LTC 017-2021 City of Aventura Resolution No. 2021-03M IA M I B EA C H
O F F IC E O F T H E C IT Y C L E R K
N o .
LETTER TO COMMISSION
T O :
F R O M :
D A T E :
S U B JE C T :
M a yo r D a n G elber and M e m bers of the C ity Comm ission
Rafael E. G ranado, C ity C le rk
Jan uary 13 , 20 21 ~
CI T Y O F A VE N T U RA RE S OL U TI O N N O . 2021-03
A tt a c h e d fo r you r info rm a tion is R eso lutio n N o. 2021-03, adopte d by the M ayor and City
C o mm issio n of C ity of A ven tu ra on Ja nua ry 5, 2021.
A R E S O L U T IO N O F T H E C IT Y C O M M IS S IO N O F T HE C ITY O F
A V E N T U RA , FL O R ID A, U R G IN G T H E BA HA M IA N GO V E R NM E NT TO
D E N Y O F FS H O R E O IL D R IL LIN G EX P LO RA T IO N LI C E N S ES A N D
P E R M A N E N T LY BA N O F FS H O R E O IL D R ILLI N G A C T IV ITIE S IN T HE
BA H A M A S ; P R O V ID IN G FO R T RA N S M IT T A L; A N D PR O V ID IN G FO R A N
E FF E C T IV E D A T E .
T he C ity of A ve ntura C le rk ha s req ue sted that a copy of this R esolution be pro vided to the M iam i
Be a c h M a y or a nd C o mm issione rs.
If yo u ha ve any que stio ns, plea se co ntact the O ffi ce of the C ity C lerk at 305.673. 7 411.
R EG /le
A tt a c h m ent
F:\CLER\$ALL\LILIA\L TC's - Transmittal's\Aventura\Resolution 2021-03 City of Aventura.docx
017-2021
CITY OF AVENTURA RESOLUTION NO. 2021-03
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF
AVENTURA, FLORIDA, URGING THE BAHAMIAN GOVERNMENT TO
DENY OFFSHORE OIL DRILLING EXPLORATION LICENSES AND
PERMANENTLY BAN OFFSHORE OIL DRILLING ACTIVITIES IN THE
BAHAMAS; PROVIDING FOR TRANSMITTAL; AND PROVIDING FOR
AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
WHEREAS, the Bahamas Petroleum Company ("BPC") has been granted an
offshore oil drilling exploration license by the Bahamian government that allows them to
construct exploratory offshore oil drilling wells 150 miles off the coast of Florida; and
WHEREAS, exploratory and commercial drilling, extraction, and transportation of
offshore oil and gas resources by BPC poses a significant risk of oil spills and chronic
leakage that may adversely impact the Bahamas and coastal communities in the
Caribbean and Florida; and
WHEREAS, offshore drilling activities pose threats to treasured vacation
destinations in the Caribbean and along Florida's Coasts, which are of intrinsic economic
value for numerous industries and countries, provide essential nursery habitats for
recreational and commercially important fisheries, and act as natural buffers from storm
surge and hurricanes; and
WHEREAS, the City of Aventura ("City") is one of numerous communities in
Florida and in the Caribbean whose local or nearby marine habitats, industries, and public
health may be devastated by offshore drilling oil spills originating in the Bahamas; and
WHEREAS, the City endeavors to protect the environmental health of all marine
habitats, and, particularly, Biscayne Bay; and
WHEREAS, exploration and development of oil and gas resources off the
Bahamian coast may not effectively address the long-term economic diversification goals
of the Bahamas, and would likely substantially damage the tourism sector of the
Bahamian economy, which makes up sixty percent of the country's economy; and
WHEREAS, the City urges the Bahamian government to deny offshore oil drilling
exploration licenses and to permanently ban offshore oil drilling activities in the Bahamas,
and further urges Miami-Dade County and the State of Florida to oppose such offshore
oil drilling and work with the Bahamian government in such efforts.
C ity o f A v e n t ur a R e s o lu t io n N o . 2 0 2 1 -0 3
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE
CITY OF AVENTURA , FLORIDA, THAT:
Section 1. Recitals. The foregoing "WHEREAS" clauses are ratified and
confirmed as being true and correct and are made a specific part of this Resolution.
Section 2. Urging the Bahamian Government to Ban Offshore Oil Drilling.
The City Commission respectfully urges the Bahamian government to deny offshore oil
drilling exploration licenses and further urges the Bahamian government to permanently
ban all offshore oil drilling activities in the Bahamas. The City Commission further urges
Miami-Dade County and the State of Florida to oppose such offshore oil drilling and to
work with the Bahamian government in such efforts.
Section 3. Transmittal. The City Commission hereby directs the City Clerk to
transmit a copy of this Resolution to the Bahamian Prime Minister Hubert Minnis, the
Bahamian Ambassador to the U.S. Sidney S. Collie, the Miami-Dade County Board of
County Commissioners, Governor Ron DeSantis on behalf of the State of Florida, all
municipalities in Miami-Dade County, Florida, and Broward County, Florida, the Miami-
Dade County League of Cities, and the Broward County League of Cities.
Section 4. Effective Date. This Resolution shall become effective immediately
upon its adoption.
The foregoing Resolution was offered by Commissioner Narotsky, who moved its
adoption. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Dr. Marks, and upon being put to
a vote, the vote was as follows:
Commissioner Jonathan Evans
Commissioner Rachel S. Friedland
Commissioner Denise Landman
Commissioner Dr. Linda Marks
Commissioner Marc Narotsky
Vice Mayor Robert Shelley
Mayor Enid Weisman
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
PASSED AND AD OPTED this 5" day of January, 2021.
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C it y of A v en tur a R eso lu tio n N o . 202 1-0 3
ENID WEISMAN, MAYOR
ATTEST:
= AAa)lt>
ELUSA L. HORVATH, MMC
CITY CLERK
APPROVED AS TO LEGAL SUFFICIENCY:
cdl-
CITY ATTORNEY
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