2001-24271 RESO
RESOLUTION NO. 2001-24271
A RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION OF THE
CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA, APPROPRIATING $300,000 FROM
THE GENERAL OBLIGATION BOND SERIES 2000 FOR THE COLLINS
CANAL WATERWAY REVITALIZATION PROJECT.
WHEREAS, the issuance of a $92,000,000 General Obligation Bond was approved by
Miami Beach voters on November 2,1999; and
WHEREAS, the proceeds produced by the sale of the bonds are to be used to fund
infrastructure revitalization, neighborhood improvements, park renovations and other capital
improvement projects Citywide; and
WHEREAS, $4,800,000 of the bond proceeds were budgeted for a Citywide
shoreline/seawall rehabilitation program; and
WHEREAS, a total of $300,000 of those funds were allocated to serve as matching funds
for a $1,400,000 congressional appropriation from the United States Intennodal Surface
Transportation Enhancement Act (ISTEA) for the Collins Canal Waterway Revitalization Project;
and
WHEREAS, $300,000 from the sale of the first $30,000,000 in bonds are available for the
Collins Canal Waterway Revitalization Project; and
WHEREAS, the City is now prepared to initiate the Collins Canal Waterway Revitalization
Project.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT DULY RESOLVED BY THE MAYOR AND CITY
COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA, that the appropriation of
$300,000 from the General Obligation Bond Series 2000 for the Collins Canal Waterway
Revitalization Project, is approved.
Passed and Adopted this 2il1 day of February, 2001.
?!JJ1 MAYOR
ATTEST:
~oP~
CITY CLERK
APPROVED AS TO
FORM & LANGUAGE
&FORIiXECUTION
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CITY OF MIAMI BEACH
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CITY HALL 1700 CONVENTION CENTER DRIVE MIAMI BEACH FLORIDA 33139
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COMMISSION MEMORANDUM NO. 9'1-0/
TO:
Mayor Neisen O. Kasdin and
Members of the City Commission
DATE: February 21, 2001
FROM:
Jorge M. Gonzalez
City Manager
'o~
SUBJECT:
A RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION OF THE
CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, APPROPRIATING $300,000 FROM THE
GENERAL OBLIGATION BOND SERIES 2000, TO SERVE AS
MATCHING FUNDS FOR A $1,400,000 CONGRESSIONAL
APPROPRIATION FROM THE UNITED STATES INTERMODAL
SURFACE TRANSPORTATION ENHANCEMENT ACT (IS TEA), FOR
THE COLLINS CANAL WATERWAY REVITALIZATION PROJECT.
ADMINISTRATION RECOMMENDATION
Adopt the Resolution.
FUNDING
Funding is available from General Obligation Bond Series 2000.
ANAINSIS
On November 2, 1999, Miami Beach voters approved the issuance of a $92,000,000 General
Obligation (GO) Bond. The proceeds produced by the sale of the bonds are to be used to fund
infrastructure revitalization, neighborhood improvements, park renovations and other capital
improvement projects Citywide.
A total of $4,800,000 of the bond proceeds were budgeted for a Citywide shoreline/seawall
rehabilitation program. A total of$300,000 of those funds were allocated to serve as matching funds
for a $1,400,000 congressional appropriation from ISTEA for the Collins Canal Waterway
Revitalization Project.
The Collins Canal was dredged in 1914, to connect the southern end of the Indian Creek waterway
with Biscayne Bay. The canal was dredged to allow the farmers who first settled the area, to
transport their produce out to the Port of Miami.
Over the years however, this once pristine waterway has fallen into severe decline. The waterway
improvements so altered the shoreline ecosystem that the native plants died-out or were overgrown
Agenda Item C 7 tP
Date 8-d,\- 0 I
by nuisance exotic species. The steel and concrete seawalls have crumbled and collapsed. The loss
of native plant communities and the failure of the seawalls has resulted in substantial erosion of the
shorelines and the undercutting of roadways and public and private structures. The erosion has also
transported thousands of tons of sand and topsoil into the waterway. Silt and sediment from the
eroding shorelines have smothered marine life and clouded the water. In addition, the eroded
shorelines allow rain water run-off to wash trash, debris, agricultural chemicals and other pollutants
into the waterways.
The loss of water quality and ecosystem destruction has killed-off or driven away the manatees,
dolphins, baitfish and gamefish populations which used to be in abundance. The loss of the native
wetland plant communities from along the shorelines has also substantially reduced the available
habitat for many key bird, reptile and animal species, including many migratory birds which utilize
our area as wintering and nesting grounds.
Through the Collins Canal Waterway Revitalization Project, the City will address the shoreline
erosion problem in a truly innovative and environmentally beneficial manner.
The crumbling seawalls will be replaced with an innovative "living seawall" system. This will entail
the demolition of the old sea walls and the construction of new walls comprised of carefully
intermeshed, large diameter boulders. The slope and elevation of the new boulder walls will be
designed to closely mimic natural tidal creek shorelines. A geotextile liner will be installed along
the eroded shoreline areas behind the new boulder walls to prevent future erosion and then the
shoreline will be refilled with rich topsoil. The entire shoreline will then be replanted with native
coastal plant species.
Over time, the native plantings will anchor the shorelines and prevent erosion. These shoreline areas
will also become a buffer zone protecting the waterways from polluted rainwater run-off, wind
blown litter and sediment. The enhanced shorelines will provide substantially more marine habitat
and superior wave attenuation than the old seawalls. The new shorelines will also provide
significant new habitat for birds and wildlife. As the flow of silt, sediment and polluted run-off are
curtailed, and as the shoreline communities recover, water quality within the waterways will be
restored and the affected marine life will recover.
Future plans are for the area upland of the stabilized shoreline to be developed to create a Greenway
or bicycle/pedestrian access trail with connections to residential areas, resort areas, civic centers, the
beaches and three other regional bicycle/pedestrians trails.
The City is now prepared to initiate the Collins Canal Waterway Revitalization Project through the
award of a coastal engineering services contract for the engineering, design and permitting of the
shoreline restoration project.
Therefore, the Administration recommends the Mayor and City Commission appropriate the
$300,000 in available proceeds from the General Obligation Bond Series 2000 for this important
proJe
JM