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RESOLUTION CREATING THE MIAMI-DADE SEA LEVEL RISE TASK FORCE; PROVIDING FOR MEMBERSHIP, ORGANIZATION AND PROCEDURES; SETTING FORTH PURPOSE, FUNCTION, RESPONSIBILITY, AND SUNSET PROVISION

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WHEREAS, Southeast Florida is considered one of the most vulnerable areas of the country to suffer from the consequences of sea level rise; and
WHEREAS, Miami-Dade County is composed of a large section of water front property and is a low-lying coastal community at the frontline to experience the impacts of sea level rise; and
WHEREAS, Miami-Dade County has various vital facilities and infrastructure that could be adversely affected by sea level rise; and
WHEREAS, local and regional tide data show a trend of rising sea levels and more recent data and factors suggest this trend may accelerate in the future; and
WHEREAS, climate scientists and other groups such as the Southeast Environmental Research Center and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration�s Costal Services Center have predicted the potential erosion of dry land and loss of water front property in Miami-Dade County as a result of sea level rise; and
WHEREAS, according to the National Wildlife Federation and the Florida Wildlife Federation a mid-range sea level rise of fifteen (15) inches in Biscayne Bay would result in an 85% loss of cypress swamp, a 33% loss of inland fresh marsh, a 79% loss of tidal flats, and a 54% loss of salt marsh; and
WHEREAS, Miami-Dade County has been in the forefront of these issues for many years; and
WHEREAS, sea level rise was identified as a major issue in the Comprehensive Development Master Plan (CDMP), 2003 Evaluation and Appraisal Report (EAR), approved by the Board of County Commissioners and as a result, policies have been proposed for amendment of the CDMP; and
WHEREAS, Miami-Dade County is a member of the Southeast Florida Regional Climate Compact; and
WHEREAS, a �Unified Sea Level Rise Projection for Southeast Florida� was developed by a Sea Level Rise Technical Ad Hoc Work Group of the Southeast Florida Regional Climate Compact; and
WHEREAS, the Board of County Commissioner had previously created the Miami-Dade Climate Change Advisory Task Force, established in July 2006 through the adoption of Ordinance 06-113, which served as an advisory board to the Board of County Commission on the issue of global warming climate change and was charged with identifying potential future climate change impacts to Miami-Dade County, while providing recommendations regarding mitigation and adaptation measures to respond to climate change; and
WHEREAS, the Miami-Dade Climate Change Advisory Task Force co-chaired the Interagency Climate Change Adaptation Task Force with the White House Council on Environmental Quality, the Office of Science and Technology Policy, and the National Oceanic and Atmosphere Administration, and released its interagency report in October of 2010 outlining recommendations to the President of the United States for how Federal Agency policies and programs can better prepare the United States to respond to the impacts of climate change; and
WHEREAS, in 2010, Miami-Dade County was featured as a best practice case study � Adapting to Sea Level Rise in Miami-Dade County, Florida � as part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Digital Coast Initiative and Inundation Toolkit; and
WHEREAS, the Miami-Dade Climate Change Advisory Task Force, sunset and dissolved in 2011, pursuant to Ordinance 06-113; and
WHEREAS, the City of Miami Beach has developed a Stormwater Master Plan in 2012 with estimated costs of over $206,000,000 in infrastructure needs for its drainage system, which is being increasingly compromised by sea level rise; and
WHEREAS, local, regional and national news media outlets have recently featured numerous stories with varied predictions on Southeast Florida�s vulnerability to sea level rise; and
WHEREAS, it is desirable to create a Miami-Dade County focused task force to review existing studies, scientific reports, and other relevant information to determine the current realistic impact of sea level rise on Miami-Dade County vital facilities, real estate, water front property, vital water resources, and infrastructure,
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, FLORIDA, that:
Section 1. Creation. There is hereby created the Miami-Dade Sea Level Rise Task Force.
Section 2. Purpose. The purpose of the Miami-Dade Sea Level Rise Task Force is to review the relevant data and prior studies, assessments, reports, and evaluations of the potential impact of sea level rise on vital public services and facilities, real estate, water and other ecological resources, water front property, and infrastructure, and to provide a comprehensive and realistic assessment of the likely and potential impacts of sea level rise and storm surge over time, which shall be used to help develop a set of recommendations relative to amendments to the Comprehensive Development Master Plan, capitol facilities planning, budgetary priorities and other County programs as necessary to ensure that Miami�Dade County is taking all appropriate actions to reduce its contributions to climate-induced sea level rise and to ensure its resiliency to that increase in sea level rise, storm surge and related impacts which are expected to occur.
