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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2006-26134 ResoRESOLUTION NO. 2006-26134 A RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA, APPROPRIATING FUNDING, IN THE AMOUNT OF $339,446.56, FROM THE AMERICAN GOLF SETTLEMENT; $75,000 TO BE MADE AVAILABLE TO COMPLETE THE ENVIRONMENTAL REMEDIATION AT THE MIAMI BEACH GOLF COURSE CONSTRUCTION PROJECT, AND $264,446.56 TO BE APPROPRIATED TO FUND THE ADDITIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL REMEDIATION REQUIREMENTS FOR THE NORMANDY SHORES GOLF COURSE PROJECT. WHEREAS, from 1986 to 1996, American Golf Corporation (AGC) operated and maintained the City's golf courses under a management agreement; and WHEREAS, towards the latter end of that time pedod, the City became aware of enforcement actions by the Miami-Dade County Department of Environment Resource Management (DERM) concerning environmental conditions at the golf courses; and WHEREAS, DERM had issued certain Notices of Violation (NOV) for contamination at the Miami Beach Golf Course and the Normandy Shores Golf Course; and WHEREAS, after extensive negotiations with DERM, the City agreed to limited remediation of the golf course maintenance areas, and undertook such remediation to precede the renovation of the golf courses; and WHEREAS, in 2004, the City filed an action against AGC in the United States District Court, Southern District of Florida, Miami Division, styled City of Miami Beach v. American Corporation of California, Inc., Case Number: 04-22607, seeking cost recovery for alleged environmental contamination at the Bayshore (Miami Beach Golf Course) and Normandy Shores Golf Courses, under state and federal environmental statues; and WHEREAS, AGC denied the allegations contained in the City's Complaint and alleged certain defenses to the City's claims; and WHEREAS, the parties engaged in mediation in early August 2005, but failed to reach an agreement and subsequently, AGC submitted a settlement offer, without admission of liability, which was considered by the City Commission, in attomey-client session on September 8, 2005; and WHEREAS, pursuant to direction from the City Commission, the City Attorney's Office and outside counsel engaged in further negotiations with AGC, which resulted in the final settlement agreement submitted to the City Commission on October 19, 2005, whereby the parties agreed to resolve all disputes which may exist between them rather than continue with the litigation; and WHEREAS, the Settlement Agreement, executed on October 19, 2005, caused AGC to pay the City a total of $375,000; and WHEREAS, on January 11,2006, $35,553.44 was appropriated from the Amedcan Golf Settlement to provide for Hydrogeologic Consulting Services for the Miami Beach Golf Course Club Maintenance Building, in order to comply with the permit requirements imposed by Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP); and WHEREAS, City staff hereby recommends that $75,000 from the American Golf Settlement now be appropriated to finish the additional environmental remediation at the Miami Beach Golf Course Project which may be necessary pending the results of the Reasonable Assurance Report required by Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP); and WHEREAS, City Staff also recommends that $264,446.56 now be appropriated to address additional remediation required by FDEP / DERM for the Renovation of the Normandy Shores Golf Course Project. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA, that the Mayor and City Commission hereby authorize and appropriate funding, in the amount of $339,446.56, from the American Golf Settlement to be made available to complete the Miami Beach Golf Course Project, in the amount of $75,000, and Normandy Shores Golf Course Project, in the amount of $264,446.56. PASSED AND ADOPTED this ~ R CITY CLERK Robert Parcher ~h day of T:V~GENDA~2006~nar0806~RegularV~med~n Golf Resolution 3.08.06 .doc APPROVED AS TO FORM & LANGUAGE & FOR EXECUTION City A~ Date Condensed Title: COMMISSION ITEM SUMMARY A Resolution of the Mayor and City Commission of the City of Miami Beach, Florida, to appropriate $339,446.56 from the American Golf Course Settlement, $75,000 to be appropriated to the environmental remediation required by FDEP at the Miami Beach Golf Course project and $264,446.56 to be appropriated to address additional environmental remediation required by DERM at the Normandy Shores Golf Course Project for a total appropriation of $339,446.56 Key Intended Outcome Supported: IEnsure well designed quality capital projects. Issue: Shall the Commission appropriate the funding from the American Golf Course Settlement to complete the Miami Beach Golf Course and the Normandy Shores Golf Course project to fund environmental remediation at the golf courses required by FDEP / DERM? Item Summary/Recommendation: The Settlement Agreement between the City of Miami Beach and American Golf Corporation (AGC) was executed on October 19, 2005 which required AGC to pay the City of Miami Beach a total of $375,000. On January 11, 2006, $35,553.44 was appropriated from the American Golf Settlement to provide for Hydrogeologic Consulting Services for the Miami Beach Golf Course Club Maintenance Building in order to comply with the permit requirements imposed by the Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP). City staff recommends that $75,000 from the Settlement be appropriated to finish the environmental remediation at the Miami Beach Golf Course project which may be necessary pending the results of the Reasonable Assurance Report required by FDEP. In addition, City Staff recommends that $264,446.56 be appropriated to address additional remediation required by DERM for the Renovation of the Normandy