R5C-Amend Chapter 46 Care And Maintenance Of Trees And Plants -Malakoff-COMMISSION ITEM SUMMARY
Condensed Title:
An Ordinance Of The Mayor And City Commission Of The City Of Miami Beach, Florida, Amending
Chapter 46 Of The Miami Beach City Code, Entitled "Environment," Article li, "Care And
Maintenance Of Trees And Plants," Division 2, "Trees"; At Section 46-59 Entitled "Tree Work Permit
Application Processing, Requirements, And Review" To Authorize The City Commission To Adopt By
Resolution, A Fee Schedule Relating To lmplementing The Tree Code; Providing For Repealer;
Codification:; And An Effective Date. SEGOND READING PUBLIC HEARING.
lntended Outcome Supported :
Item Summary/Recommendation:
On November 19,2014 the City of Miami Beach passed the Tree Ordinance which serves as the official
guideline for all tree relocations, removals, remediation, and special tree designations within the City's
boundaries. On June 1,2015 Miami-Dade County officially notified the City of Miami Beach that it will no
longer regulate tree resources within the City beginning June 15, 2015, in order to allow the City to assume
this regulatory responsibility pursuant to Chapter 24 of the Miami-Dade County Code. Part of the City's
regulatory responsibility is to charge fees for the various applications, permits, and reviews necessary to
run the Tree Preservation Permitting Program.
CURRENT STATUS
As of June 15,2015, the City of Miami Beach Department of Public Works assumed responsibility for
enforcing the Tree Ordinance (No. 2014-3904) from Miami-Dade County. The Greenspace Management
Division of the Public Works Department has established a Tree Preservation Permitting Program which
receives and processes applications for the performance of tree related work within the City. ln order for
this program to function as intended, it is necessary to collect fees associated with the types of services
and permits that the Program offers in order to recover the costs associated with providing these services.
ln discussions with Miami-Dade County it was revealed that they are having a difficult time covering their
costs with their present fee schedule. Considering labor costs and the time required to perform site
inspections, plan reviews, and various administrative tasks, it was determined that the proposed Tree
Preservation Permit Program's fees would need to be considerably more than the fee amount currently
charged by Miami-Dade County to provide similar services.
Since this is a new program, we are unsure of what actual costs will be. As a result, we recommend
incorporating the Ordinance that fees can be changed by Resolution so that if adjustments are needed,
they can be accomplished efficiently.
At its July 8, 2015 meeting, the City Commission read the title of the Ordinance into the record. A motion
was made by the CommiJsion to biing the item back on July 29th, for approval on Second Reading, Public
Hearing.
THE ADMINISTRATION RECOMMENDS ADOPTING THE ORDINANCE ON SECOND READING
PUBLIC HEARING.
Board Recommendation:
Financial lnformation :
Source of
Funds:
OBPI
Financial lm
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City of Miami Beach, 1700 Convention Center Drive, Miami Beach, Florida 33'139, rrvww.miamibeachfl.gov
PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT COMMISSION MEMORANDUM
To: Mayor Phillip Levine and Membe of the
FRoM: Jimmy L. Morales, City Manager
DATE: July 29, 2015
SUBJECT: AN ORDINANCE OF THE MA
SECOND READING
PUBLIC HEARING
clTY coDE, ENTITLED "ENVIRONMENT," ARTICLE ll, "CARE AND
MAINTENANCE OFTREESAND PLANTS," DIVISION 2, "TREES"; ATSECTION
46.59 ENTITLED "TREE WORK PERMIT APPLICATION PROGESSING,
REQUIREMENTS, AND REVIEW'' TO AUTHORIZE THE CITY COMMISSION TO
ADOPT BY RESOLUTION, A FEE SCHEDULE RELATING TO IMPLEMENTING THE
TREE CODE; PROVIDING FOR REPEALER; CODIFICATION; SEVERABILITY;
AND AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
BACKGROUND
On November 1 9, 2014lhe City of Miami Beach passed the Tree Ordinance which serves as the
official guideline for all tree relocations, removals, remediation, and special tree designations
within the City's boundaries. On June 1 ,2015 Miami-Dade County officially notified the City of
Miami Beach that it will no longer regulate tree resources within the City beginning June 15,
2015, in order to allow the City to assume this regulatory responsibility pursuant to Chapter 24 of
the Miami-Dade County Code. Part of the City's regulatory responsibility is to charge fees for
the various applications, permits, and reviews necessaryto run the Tree Preservation Permitting
Program.
CURRENT STATUS
As of June 15, 2015, the City of Miami Beach Department of Public Works assumed
responsibility for enforcing the Tree Ordinance (No. 2014-3904) from Miami-Dade County. The
Greenspace Management Division of the Public Works Department has established a Tree
Preservation Permitting Program which receives and processes applications for the
performance of tree related work within the City. ln order for this program to function as
intended, it is necessary to collect fees associated with the types of services and permits that the
Program offers in order to recover the costs associated with providing these services.
ln discussions with Miami-Dade County it was revealed that they are having a difficult time
covering their costs with their present fee schedule. Considering labor costs and the time
required to perform site inspections, plan reviews, and various administrative tasks, it was
determined that the proposed Tree Preservation Permit Program's fees would need to be
considerably more than the fee amount currently charged by Miami-Dade County to provide
similar services. Below is the proposed schedule of fees:
AND CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF
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TREE PRESERVATION PERM!T FEE SCHEDULE
ZONING OF PROPERTY PLAN REVIEW COSTS INSPECTION COSTS
Single Family / Residential $1 84 $88 site inspection + $24 per tree
Multi-Family $228 $88 site inspection + $24 per kee
Business $272 $88 site inspection + $24 per tree
Commercial $272 $88 site inspection + $24 per tree
Right-of Way/Swale $184 $88 site inspection + $12 per tree
ForAfter-the-Fact (ATF) tree removal/relocation permits, the application and the pertree(s) fees
are doubled (x2). ln order to renew/extend a permit you will be required to pay one half of the
original application fee amount prior to the expiration of the current permit.
