Reso 2017-2676 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

v14NY iso Cityof SunnyIsles Beach City Commission Mayor s Fs George`Bud"Scholl,A/ayor ° :,,, 18070 Collins Avenue, Suite 250 Dana Goldman,Vice Mayor F, _' "79 Isaac Aelion, Commissioner Sunny Isles Beach, Florida 33160 6- k, x Jeanette Gatto,Commissioner a Larisa Svechin,Commissioner rt i (305)947-0606 City Hall i (305)949-31 13 Fax * Christopher J.Russo Ci Manager r r s " iOP (305)947-2150 BuildingDepartment FL°R5, Hans Ottinot,City Attorney c'''-'- OF SUN Pao (305)947-5107 Fax .lane A.Hines,Mi1C,City Clerk MEMORANDUM TO: The Honorable City Commission FROM: Mayor George H. Scholl DATE: March 16,2017 RE: Resolution supporting United States Congressional Senate Bill 279 and House Bill 833 to amend Section 935 of the Water Resources Development Act of 1986 to facilitate the use of foreign offshore sand in beach renourishment projects RECOMMENDATION It is recommended that the City Commission approve the proposed Resolution supporting United States Congressional Senate Bill 279 and House Bill 833 to amend Section 935 of the Water Resources Development Act of 1986 to facilitate the use of foreign offshore sand in beach renourishment projects. REASONS The City of Sunny Isles Beach wishes to express support for the Dade County Beach Erosion Control and Hurricane Projection Project, and urging Miami-Dade County, the State of Florida and the United States Army Corps of Engineers to provide recurring appropriations to advance beach renourishment in Sunny Isles Beach and Miami-Dade County on or ahead of schedule. Beach renourishment adds sand to the costal system, helps keep the erosive power of strong waves from reaching dunes and structures, and buffers against the effects of sea level rise and climate change, thereby protecting coastal properties and the coastal environment. As part of the Dade County Beach Erosion Control and Hurricane Protection Project, the beach area in Sunny isles Beach is on schedule to be renourished in the near future. Miami- Dade County is running out of dependable, economical, and environmentally practicable sand sources. However, Section 935 of the Water Resources Development Act of 1986 states that the Army Corps can only use domestic sources of sand for beach renourishment, unless the Army Secretary certifies that domestic sources are not available for environmental or economic reasons. The option to import offshore sand from the Bahamas to expedite beach renourishment projects in Sunny Isles Beach and throughout Miami-Dade County is important because the sand may be closer to the . quality of sand in Miami-Dade County's beaches than alternatives listed by the Army Corps. Foreign offshore sources may also have a lower cost to import than purchasing sand from approved upland sources, and there may be few environmental impacts. The City of Sunny Isles Beach supports a recent decision by the federal government to study the benefits of renourishing Florida beaches with foreign sand. The City of Sunny Isles Beach supports recent bills filed by United States Senator Marco Rubio and United States Congresswoman Lois Frankel to amend the Water Resources Development Act of 1986 to facilitate the use of foreign offshore sand in beach renourishment projects.