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LTC 253-2011 Dune Restoration MIAM IVED m OFFICE OF THE CITY MANAGER NO. LTC # (' _ 11 LETTER TO A 111 t'IS� 253 20 Cl `x t r_. 1441 OFF IC TO: Mayor Matti Herrera Bower and Members of the City Commission FROM: Jorge M. Gonzalez, City Manager DATE October 6, 2011 SUBJECT: Dune Restoration and Enhancement Program This Letter to Commission (LTC) provides information regarding the Dune Restoration and Enhancement Program within the City. At the February, 3, 2011 the Neighb- orhoods and Community Affairs Committee (NCAC) directed the Administration to prioritize the order of dune _areas to be cleaned and adopted a procedure and schedule for ongoing maintenance of the dunes, including who will be responsible, and report back via an LTC. Attachment A provides a detailed map of the Atlantic Greenway Network Coastal Pathways, Attachment B details the responsibilities and - procedures for on -going dune maintenance to be completed after the monthly interdepartmental inspections of the dune system, Attachment C prioritizes dune areas to be restored and provides the cost breakdown per area, and Attachment D provides the Capital Investment Upkeep Account expenditures in FY10/11. It is. important to note that starting in October 2011 the City Will begin conducting monthly inspections of the dune system which will result in a list of actions to be completed. These meetings will include .representatives from the Environmental Division, Greenspace Management- Division, Property Management Division, Sanitation- Division, Police Department, Code Compliance, Ocean Rescue, Homeless Outreach Team, and Miami -Dade County Parks & Recreation. Background The dunes are' the vegetated buffer parallel to the shoreline that were installed by the Army Corps of Engineers in the late 1980's to protect upland properties and prevent beach erosion. Native, salt - tolerant dune vegetation species act as a continuous sand trap that stabilizes and accretes sand, which helps prevent erosion of the beach system and protects properties from the effects of coastal storms. In addition to erosion, native beachfront vegetation protects sea turtle nesting habitat from urban light pollution. The Florida Legislature recognized the importance of coastal plant species and enacted Statute 161.053(2)(a) to protect this habitat. The Statute states that no person, firm, corporation, or governmental. agency shall damage sand dunes or the vegetation growing on the dune system. Vegetation maintenance that increases lighting of the beach must be in, compliance with the "Marine Turtle Protection Act ", Chapter 370.12, Florida Statutes. Any alteration of' vegetation seaward of the state Coastal Construction Control Line trust obtain a Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) field permit to comply with these state regulations and are performed only when a nexus between life /safety and trimming can be established. Dune Management On September 10, 2003, the City entered into the Beachfront Management Agreement with FDEP to manage the sandy beach area lying east of the Erosion Control Line (ECL) and belonging to the state of Florida. Under this Agreement, the City 'is named the lead managing 4 LTC, = Dune Restoration and Enhancement Program October 3, 2011 f Page 2 of 3 y agency for the beach area, with support from Miami -Dade - County on beachfront maintenance issues. Therefore, , the. City has the authorization to perform projects , that contribute to erosion control and dune restoration, including invasive or non - native Species removal and selected native trimming, where applicable. Under the Beach Management Agreement, the City commits to conducting management activities that .enhance the natural resource value or public recreation value of the beachfront: Such activities include development of the Atlantic'Greenway Network (AGN) and establishing a Citywide Dune Restoration and Enhancement Program. These projects include the construction of a beachwalk system west of. the dune, . removal of invasive vegetation -, the planting - of native ,vegetation, and'the installation of rope, post and sand fencing. AGN Development— Beachwalk Capital. Improvement Proiects .Toward the development of. the . AGN, the City commits to performing Beachwalk Capital Improvement Projects, which include an extensive dune. restoration component as part of the FDEP permit mitigation requirements to remove all invasive vegetation and the replanting of native species in the dune. To date, the majority of .the dune restoration work has been completed through the Beachwalk Capital Improvement Projects (e.g. Beachwalk I, Beachwalk North Extension and North Beach Recreational Corridor (NBRC)). Please