To meet the stormwater needs of the City, the City is investing over $650 million in various infrastructure improvements, which improvements will need to be made over an estimated span of 10 years. The infrastructure improvements include installing larger, pipes, pump stations, and raising roads to ensure that the roads do not flood in future tidal and rainfall events.

In 2017, $456,352 was spent on temporary pumps and generators. To date, for fiscal year 2018 temporary pump expenditures have been estimated at $707,520.

During King Tide events, to prevent localized street flooding in areas where the roadway elevation is lower than the high tide levels, temporary pumps have been installed at the lowest points and the water has been pumped to the adjacent canal or Biscayne Bay. Typically, 23 pumps have been deployed in these lower areas such as upper North Bay Road, 44th and Chase, along the Tatum Waterway, and a few more in North Beach. All locations have been permitted through DERM which incorporates best management practices to protect water quality, including cleaning of the stormwater system in the area to remove potential pollutants.

The City does not have a sufficient dedicated funding source, to continue to fund the temporary pump and generator rentals. The stormwater rate increases being paid by the residents did not include such funding. Without a renewable funding source, as the stormwater bonds cannot be used for temporary pumps and generators, the City cannot afford to continue to fund such temporary relief from flooding and sea level rise.

Annually, the City faces King Tides, hurricanes and heavy rain events and the City needs to continue with its infrastructure improvements to provide permanent relief from these types of events.

The Commission took up the item and after several members provided comments with regards to the draft resolution, Commissioner Aleman moved to refer the discussion to the Sustainability and Resiliency Committee; seconded by Commissioner Gongora. A voice vote was taken and the item passed 6 – 0 with Commissioner Rosen Gonzalez absent.