendum requiring
Blue Lab to fulfill the City's obligations pursuant to the County Agreement, as well as indemnity
provisions in favor of the City and the County consistent with those set forth in the County
Agreement; and
WHEREAS, these indemnity provisions will be supplemental to the standard indemnity
provisions already included in the Grant Agreement Template approved by the Commission
pursuant to Resolution Nos. 2023-32423, 2023-32593 and 2023-32691.
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 authorizes the administration to enter into a Grant Agreement ("ReefLine
Grant Agreement") with Blue Lab Preservation Society Inc. ("ReefLine") to fund the installation
of an artificial reef ("Project") from a portion of the proceeds of the General Obligation Bond for
Arts & Culture, such ReefLine Grant Agreement to be substantially in the form previously
approved by the City Commission, together with an addendum requiring ReefLine to fulfill
certain obligations of the City pursuant to an agreement between the City and the County
relating to the Project; and further, authorizing the City Manager and City Clerk to execute the
finalized ReefLine Grant Agreement.
PASSED and ADOPTED this
,27 day of seer 2023.
Dan Gelber, Mayor
ATTEST:
SEP 2 8 2023
Rafael E. Granado, City Clerk
Pl�05PizORATE
APPROVED AS TO
FORM & LANGUAGE
& FOR EXECUTION
City Attomey -Q Date
Agenda Item C 713
Date Y a a3
City of Miami Beach, 1700 Convention Center Drive, Miami Beach, Florida 33139, www.miamibeachfl.gov
COMMISSION MEMORANDUM
To: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Commission
FROM: Alina T. Hudak, City ManagerCA
DATE: September 27, 2023
SUBJECT: A RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF
MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA, AUTHORIZING THE ADMINISTRATION TO ENTER
INTO A GRANT AGREEMENT ("REEFLINE GRANT AGREEMENT") WITH
BLUE LAB PRESERVATION SOCIETY INC. ("REEFLINE") TO FUND THE
INSTALLATION OF AN ARTIFICIAL REEF ("PROJECT') FROM A PORTION
OF THE PROCEEDS OF THE GENERAL OBLIGATION BOND FOR ARTS &
CULTURE, SUCH REEFLINE GRANT AGREEMENT TO BE SUBSTANTIALLY
IN THE FORM PREVIOUSLY APPROVED BY THE CITY COMMISSION
PURSUANT TO RESOLUTION NOS. 2023-32423, 2023-32693 AND 2023-
32691, TOGETHER WITH AN ADDENDUM REQUIRING REEFLINE TO
FULFILL CERTAIN OBLIGATIONS OF THE CITY PURSUANT TO AN
AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY AND THE COUNTY RELATING TO THE
PROJECT; AND FURTHER, AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER AND CITY
CLERK TO EXECUTE THE FINALIZED REEFLINE GRANT AGREEMENT.
BACKGROUND
At the July 20, 2022 Commission meeting, the Mayor and Commission approved
Resolution 2022-32261, authorizing a special election, submitting to the electorate of the
City of Miami Beach the question asking whether the City shall be authorized to issue
General Obligation Bonds (GOB), not exceeding $159,000,000, to improve facilities for
resiliency of arts and cultural institutions throughout the City, including museums,
performance venues, artistic playgrounds, senior/cultural centers, botanical garden,
aquatic sculpture park, and related artist/workforce housing.
On November 8, 2022, the voters of the City of Miami Beach approved the issuance of a
General Obligation Bond for Arts & Culture in the not to exceed amount of $159 million.
At the November 16, 2022 Commission meeting, the Mayor and Commission approved
Resolution No. 2022-32405 directing the Administration and City Attorney's Office to
negotiate and secure public benefits for residents of the City as part of the grant
agreements with cultural arts organizations that will receive G.O. Bond for Arts & Culture
funds.
On March 27, 2023, the City Commission adopted Resolution No. 2023-32523 approving
the Grant Agreement Template.
On April 28, 2023, the City Commission adopted the following Resolutions related to the
Arts & Culture G.O. Bond:
• Resolution No. 2023-32592 accepting the recommendations of the Finance and
Economic Resiliency Committee (F.E.R.C.) for Tranche 1 in the not -to -exceed
amount of $101,700,000 (including grant amounts for the following projects:
Workforce Housing, New World Symphony, Holocaust Memorial, Miami Beach
Hispanic Community Center, The Wolfsonian and the Jewish Museum of Florida).
• Resolution No. 2023-32593 approving revisions to the Grant Agreement Template.
• Resolution No. 2023-32594 approving the additional public benefits proffered by
each of the cultural arts organizations or entities that will receive Arts & Culture
G.O. Bond funds or that will directly benefit from capital projects paid for with bond
funding.
On May 17 and June 28, 2023, the first and second public readings of the bond issuance
resolution were held.
On July 26, 2023, the City Commission adopted the following resolutions related to the
Arts & Culture Bond:
• Resolution No. 2023-32691 approving a First Amendment to the Grant Agreement
template which allow for the advancing of Grant award funds.
• Resolution No. 2023-32714 adopting the Eight Amendment to the capital budget
for the Appropriation of funds for Tranche 1 of the G.O. Bond for Arts & Culture in
the amount of $101,700,000.
ANALYSIS
The final list of projects approved as part of the General Obligation Bond for Arts & Culture
included a $5 million allocation for the Aquatic Sculpture Park Project (the Project).
Miami -Dade County (the "County"), through its Department of Regulatory and Economic
Resources, Division of Environmental Resources Management ("DERM"), manages
artificial reef activities and is the permittee for various local, state, and federal regulatory
permits for artificial reefs in Miami -Dade County outside of Biscayne National Park and
Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary (the "County Permits"). The Project's first phase
entails deploying an artificial reef within the boundaries of the area covered by the County
Permits. One or more of the County Permits was originally issued in 2011 and has recently
been extended through July 2024.
