Loading...
HomeMy Public PortalAboutLTC 075-2018 Update following Beach Renourishment Meeting with County MayorBAL HARBOUR - VILLAGE - OFFICE OF THE VILLAGE MANAGER To: From: Jorge M. Gonzalez, Village Manager co-- Date: April 27, 2018 Subject: Update following Beach Renourishment Meeting with County Mayor LETTER TO COUNCIL NO. 075-2018 Mayor Gabriel Groisman and Members of the Village Council The purpose of this Letter to Council is to provide you with information on a meeting held earlier this week with County Mayor Carlos Gimenez regarding our continued beach renourishment efforts. As you will recall, on February 26, 2018, the Village held a Workshop on Beach Renourishment efforts to discuss the condition of the beach and the erosion impacts that have occurred during and post Hurricane Irma. At this workshop information was presented by representatives of the following entities: • Army Corps of Engineers • Florida Department of Environmental Protection • Miami -Dade County DERM • Coastal Systems (Village consultants) • Village Staff Much information was shared regarding past efforts, current project status and near, mid and long term solutions. An agreed upon next step was to meet with County leaders in an effort to secure adequate recurring funding for beach renourishment efforts and to secure dedicated staffing to ensure appropriate level of service and accountability. At Mayor Groisman's request, I was able to secure a meeting with Mayor Gimenez for Wednesday, April 25, 2018. The Mayor felt that it would be appropriate to invite other similarly affected neighbor jurisdictions to amplify our voices and make the request a regional matter not just a Bal Harbour Village issue. Therefore, Mayor Groisman reached out to some of our neighboring municipal leaders to join us in this effort, including; • Aventura, Mayor Enid Weisman • Bay Harbor Islands, Councilman Jordan Leonard • Miami Beach, Mayor Dan Gelber LTC 075-2018: Update following Beach Renourishment Meeting with County Mayor Page 2 of 2 • Sunny Isles Beach, Vice Mayor Dana Goldman • Surfside, Mayor Dan Dietch The meeting was also attended by several County Department Heads. Mayor Groisman led the discussion, laying out the need for a comprehensive County -wide beach renourishment plan, backed by recurring funding and a dedicated staff person. After considerable discussion between the participants regarding the issues and brainstorming solutions and needs, the County has agreed to dedicate recurring funds for the next 6 years which will allow them to continue to seek state and federal funding for renourishment efforts. Their staff reports that by allocating the local funds (which will be considered by the County Commission in the next meeting) the County will be able to secure approximately $50-60 million dollars for renourishment projects through local, state and federal matching funds (subject to appropriation). This is a significant first step towards the strategic and comprehensive approach we are advocating. By securing these funds for the next several years, the local share is in place. The County will also pursue the matching funds and develop appropriate renourishment projects to implement. Mayor Groisman and I pressed Mayor Gimenez for further funding and the County agreed to explore how and where ascertain such funding. As importantly, though, we were able to impress upon Mayor Gimenez, the urgent need to also seek more sustainable long-term solutions to the recurring concern of beach erosion. He understood that strategic solutions, such as our sand by-pass project, offshore breakwaters, or other similar efforts will be more sustainable, cost effective projects which when combined with renourishment will result in a more desirable and durable outcome. While much work lies ahead on this matter and this issue will remain a pressing concern for our residents for the foreseeable future, it is important to recognize the significant step that was achieved. This allocation will represent the first time the County has allocated a multi -year, secure and recurring funding source for beach renourishment that is not Capital/Bond funds in recent history. Mayor Groisman and I will continue to follow up with the County so that this effort is maximized and effective. I would like to recognize Mayor Gimenez for understanding the importance of the beaches and being sincere in his desire to secure an appropriate solution. I would like to also thank Mayor Groisman for his leadership and the other neighboring representatives for their support and advocacy. We will continue to work on this issue and report back as additional information is available. Should you have any questions, please feel free to contact me directly. JMG/G£--