refer to' Attachment A fora visual representation of all planned and constructed. Beachwalk Projects. Dune Restoration & and Enhancement Program — Procedures & Maintenance To fulfill the Citywide Dune Restoration and Enhancement Program, , the City conducts the following activities of on- going maintenance; 1. Interdepartmental Dune Inspections 2. Vegetation Maintenance v 3. Volunteer Dune Restorations. These activities reduce the potential for illegal activities and homeless encampments, remove invasive vegetation, aid in the conservation of the plant and animal communities that inhabit the dune system, and preserve the vital storm surge protection and erosion control functions that the dune system provides. Dune Inspections The City is beginning monthly interdepartmental inspections of the dune system performed by Environmental Division, Greenspace Management Division Property Management, Sanitation. Division, Police Department, Code Compliance, Ocean Rescue, Homeless Outreach Team, 'and Miami -Dade County Parks & Recreation. The inspections will serve to identify problem or hotspot areas of overgrown vegetation, cleanliness issues, and homeless activity. Attachment B details the responsibilities and procedures for on- going dune maintenance that- is prioritized based on these monthly inspections. Vegetation -Maintenance The Parks and Recreation Greenspace Management Division. is responsible for conducting selective trimming and removal when life safety concerns are identified and retaining landscape maintenance contractors to conduct large scale. trimming and removal. Regular dune maintenance is not, currently included . in the City's, landscape maintenance contracts. In coordination with the Public Works Environmental Division, the Parks and Recreation Green Space Management Division is identifying' the resources, required to establish a full service dune maintenance program. LTC — Dune Restoration and Enhancement Program October 3, 201.1 Page 3 of'3 It is recommended that on- going maintenance be added to the City's current landscape contractors' agreements to' establish a more proactive trimming and removal schedule. Based on an initial quote from the landscape contractor servicing the Beachwalk from 14 to 23 the cost.would be approximately $1,000 a month in additional costs. A funding request to add this 'additional scope of work to the existing contracts will be brought forth during the F.Y12/13 budget process. While this has. an initial upfront. cost, in the long run it will save money by eliminating the necessity of conducting expensive large - scale removals and will prevent invasive Vegetation from becoming overgrown. In the meantime and until .funding is available, the City . will also continue utilizing volunteer groups to address invasive vegetation removal and planting of native species where applicable. Attachment C describes the basic site conditions related to invasive vegetation throughout -the City's dune system. The Table is organized by priority area, .which is based on the findings from interdepartmental inspections. Cost estimates have been provided from Greenspace Management's landscape maintenance contractors for invasive vegetation removal. In FY10/11, $50,000 was appropriated from the Capital Investment Upkeep (CIUA) to begin dune maintenance activities, which encompasses installation of beach signage, rope and post, sand fencing, and removal of invasive- vegetation. Attachment D outlines the use of these funds in FY10/11. In FY12 this money will be used to address invasive vegetation removal in Priority Area 1 (64 through 79 Street). Volunteer Dune Restoration Since 2006, the City has facilitated thirty (30) volunteer dune restoration events, which consist of . a combination of invasive vegetation removal and planting of native species. In total, these conservation action events have restored more than nine (9) blocks of dune at minimal .cost to the City. The majority of dune restoration events have been carried out through the cooperation between the Surfrider. Foundation and Fairchild Tropical Garden, which supplies volunteers and materials, and the in -kind services from the Parks and Recreation Department, and the Sanitation and Environmental Divisions of Public Works. These events cost approximately $3,000 per 50 square feet of dune and have been funded in.the past through non- profit support and grant funds. This cost includes retaining a dune ecologist to manage removal, obtaining necessary environmental.. permits, purchasing native vegetation for . replanting and supplies. Qrganizations interested in participating in dune restoration events should, contact the Environmental Division. Please feel free to - contact me if you have any