Section 3. Limitations on Authority. The Miami-Dade Sea Level Rise Task Force is advisory only and shall not have the power or authority to commit Miami-Dade County or any of its agencies or instrumentalities to any policies, incur any financial obligations or to create any liability, contractual or otherwise, on behalf of Miami-Dade County or any of its agencies or instrumentalities.
Section 4. Membership. The Miami-Dade Sea Level Rise Task Force shall consist of six (6) members who reside in Miami-Dade County. At least (1) member of the Miami-Dade Sea Level Rise Task Force shall possess an expertise in civil engineering with a focus on infrastructure. At least (1) one member shall possess an expertise in community and real estate development. At least (1) one member shall possess expertise in one or more of the following areas: climatology; geophysics; coastal management, oceanography or coastal ocean science. At least (1) one member shall possess expertise in emergency management. At least (1) one member shall possess expertise in economics. The sixth (6th) member shall be Harvey Ruvin, the Clerk of Courts. The members should have reputations for integrity and community service. The members shall be appointed in the following manner:
(a) Within thirty (30) days of the effective date of this resolution each member of the Miami-Dade County Board of County Commissioners may nominate experts to be considered for service on the Miami-Dade Sea Level Rise Task Force by providing those names to Harvey Ruvin, the Clerk of Courts;
(b) Within thirty (30) days of the effective date of this resolution interested experts may submit their qualifications to be considered for service on the Miami-Dade Sea Level Rise Task Force to Harvey Ruvin, the Clerk of Courts;
(c) If Harvey Ruvin has not received more than a total of six (6) nominations from the Miami-Dade County Board of County Commissioners and submissions from interested experts within thirty (30) days of the effective date of this resolution, Harvey Ruvin shall immediately notify the Clerk of the Board of County Commissioners in writing. The Clerk of the Board shall immediately notify the Miami-Dade County Board of County Commissioners and the deadline for nominations and submissions shall be extended by fifteen (15) days.
(d) Harvey Ruvin shall ensure that the nominees are qualified to serve and that the nominees meet the criteria set forth in this Section. Within four (4) days of the deadline for the submission of expert nominations, Harvey Ruvin shall forward the names of all qualified nominees to the Clerk of the Board of the Miami-Dade County Board of County Commissioners. In addition to forwarding all qualified nominees to the Clerk of the Board of the Miami-Dade County Board of County Commissioners, Harvey Ruvin may make recommendations to the Miami-Dade County Board of County Commissioners from the qualified nominees for service on the Miami-Dade Sea Level Rise Task Force.
(e) Within thirty (30) days of the receipt of the list of qualified nominees prepared by Harvey Ruvin, the Miami-Dade County Board of County Commissioners shall select the five (5) additional members to serve on the Miami-Dade Sea Level Rise Task Force;
(f) The Miami-Dade County Board of County Commissioners shall consider all qualified nominations as compiled by Harvey Ruvin in making the selection of who shall serve on the Miami-Dade Sea Level Rise Task Force;
(g) The Miami-Dade County Board of County Commissioners shall ensure a diversity of scientific experts in making the selection of who shall serve on the Miami-Dade Sea Level Rise Task Force;
(h) The Miami-Dade County Board of County Commissioners shall ensure that the membership of the Miami-Dade Sea Level Rise Task Force reflects the diversity of the community;
(i) The same day the five (5) additional members of the Miami-Dade Sea Level Rise Task Force are selected by the Miami-Dade County Board of County Commissioners, the Miami-Dade County Board of County Commissioners shall select one (1) member of the Miami-Dade Sea Level Rise Task Force to serve as chairperson and one (1) member of the Miami-Dade Sea Level Rise Task Force to serve as the vice chairperson.