Since this is a new program, we are unsure of what actual costs will be. As a result, we
recommend incorporating the Ordinance that fees can be changed by Resolution so that if
adjustments are needed, they can be accompanied efficiently.
At its July 8,2015 meeting, the City Commission read the title of the Ordinance into the record.
A motion was made by the Commission to bring the item back on July 29th, for approval on
Second Reading, Public Hearing.
CONCLUSION
the Administration recommends adopting the Ordinance on second reading public hearing.
JLM/MT/ETC/JJF/RK
T:\AGENDA\201 5Uuly\PUBLIC WORKS\Tree Fees. Sum.doc
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ORDINANCE NO.
AN ORDINANCE OF THE MAYOR AND CIry COMMISSION OF THE
CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA, AMENDING GHAPTER 46 OF THE
MIAMI BEACH CITY CODE, ENTITLED ''ENVIRONMENT,"
ARTICLE II, "CARE AND MAINTENANCE OF TREES AND PLANTS,"
DIVISION 2, "TREES"; AT SECTION 46-59 ENTITLED "TREE WORK
PERMIT APPLICATION PROCESSING, REQUIREMENTS, AND REVIEW"TO AUTHORIZE THE CIry COMMISSION TO ADOPT BY
RESOLUTION, A FEE SCHEDULE RELATING TO IMPLEMENTING
THE TREE GODE; PROVIDING FOR REPEALER; CODIFIGATION;
SEVERABILITY; AND AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
WHEREAS, the City Commission declares that it is in the public health, safety and
welfare, and the interest of the citizens of Miami Beach, to establish policies, regulations and
standards to ensure its residents and visitors will realize the full benefits of a healthy, well-
managed urban forest; and
WHEREAS, in 2014, the City Commission recognized that specific changes were
needed to the City's Code in order to protect the existing tree canopy in the City and to ensure
additional tree canopy, and as a result, the City created a new Tree Code, codified at Chapter
46, Article ll; and
WHEREAS, enhanced guidelines were created to define required tree protection
measures to be undertaken on designated construction sites; and
WHEREAS, the City also established a Heritage Tree designation process to recognize
and protect trees of unique character and high value, and also provided a strong mechanism to
help prevent any unauthorized removals of these trees and understory; and
WHEREAS, the City also created a Specimen Tree designation which would include all
trees with a diameter breast height (dbh) of 12 inches and above, to also include increased
canopy mitigation and monetary contribution requirements for any Specimen tree impacts; and
WHEREAS, the City also created enforcement provisions concerning the trimming,
spraying, removal, planting, pruning, cutting and protection of trees Citywide, and established
appropriate fines and penalties; and
WHEREAS, based upon the adoption of the Tree Code, in June 2015, the City also took
over all oversite responsibilities relating to trees from Miami-Dade County Department of
Environmental Protection; and
WHEREAS, the City now desires to establish application fees to cover the costs
associated with implementing Chapter 46, Article ll.
WHEREAS, the City Commission desires to Amend Chapter 46, Article ll at Section 46-
59(5) to provide for the City Commission to adopt, by Resolution, a fee schedule relating to
implementing the ordinance, and the below amendment accomplishes the above objective.
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NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT DULY ORDAINED BY THE MAYOR AND CITY
GOMMISSION OF THE GITY OF MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA, AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. That Article ll, entitled, "CARE AND MAINTENANCE OF TREES AND PLANTS,"
of Chapter 46 of the Miami Beach City Code, Division 2 thereof, entitled "TREES", at Section
46-59, entitled "Tree work permit application processing, requirements and review" is hereby
amended as follows:
CHAPTER 46 ENVIRONMENT
***
ARTICLE II. CARE AND MAINTENANGE OF TREES AND PLANTS
DIVISION 2. TREES PRESERVATION AND PROTECTION
Sec. 46-59. - Tree work permit application processing, requirements, and review.
(1) Permit, when required. A tree work permit shall be required:
(5) Fees. Fees for tree work permits shall be established by the city commission via resolution.
Applications from government agencies for tree removals solely in areas dedicated to public use
may, at the discretion of the city commission, be exempted from application and permit fees.
SECTION 2. CODIFICATION.
It is the intention of the Mayor and City Commission of the City of Miami Beach, and it is hereby
ordained that the provisions of this ordinance shall become and be made part of the Code of the
City of Miami Beach, Florida. The sections of this ordinance may be renumbered or relettered
to accomplish such intention, and the word "ordinance" may be changed to "section", "article", or
other appropriate word.
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SEGTION 3. REPEALER.
All ordinances or parts of ordinances in conflict herewith be and the same are hereby repealed.
SECTION4. SEVERABILIry.
lf any section, subsection, clause or provision of this Ordinance is held invalid, the remainder
shall not be affected by such invalidity.
SECTION 5. EFFECTIVE DATE.
This Ordinance shalltake effect ten days following adoption.
PASSED AND ADOPTED this _ day of 2015.
Philip Levine, Mayor
ATTEST:
Rafael E. Granado, City Clerk
First Reading: July 8,2015
Second Reading: July 29, 2015
Underline = new language
S+rit<et++eugh = deleted language
[Sponsored by Commissioner Joy Malakofl
APPROVED AS TO FORM
AND LANGUAGE
AND FOR EXECUTION
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