Blue Lab Preservation Society Inc.
Blue Lab Preservation Society Inc. ("Blue Lab" or "ReefLine") is a 501(c)3 non-profit
foundation, led by Ximena Caminos, with a mission to build "positive community impact by
addressing ocean pollution, water quality, climate change, and environmental and social
issues".
Their most significant initiative is the conceptualization and design of the "ReefLine," a
series of artist -designed, scientist -informed artificial reefs to be located within swimming
distance of Miami Beach's shore.
The idea of uniting art and science to drive sustainable change came to Ms. Caminos after
a conversation with marine biologist Colin Foord, the founder of Miami -based Coral
Morphologic. Together, they explored how artificial reefs could restore and protect Miami
Beach's marine ecosystem.
Since its inception in 2018, ReefLine has established partnerships with recognized leaders
in artificial reef structure design and deployment, including Coral Morphologic, Ocean
Rescue Alliance (ORA), Miami -Dade County Division of Environmental Resources
Management (DERM), University of Miami (UM), and Cummins Cederberg, among others.
On November 18, 2020, the Miami Beach Mayor and City Commission adopted Resolution
No. 2020-31489, accepting the recommendation of the Miami Beach Sustainability
Committee and the Miami Beach Cultural Arts Council to support the Project as a concept
to create habitats for local aquatic marine life, promote cultural and ecological tourism,
create a unique art experience, and provide recreational activities for locals and tourists.
The passing of this Resolution marked the beginning of Reef -ine's unique partnership with
the City of Miami Beach.
In 2019, Caminos received a Knight Foundation Arts Challenge Award, which provided
the essential seed money to advance the Project to the next stages, which included the
development of the technical drawings and specifications required to satisfy all permit
requirements with agencies having jurisdiction such as DERM, the Florida Department of
Environmental Protection (FDEP) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE).
Given the extensive knowledge, history and involvement with the Project, Blue Lab is
uniquely qualified to bring the Project to fruition with the most efficiency.
Subject to the approval by the County's Board of County Commissioners, DERM has
agreed to allow the City to work under the County's permits subject to satisfaction by the
City of the terms and conditions set forth in a proposed agreement between the County
and the City ("County Agreement"), a copy of which is attached as Attachment B to the
Memorandum accompanying the Resolution for a companion item (item C7 A) included in
the September 27, 2023 Commission Agenda. The companion item requests approval by
the Mayor and City Commission of the County Agreement.
The Project will be executed by Blue Lab via a Grant Agreement to be funded out of a
portion of the proceeds of the General Obligation Bond for Arts & Culture. The Grant
Agreement with Blue Lab will include an addendum requiring Blue Lab to fulfill the City's
obligations pursuant to the County Agreement, as well as indemnity provisions in favor of
the City and the County consistent with those set forth in the County Agreement. These
indemnity provisions will be supplemental to the standard indemnity provisions already
included in the Grant Agreement Template approved by the Commission pursuant to
Resolution Nos. 2023-32423, 2023-32593 and 2023-32691.
CONCLUSION
The Administration recommends the adoption of this Resolution authorizing the
administration to enter into a Grant Agreement ("ReefLine Grant Agreement") with Blue
Lab Preservation Society Inc. ("ReefLine") to fund the installation of an artificial reef
("Project') from a portion of the proceeds of the General Obligation Bond for Arts & Culture,
such ReefLine Grant Agreement to be substantially in the form previously approved by the
City Commission, together with an addendum requiring ReefLine to fulfill certain
obligations of the city pursuant to an Agreement between the City and the County relating
to the Project; and further, authorizing the City Manager and City Clerk to execute the
finalized ReefLine Grant Agreement.
Resolutions - C7 B
MIAMIBEACH
COMMISSION MEMORANDUM
TO: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Commission
FROM: Alina T. Hudak, City Manager
DATE: September 27, 2023
SUBJECT:A RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY
OF MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA, AUTHORIZING THE ADMINISTRATION TO
ENTER INTO A GRANTAGREEMENT ("REEFLINE GRANTAGREEMENT-)
WITH BLUELAB PRESERVATION SOCIETY INC. ("REEFLINE-) TO FUND
THE INSTALLATION OF AN ARTIFICIAL REEF ("PROJECT") FROM.A
PORTION OF THE PROCEEDS OF THE GENERAL OBLIGATION BOND
FOR ARTS & CULTURE, SUCH REEFLINE GRANT AGREEMENT TO BE
SUBSTANTIALLY IN THE FORM PREVIOUSLY APPROVED BY THE CITY
COMMISSION PURSUANT TO RESOLUTION NOS. 2023-32423, 2023-32593
AND 2023-32691, TOGETHER WITH AN ADDENDUM REQUIRING
REEFLINE TO FULFILL CERTAIN OBLIGATIONS OF THE CITY
PURSUANT TO AN AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITYAND THE COUNTY
RELATING TO THE PROJECT, AND FURTHER, AUTHORIZING THE CITY
MANAGER AND CITY CLERK TO EXECUTE THE FINALIZED REEFLINE
GRANTAGREEMENT.
(ITEM TO BE SUBMITTED IN SUPPLEMENTAL)
SUPPORTING SURVEY DATA
N/A
FINANCIAL INFORMATION
N/A
Applicable Area
South Beach
Is this a "Residents Rigbt
to Know" item, pursuant to
Citv Code Section 2-14?
ire
Does this item utilize G.O.
Bond Funds?
Yes
Strategic Connection
Prosperity - Market and promote Miami Beach as a world class arts, culture, and quality
entertainment destination.
Page 9 of 550
Legislative Tracking
G.O. Bond Program
Page 10 of 550