questions. Attachments: A: Atlantic Greenway Network Coastal Pathways B: Dune Maintenance Responsibilities &Procedure C: Priority Dune, Restoration Areas D: Capital Investment Upkeep Account Expenditures FY10/11 B/ H /RWS /ESW F: \WORK \$ALL \(1) EMPLOYEE FOLDERS \BETSY WHEATON \LTC \DUNE LTC \Dune Letter to Commission 10 03 11.docx' Atlantic Greenway Network: Coastal Pathways • - ._, s. - 87TH ST - x Description NORTH SHORE OPEN SPACE PROMENADE r. w z f } Location -From 79th: ST To 87th ST 1 'Status Bwlt y a =Dis s tance 3 294 Feet trf , � 3 • Le d'' ; r L 79TH ST Coastal Pathway Type • „ ' Baywalk= < ;- _ s _ ', Description NORTH BEACH RECREATIONAL CORRIDOR . �T = Beachwalk Location From 64th ST To Z9th S7 ok :?Bwlt Boardwalk Promenade ~ s askance 6345 Feet o „ a, Status 1. „. : s�a Design - r Beach DescripUon MIDDLE BEACH RECREATIONALCORRIDORPHASE II Y Status: Planned Distance 9 218 Feet _ 0111 U a, Efi i' w F � � •,':: ,. DescripUon MIDDLE BEACH RECREATIONAL CORRIDOR PHASE I r s (EDEN ROC)` ton From 4 Loca 6th ST To - 47th ST ' Status Design ` r Distance 950 Feet 's a � i y v 1' r M. IT o e - Description MIDDLE BEACH RECREATIONAL;; , pU WOODE BOARDWAL CORRIDOR PHASE III Loca Desch on N K Locaton Fro t on From 23rd ST - 46th ST m; 23rd ST To 46th ST Status Built Distance $ 514 Feet Status Planned;- s , Distance 8 514'F ' eet t' ' ? Descnptian BEACHWALK NORTH EXTENSION s _ Location From 21th ST -To 23rd ST n, Status Bwit �.. ^s• 1` Distance 897 Feet 23RD r sgnpbpp LK De BEACH ST _ Loc2tlon From 14th To tth ST; - v Status Bwlt Distance 3 921 Feet ;aT"H 51 j Descnpt on BAYWALK Location From 5th ST To L ncoin Rd . Status;' Planned ; t Desarlptfon ll1MMUS PARKPROMENADE= Ristance 6,101 Feet;: _ i ? Location From 6th ST To 14th ST' S tus Bull � , ! to t Distance 4 938 Feet r , L2 ti ;} <t ,- 57 F DescripUon BEACHWALK II Location From S Pointe DR to WS a.,, �% Status Design. Distance 2 456 Feet S POINTE DF2 ryF` - (?escnpUOn BAYWALK Cocahon. From` -South Eolnt Park Ta;5th ST �eseriptlon BEACHWALK (CONTINUUM) Status Built ;= � � ` �,,. „'. L':bcatlon From South Paint to S Pointe Dr �'` ' �* ` ” � Distance 5664 Feet " ' _ Status Bulit '% �" ,_ =. ._.. _•_ -, =_ ... •- Dfstance 1 529 Feet a Attachment B Departmental Responsibilities -sand 'Procedures for Dune Maintenance Department Responsibilities • Manages all dune maintenance requests & internal coordination point of contact Environmental Division Obtains necessary state & local permits • Performs selective trimming, replanting & removal of invasive vegetation based on available funding. Greenspace Management Manages landscape maintenance contractors • Installs and "maintains signage, rope & post, Property Management and sand fencin • Patrols for illegal activity and enforces state Police Department and local laws • Issues citations for illegal planting, trimming Code Compliance and removal activities • Identifies access points that overgrown Ocean Rescue ve etation •present life/safety concerns Homeless Outreach Team • Provide assistance /shelter • Removes litter associated with homeless encampment Sanitation • Performs selective litter removal Miami -Dade County Parks Performs litter control j Attachment C 1 Priority Invasive .Removal Areas FY11/12 Priority Project Area Invasive Species Invasive - Removal Status Cost 1 64 -79 Streets, Mix of invasive $37,000 FUNDED NBRC vegetation and natives FY11/12 $50,000 NFUNDED �U 23 -46 Streets; FY11 /12. ,Dune: Mix of invasive 2 Boardwalk/MBRC ;crossovers serviced vegetation and natives" :. 111 by landscape contra th th Design Phase: TBD as part of project 3 46 -64 Streets, majority ts, maj mitigation for MBRC MBRC 11 invasive vegetation Capital Project. Minimal invasive $40;000 UNFUNDED 5 14th Streets,,, Dune resoration .to be 4 vegetation, Lummus Park included`in 'Beachwalk natives II :Project. Design Phase: minimal South Pointe Dr - invasive vegetation. Full 5 5 Street, dune restoration costs $47,000 -UNFUNDED not included, pending Beachwalk II final design of Beachwalk 11 Project. funded..through • volunteer aefforts. In Minimal: invasive . 2011, eight (8). events 79 -87 Streets, -._ v egetat m ion, ajority removed vegetation NSOSP natives as a result`of. from .86 Street to 81 . v-1 o unteer efforts `Street.:Cost "savings of approximately _19,000. COMPLETED 7/29/11. Superior Landscaping was retained to 14 th _23 Streets, $37, 000 7 complete the invasive Beachwalk I vegetation was removal. COMPLETED Moved from Priority 1 to Priority 7. TOTAL . $1,37,000 , .. t Attachment D , i J Captial Investment Upkeep Account FY 10/11 Expenditures Beach Sig'nage_(Citywide) $4,38;5 Protective Dune Fencing,(Citywide) $8,207 InvasiveYegetation "Removal (14. Street to '23 Street), $37,000 TOTAL ' $49;591'.