Shores Golf Course project. Advisory Board Recommendation: N/A -'inancial Information: ~ d~: $339,446.56 011-8000*36999(Misc Revenue) ~ From American Golf Settlement ~ ::::T~i: $339,446.56 Financial Impact Summary: City Clerk's Office Legislative Tracking: I Graciela Escalante, Senior Capital Projects Coordinator n-Offs: T:~AGEI ular~American Golf Commission Summary 3.8.06.doc MIAMIBEACH AGENDA ITEM DATE C7c-- MIAMIBEACH ¢i~ of Miami Beach, 1700 Convention Center Drive, Miami Beach, Florida 33139, www.miamibeachfl.gov COMMISSION MEMORANDUM TO: FROM: DATE: SUBJECT: Mayor David Dermer and Members of the City Commission J°rge M' G°nzalez' City Manager 1 ~v"C-0'""/March 8, 2006 A RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA, APPROPRIATING FUNDING, IN THE AMOUNT OF $339,446.56, FROM THE AMERICAN GOLF SETTLEMENT, $75,000 TO BE MADE AVAILABLE TO COMPLETE THE ENVIRONMENTAL REMEDIATION AT THE MIAMI BEACH GOLF CLUB COURSE CONSTRUCTION PROJECT, AND $264,446.56 TO BE APPROPRIATED TO FUND THE ADDITIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL REMEDIATION REQUIREMENTS FOR THE NORMANDY SHORES GOLF COURSE PROJECT. ADMINISTRATION RECOMMENDATION Adopt the Resolution. FUNDING Funding is available in Account Number: 011-8000-369999 (Misc. Revenue) from the American Golf Settlement. ANALYSIS From 1986 to 1996, American Golf Corporation (AGC) operated and maintained the City's golf courses under a management agreement. Towards the latter end of that time period, the City became aware of enforcement actions by the Miami-Dade County Department of Environment Resource Management (DERM) concerning environmental conditions at the golf courses. DERM had issued certain Notices of Violation (NOV) for contamination at the Miami Beach Golf Club Course and the Normandy Shores Golf Course. Not satisfied with AGC's responses to the NOV, the City terminated the agreement and undertook its own assessments. After extensive negotiations with DERM, the City agreed to limited remediation of the golf course maintenance areas and undertook such remediation to precede the renovation of the golf courses. Thereafter, the City Attorney's Office and outside counsel undertook to recover monies expended in furtherance of the assessment and remediation activities. In 2004, the City filed an action against AGC in the United States District Court, Southern District of Florida, Miami Division, styled City of Miami Beach v. American Corporation of California, Inc., Case Number: 04-22607-CIC-MARTINEZ, seeking cost recovery for alleged environmental contamination at the Bayshore (Miami Beach Golf Club) and Normandy Shores Golf courses owned by the City, under state and federal environmental statutes. After recent case law limited the recovery to state law claims, the City filed an amended complaint. AGC denied the allegations contained in the City's Complaint and alleged certain defenses to the City's claims. City Commission Memorandum - American golf Settlement March 8, 2006 Page 2 of 2 The parties engaged in mediation in early August, 2005, but failed to reach an agreement. Thereafter, AGC submitted a settlement offer, without admission of liability, which was considered by the City Commission, in attorney-client session on September 8, 2005. Pursuant to direction from the City Commission, the City Attorney's Office and outside counsel engaged in further negotiations with AGC, which resulted in the Agreement submitted to the Commission on October 19, 2005, whereby the parties agreed to resolve all disputes which may exist between them rather than continue with the litigation. The City Commission approved the Resolution approving the settlement agreement which authorized the City Manager and City Clerk to execute the Agreement on behalf of the City, and the City Manager and City Attorney were authorized to take appropriate actions consistent with the intent of the resolution to implement the provisions of the Settlement Agreement. The Settlement Agreement executed on October 19, 2005, caused AGC to pay the City of Miami Beach a total of $375,000. On January 11,2006, $35,553.44 was appropriated from the American Golf Settlement to provide for hydrogeologic consulting services for the Miami Beach Golf Club maintenance building in order to comply with the permit requirements imposed by Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP). The Miami Beach Golf Course Clubhouse building received a Temporary Certificate of Occupancy (TCO) on May 5, 2004. It is anticipated that a Certificate of Occupancy (CO) will be achieved by the second quarter of 2006, as soon as the air-conditioned dumpster enclosure is completed. Funding for the enclosure was appropriated in the Commission meeting of October 19, 2005. It is anticipated that a TCO will be achieved for the Maintenance Building by the end of the first quarter of 2006. City staff recommends that $75,000 from the Settlement be appropriated to finish the environmental remediation at the Miami Beach Golf Club project which may be necessary pending the results of the Reasonable Assurance Report required by FDEP / DERM. In addition, City Staff recommends that $264,446.56 be appropriated to address additional remediation required by FDEP / DERM for the Renovation of the Normandy Shores Golf Course project. CONCLUSION That the City Commission appropriate $339,446.56 from the American Golf Course Settlement, $75,000 to be appropriated to fund the environmental remediation required by FDEP / DERM at the Miami Beach Golf Club project and $264,446.56 to be appropriated to fund the additional environmental remediation required by FDEP/DERM at the Normandy Shores Golf Course Project, for a total appropriation of $339,446.56. T:~,GENDA~006~'nar0806\Regular~American Golf Commission Memo-revised 2-27-06- 3.8.06.doc