LTC 557-2023 Lummus Park Dune Vegetation TrimmingMIAMI BEACH
OFFICE OF THE CITY MANAGER
NO. LTC # 557-2023
TO:
LETTER TO COMMISSION
FROM:
DATE:
Honorable Mayor Steven Meiner and Members of the City Commission
Alina Hudak, City Managw
December 19, 2023
SUBJECT: Lummus Park Dune Vegetation Trimming
Coastal dunes are an invaluable asset to coastal communities like Miami Beach. A strong dune
system keeps our beaches healthy, minimizes beach erosion rates, and protects coastal
infrastructure and upland properties from storm damage. I am pleased to share another update
on the trimming and restoration of dune vegetation to create a more environmentally healthy dune
system. Location:
Dunes adjacent to Lummus Park from 13 Street -14 Place.
Date:
Trimming work is expected to take place throughout December 2023 and January 2024,
beginning on Monday, December 18, 2023.
Background:
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The project will be led by
SFM Services, Inc., City
contracted personnel. The
work includes the removal of
nonnative, invasive
vegetation and trimming of
the existing native dune
vegetation in accordance
with the City's Dune
Management Plan; this
project will occur within the
dune area east of the
Lummus Park spoil to the
beach itself from the 13
Street dune crossover to the
14 Place beach access. The
area will be restored with
native, dune-building
species.
On April 17, 2023, Administration issued LTC 168-2023 outlining a Dune Maintenance Report
and Plan for a comprehensive approach for the overgrown vegetation adjacent to Lummus Park.
T here are co nce rn s reg a rding the resilie nce of the dune system adjacent to Lum m us Park
be tw ee n 5 an d 14 Pla ce (se e LT C 168-20 2 3 ). In vasive species like Beach naupaka and Brazilian
pe p p e rt ree, in ad dition to ove rgro w n du ne veg etation, including seagrapes, reduce the stability of
na tiv e du ne -bu ild in g sp e cie s like sea oats; these also create desirable locations fo r vagrant and
ho m ele ss enca m p m ents. T he vegetation in this area is predom inantly nonnative, invasive
ve g e ta tio n tha t co m p e te s w ith and ove rw helm s na tive dune speci es, thereby threatening the
stre n g th an d bio d ive rsity of the dune system . In addition, the beaches and dunes adjacent to this
a re a ha v e be e n id entifi e d as a M a rine T urt le N esting habitat by the State of Florida (FW C and
F D E P ). The non n a tive invasive vegetation has the potential to endanger nesting sea turtles and
ha tch lin g s by m akin g it ha rde r fo r the m to rea ch the ocean if they becom e disoriented and end up
w ith in the th ick ve g e tatio n . It also pose s a threat to sea turt le nests located close to the dunes
w h e re the ro o ts of the non-na tive vegetation can ca use entanglem ent of the sea turt le hatch lings.
F o r the se rea so n s, full re m o val of the invasive spe cie s is required; how ever, dune trim m ing and
re sto ratio n w ill nee d to be co m p leted in sm aller sections to m aintain the elevation of the dunes
a n d e n s u re the y are no t destab ilized. O nce the trim m ing and invasive speci es rem oval has been
co m p le ted , the are a w ill be replanted w ith native dune vegetation. In addition to the invasive
sp e c ie s co n ce rn s, the re is an overgro w th of shrub and shade-pro ducing species. W hen the
un d erg ro w th is structu ra lly pruned, it discou rages encam pm ents by increasing visibility and
e lim in a ting po te n tial sp o ts co nsidered idea l fo r such activity, as w ell as allow ing full sun fo r ground
co v e r spe c ie s w ith de ep ro o t system s. A n add itional update w ill be shared w hen the area is
re sto re d w ith na tive du n e -b u ild ing spe cie s once the invasive vegetation rem oval and trim m ing is
co m p le ted , be fo re se a turt le seaso n.
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D u e to the co m ple x na tu re of the dune s in the Lum m us Park area, it w ill take several years to
co m p le te the en tire se g m ent. To prepa re, the Environm ent & Sustainability Departm ent has
sou g ht additio n al bu d g e t funds, sig nifica nt grant funding, and has re quested that non-profit
pa rt ners, lik e S u rf rid e r, fo cus volunteer eff ort s in this area. The C ity w as also aw arded a $1.3
m illio n R esilie n t Florid a G ra nt fo r dune restoratio n to be spread am ong South , Mi d -, and North
B e a c h . T he D ep art m e nt w ill continue to se ek additional grants fo r dune m aintenance and
re sto ration .
F o r a n y ad d itio n al info rm a tio n , ple ase feel fr ee to contact Li ndsey Precht, Environm ent and
S u sta in ab ility D ep art m e nt A ssistant Di recto r, at Li nd seyP recht@ m iam ibeachfl.gov.
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