2018-30236 Resolution RESOLUTION NO. 2018-30236
A RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION
OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA, URGING THE
FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL
PROTECTION AND MIAMI-DADE COUNTY TO ADDRESS
THE SEVERE BEACH SAND LOSS CITYWIDE AND TO
IMPLEMENT AN EMERGENCY RENOURISHMENT PROJECT
TO MITIGATE CRITICAL EROSION CONDITIONS.
WHEREAS, beaches and dunes serve as a vital buffer between coastal
infrastructure and the destructive forces of ocean waves and surge during storm events;
and
WHEREAS, beach renourishment adds sand to the coastal system, helps keep
the erosive power of strong waves from reaching dunes and structures, and buffers
against the effects of sea level rise and climate change, thereby protecting coastal
properties and the coastal environment; and
WHEREAS, beach renourishment has been an ongoing practice in Southeast
Florida since the late 1970s, as part of the Miami-Dade County Beach Erosion Control
and Hurricane Protection Project (the "Project"), providing essential economic,
environmental, and recreational benefits to coastal communities; and
WHEREAS, throughout the region, thirty-six federal and nonfederal beach
nourishment projects provide storm damage reduction to infrastructure, as well as
incidental recreational opportunities; and
WHEREAS, Miami-Dade County, the State of Florida, and the Federal
government are cost-sharing partners in the Project; and
WHEREAS, as part of the Project, beach renourishment in the City of Miami
Beach was completed in March 2017; and
WHEREAS, as part of the 2016/2017 Project, the Army Corps of Engineers
(USACE) trucked 233,000 cubic yards of sand from an inland quarry in Central Florida
to renourish the City's beaches in the vicinity of 46th Street and 53rd Street; and
WHEREAS, on September 10, 2017, Hurricane Irma made landfall along the
Southwest Florida coast as a major category 3 hurricane; as the hurricane traveled
northward for the next 24 hours, hurricane force winds stretched from coast to coast;
and
WHEREAS, Hurricane Irma caused extensive beach erosion on the City's
beaches in areas including 22nd Street, 24th Street, 26th Street, 27th Street, 53rd Street,
55th Street, 57th Street, 63rd Street, 65th Street, and 79th Street; and
WHEREAS, the USACE conducted a Project Information Study ("Study") in
December 2017 to determine if the Project was eligible for rehabilitation funds under the
Civil Emergency Management Program; and
WHEREAS, the Study found that more than one-third of the historically placed
sand has been lost and approximately 730,000 cubic yards of sand was lost between
the pre-storm to post-storm template; and
WHEREAS, the Study also found that the Project does not meet eligibility criteria
for financial assistance; and
WHEREAS, recent severe weather during the week of March 1-7, 2018, which is
expected to continue through the weekend, has caused new sand loss citywide, and
sections of beach are now critically eroded as seasonal high wave activity reduces the
width of the beach face, encroaches into the vegetated dune, and creates cliffing along
the coastline; and
WHEREAS, as a result of this new erosion, the waterline is now encroaching into
the dunes impacting public safety and threatening to undermine public and private
property; and
WHEREAS, several existing lifeguard towers, including the towers at 46th Street
and 64th Street, have been relocated to protect them from structural damage; and
WHEREAS, from 54th Street north through 69th Street, the City of Miami Beach
Ocean Rescue is unable to safely traverse north to south continuously on the beach,
presenting a safety risk for beachgoers; and
WHEREAS, the new beach erosion is also having a direct impact on the City's
beachfront hotels and concessionaires, as well as impacting residents that live adjacent
to the beach and use the beach for recreation; and
WHEREAS, Miami-Dade County and the Florida Department of Environmental
Protection are key stakeholders in ensuring the beaches can continue to provide critical
hurricane protection for public and private property, erosion control, and economic
benefits to the County, the region, and the State.
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 urge the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and
Miami-Dade County to address the severe beach sand loss citywide and to implement
an emergency renourishment project to mitigate critical erosion conditions.
PASSED AND ADOPTED this 7 day of March, 2018.
ATTEST:
Dan Gelber, Mayor
7-s .3//civ
Rafael E. Granado, ity Clerk ' ,,
\ bd �•� APPROVED AS TO
.••...... FO : NGUAGE
`
/• • CLITION
r
frJr 3 ISS
City Attorney-vc to