OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Miami Climate Resilience Committee Meeting Summary - July 6, 2026

Meeting Portal — Monday, July 6, 2026
BodyMiami, Florida
SessionMeeting Portal
DateMonday, July 6, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 2:02:34
Transcript — Verbatim
0:24

609.

0:27

All right, we'll start off with uh with a roll call from my right, please.

0:31

Jenny Lee Molina, Alison Weinstock, Aaron Dameo.

0:37

Relabake.

0:38

Sylvio Frank Puople.

0:41

Nick Atkinson, Office of the City Attorney.

0:45

Sonia Rubaker, Chief Resilience Officer, City of Miami.

0:56

Miriam Flores, Office of Resilient Sustainability.

0:59

Thank you.

1:00

All right, we'll go to item two, which is public comment.

1:04

Anyone from the public would like to make a comment.

1:08

Welcome.

1:10

Uh my name is Lindsay Kane.

1:12

I am a resident of Miami Dade.

1:15

This is my first time at one of these committee meetings, but I've been to the city hall quite a few times this year, fighting to save the trees that um are currently at threat all over the city.

1:27

So currently citizens are asking for more parks, more green spaces, and they all currently seem to be under attack.

1:34

And I feel like when we talk about climate resilience, trees should be a key factor.

1:39

I feel like this summer especially has been so extremely hot, and it's directly related to the more than 300 trees that have been cut down in Miami this year alone, and there's more planned.

1:50

So Alan Morris Park in Brickle, which is one of the only parks in Brickle that's untouched, is at threat, planned to be demolished.

1:59

I believe they're gonna start that next week.

2:01

Margaret Pace Park is planned for a huge renovation that will remove 105 trees.

2:06

And there's another historic site in Brickle with old trees that is set to be demolished.

2:11

So it seems like every green space and the ones that aren't touched have a for sale sign.

2:16

So at the meetings, I've been reading the citizen bills of Bill of Rights, which states that it shall be the policy of the city to conserve and protect its natural resources and scenic beauty, which policy shall include the abatement of air and water pollution and excessive and unnecessary noise.

2:33

So I'm in here in hopes that your committee can help change the dangerous trajectory that the city is currently on.

2:39

I feel like we're becoming a city of hostile architecture, anti-green decisions that will ultimately affect everybody's health.

2:46

People want more parks, more green spaces, more trees, in addition to saving the ones that already exist.

3:05

Any other public comments or any submitted online?

3:08

None.

3:10

All right.

3:31

Oh, motion to approvals.

3:33

Okay.

3:34

Thanks in a second.

3:35

Second.

3:35

In a second.

3:36

All right, all in favor.

3:37

Aye.

3:38

Aye.

3:39

Are you oppose or abstain?

3:41

All right.

3:42

Those both passed.

3:43

Thank you.

3:43

So we'll move to item four, which is presentations.

3:47

We have uh a pr a status update on the implementation of the 2024 stormwater master plan.

3:54

Uh this is something that came before the CRC and I think possibly the C Lobel Rise Committee, many moons ago, uh, a number of times during its creation.

4:06

And um requested this at your first meeting, and you know, I'm glad that we were able to get this on the agenda.

4:13

So thank you all so much for joining us and really appreciate you being here.

4:27

Good evening.

4:28

Uh thing is it on?

4:30

Yes.

4:31

Okay.

4:31

I have uh coal, so my ears are a little bit uh you might need to much better.

4:41

Good uh good evening.

4:43

Um Clara Sidan with the City of Miami Resilience and Poly Works, Assistant Director for Stormwater and Permitting, and uh I have CDM, uh the uh the the engineers who prepare the stormwater master plan.

5:00

You want to introduce the uh good evening, everyone.

5:09

Uh John Goldman, um associate with uh CDM Smith, the author and engineer record of your stormwater master plan with me today is Dr.

5:17

Tom Nyer, principal modeler for the firm.

5:22

All right, we're going into the presentation and then questions after.

5:31

So first I'd like to say it's been almost four years since we've presented to this committee.