Any member, chairperson, or vice chairperson who ceases to meet the membership requirements set forth above shall immediately forfeit his or her position on the Miami-Dade Sea Level Rise Task Force. Any member vacancies on the Miami-Dade Sea Level Rise Task Force shall be filled in the manner provided for in the initial appointment. In the event of a chairperson vacancy, the vice chairperson shall conduct the next meeting and the members of the Miami-Dade Sea Level Rise Task Force shall select a new chairperson at that meeting. In the event of a vice chairperson vacancy, the chairperson shall conduct the next meeting and the members of the Miami-Dade Sea Level Rise Task Force shall select a new vice chairperson at that meeting.
Section 5. Organization and procedures at meetings. The Miami-Dade Sea Level Rise Task Force may establish, adopt, and amend bylaws, rules, and regulations for its own governance. The chairperson and vice chairperson shall serve at the will of the Miami-Dade Sea Level Rise Task Force. The chairperson shall preside at all meetings at which he or she is present. The vice chairperson shall act as chairperson in the absence or inability of the chairperson.
In order to transact any business or to exercise any power vested in the Miami-Dade Sea Level Rise Task Force, a quorum consisting of a majority of those persons duly appointed to the Miami-Dade Sea Level Rise Task Force shall be present. The members of the Miami-Dade Sea Level Rise Task Force shall serve without compensation.
Section 6. Regulations. All proceedings of the Miami-Dade Sea Level Rise Task Force shall be conducted in accordance with the Government in the Sunshine Law (Sec. 286.011, Fla. Stats.) and the Citizens Bill of Rights of the Miami-Dade County Home Rule Charter. The Miami-Dade Sea Level Rise Task Force shall be deemed an �agency� for purposes of the Public Records Law. The Miami-Dade Sea Level Rise Task Force shall be governed by all State and County conflict of interest laws, as applicable, including the Miami-Dade County Conflict of Interest and Code of Ethics Ordinance, Section 2-11.1 the Code of Miami-Dade County. The Miami-Dade Sea Level Rise Task Force shall meet within fifteen (15) days of the appointment of its members, and shall meet no less than every thirty (30) days from the date of the initial meeting. Additional meetings may be held at the discretion of the Miami-Dade Sea Level Rise Task Force.
Section 7. Reports. The Miami-Dade Sea Level Rise Task Force shall strive to provide its report setting forth its findings and recommendations to the Board of County Commissioners within ninety (90) days from the date of the Miami-Dade Sea Level Rise Task Force first meeting. The report submitted shall consist of a comprehensive assessment of the realistic impacts of sea level rise and storm surge on vital public services and facilities, water and other ecological resources, water front property, real estate, and infrastructure over time. These shall then be used to help develop a set of recommendations relative to amendments to the Comprehensive Development Master Plan, capitol facilities planning, budgetary priorities and other County programs as necessary to ensure that Miami�Dade County is taking all appropriate actions to reduce its contributions to climate-induced sea level rise and to ensure its resiliency to that increase in sea level rise, storm surge and related impacts which are expected to occur. If during the preparation of the report the Miami-Dade Sea Level Rise Task Force requires additional time to complete the report, the Miami-Dade Sea Level Rise Task Force shall provide a written request for additional time to the Clerk of the Board of County Commissioners no later than fifteen (15) days prior to the report due date. The Miami-Dade Sea Level Rise Task Force may request additional time up to one-hundred-forty (140) additional days to complete the report. Upon receipt of the written request for additional time to complete the report, the Clerk of the Board of County Commissioners shall place the request on the next Board of County Commissioner�s agenda.
Section 8. Staff. The Miami-Dade Sea Level Rise Task Force shall be provided adequate staff and support services by Miami-Dade County. The staff shall maintain and keep records of the Miami-Dade Sea Level Rise Task Force; prepared in cooperation with the chairperson, the agenda for each meeting; be responsible for the preparation of such reports, minutes, documents, or correspondence as the Miami-Dade Sea Level Rise Task Force may direct; and generally administer the business and affairs of the Miami-Dade Sea Level Rise Task Force, subject to budgetary limitations. The Miami-Dade Sea Level Rise Task Force may request the Board of County Commissioners to provide such other specialized consulting expertise as it may determine are necessary from time to time. The County Attorney�s Office shall provide legal counsel, as needed, to the Miami-Dade Sea Level Rise Task Force.
Section 9. Sunset. The Miami-Dade Sea Level Rise Task Force shall sunset and stand dissolved within thirty (30) days of the issuance of their report or within three-hundred-sixty-four (364) days of the passing of this Resolution, whichever occurs first.