LTC 043-2022 Miami Beach is Awarded $18.6 Million in Grants through the Resilient Florida Grant Program043-2022
MIAMI BEACH
OFFICE OF THE CITY MANAGER
NO. LTC# LETTER TO COMMISSION
TO: Mayor Dan Gelber and Members of the City Commission
FROM: Alina T. Hudak, City Mana~
DATE: February 1, 2022
SUBJECT : Miami Beach is Awarded $18.6 Million in Grants through the Resilient Florida
Grant Program
I am pleased to report that the City has been awarded three grants totaling over $18.6 million for
environmental resilience projects through the Resilient Florida Grant Program . The projects will
help prepare coastal and inland communities for the adverse impacts of flood ing and storm surge
and will enhance our City's efforts to protect our community from storm damage .
The Resilient Florida Grant Program was created to help prepare communities for the impacts of
sea level rise and flooding.
North Beach Town Center
Total award amount: $10,000,000
North Beach Town Center is a priority flood mitigation project in the heart of a newly designated
Community Redevelopment Area (CRA). This grant award will provide design funds to mitigate
flooding caused by intense rain events, high tides and sea level rise . The project includes
elevating roads to reduce current and future flooding, a new storm water treatment system and
pump station, a new stormwater gravity collection system and storm water outfall. The project
also includes the replacement of existing water and sewer mains along the corridor. Within the
CRA, infrastructure investment and flood protection are critical for the planned economic growth.
This project will take the existing commercial hub of North Beach and create the flood mitigation
and water and sewer infrastructure to transform it into a resilient, town center that is vibrant and
dynamic.
Citywide Gravity Sewer Mains Replacement
Total award amount: $7,625,000
Sea level rise creates higher ground water which negatively impacts critical sewer infrastructure.
This high priority project identified in the City's Sewer Master Plan, reduces infiltration in the
gravity sewer system, creating a more reliable sewer collection service . It adapts the system to
withstand the rising groundwater table and protects the system from sea level rise by replacing
aging sewer mains in areas where rehabilitation is not feasible .
This project consists of the replacement of aging gravity sewer systems that have reached the
end of their useful life and are vulnerable to increased infiltrations due to higher groundwater
elevations because of sea level rise. This project also includes the replacement of approximately
26,000 linear feet of gravity sewer mains throughout the City. These mains were identified as the
highest risk of failure in the City's Sewer Master Plan and the most vulnerable to rising sea level
and ground water .
LTC-Miami Beach is Awarded $18.6 Million in Grants through the Resilient Florida Grant Program
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Dune Enhancement
Total award amount: $1,001,000
A healthy dune system provides significant nature-based protection from storms, climate change,
and sea-level rise. This project proposes strategic restoration of the dune system, targeting
vulnerable areas to increase resilience, provide storm surge protection to upland properties, resist
sea level rise damage, and reduce beach erosion. This project is essential to continue to foster
this critical habitat that provides vital storm surge protection to the City.
Resilience planning to protect our community has been essential to position our projects for
funding, including the Comprehensive Plan, the North Beach Master Plan, North Beach
Community Redevelopment Agency, and the Sewer Master Plan. Strategies for Blue Green
Infrastructure, Neighborhood Prioritization, Road Elevation and the Dune Management Plan
demonstrate the City's commitment to holistic resilience.
The grant funds are in the current, Fiscal Year (FY) 2021-2022 budget and the Florida Department
of Environmental Protection anticipates that the City will receive grant agreements later this year.
This funding is in addition to the $28 million that the City was previously selected to receive,
subject to legislative approval, for Fire Station #1 and First Street through the Statewide Flooding
and Sea Level Rise Resilience Plan program.
I would like to thank the Mayor and City Commission for your leadership. I would also like to
thank the Grants and Intergovernmental Division, along with the Resilience Office, Public Works,
Economic Development and Environmental and Sustainability Departments for their devoted and
successful work on these grants.
ATH/MM/JH