5:36

Uh you had some really good input and kind of shaped a lot of the way that the uh the master plan was written and some of the things that were included, the additional beyond just the the mathematics of the hydraulics and hydrology, and we really appreciate that uh tonight on the agenda, a little bit of an overview, because it's been a while.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Water And Wastewater Management█████████████████████████████████████████████54%
Budget Equity Analysis█████████████15%
Public Engagement██████████12%
Procedural███4%
Engineering And Infrastructure███4%
Urban Forestry Management███3%
Community Engagement██2%
Youth Programs██2%
Public Health██2%
Summary of Proceedings

Miami Climate Resilience Committee Meeting Summary - July 6, 2026

The Climate Resilience Committee (CRC) met on July 6, 2026, at 11:15 AM, receiving a comprehensive status update on the 2024 Stormwater Master Plan implementation, discussing budget recommendations, and celebrating the recent passage of the Sponge Program resolution. Key themes included the immense scale of infrastructure needs, funding challenges, and the importance of leveraging private development and new policy mechanisms.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Lindsay Kane (Miami-Dade resident): Expressed concern about tree removals, citing over 300 trees cut in Miami in 2026 and planned removals at Alan Morris Park, Margaret Pace Park (105 trees), and other historic sites. She urged the committee to prioritize trees as a climate resilience measure and referenced the city's citizen Bill of Rights regarding natural resource conservation.
  • Gabriel Rakenna (Model City resident): Asked about the committee's effectiveness in converting recommendations into policy, suggested exploring new revenue sources (e.g., citizen-reported pollution penalties used in New York), and requested that revenue data be presented alongside project costs to provide context.

Stormwater Master Plan Implementation Update

  • Presenters: Clara Sidan (Assistant Director, Stormwater & Permitting), John Goldman (CDM Smith), Dr. Tom Nyer (CDM Smith).
  • Overview: The presentation covered the 3.1 billion dollar, 20-year master plan, model parameters (EPA SWIM model, neighborhood-level detail down to 5-10 acres), priority projects, funding status, and coordination with other agencies.
  • Level of Service Goals: Primary goal: no flooding over road crown in a 10-year storm; secondary (more feasible) goal: no flooding over road crown in a 5-year storm, with temporary, predictable flooding during a 10-year event.
  • Projects & Funding: 24 neighborhood projects identified as priority, 12 funded (at least partially) by the Miami Forever Bond. Total grant funding received: approximately $138 million for neighborhood projects. Key projects include Edgewater (final permitting, $40 million), East Flagami Pump Station (under construction), and Brickell Bay Drive seawall (design-build, elevation raised to 8 feet).
  • Sea Level Rise & Groundwater: Models considered 1.5 ft and 2.5 ft sea level rise; seawalls built to elevation 6 ft with ability to increase to 8 ft; new pump stations are being planned to address high tide/rain coincidence.
  • Challenges: The 20-year timeline is "not feasible" at current funding levels. To fully implement the plan, the city would need approximately $250 million per year (equivalent to a ~$100 stormwater fee per ERU). Construction costs have increased 20-30% faster than anticipated.
  • Coordinated Actions: Working with developers, CRAs, and county on cost-sharing; updating design standards; increasing stormwater maintenance frequency (from 5 years to 2 years); incorporating water quality improvements (exfiltration, pollution control devices).

Budget Workshop Recommendations Update

  • Discussion: The committee reviewed a draft memorandum of budget recommendations, striking items 1 and 2 (regarding a stormwater design standards manual, as staff indicated existing drainage standards already address the need). Items 3 (incorporating NOAA Atlas 15 rainfall data), 4 (funding for Sponge Program implementation), 5 (inland street pilot for Southwest Streetscape Master Plan), and 6 (tree-related funding readiness) were retained. Item 7 (green-gray hybrid cost estimating) was struck as redundant.
  • Vote: Motion to approve the amended budget recommendations passed with 2 ayes, 1 nay. The nay vote came from a member who requested additional language regarding heat/salt-tolerant tree species selection for item 5 and citizen science data incorporation for item 6, which was not added.

Old Business: Sponge Program Resolution

  • Update: The Sponge Program resolution, sponsored by Commissioners Pardo and Rosato, with additional sponsorship by Mayor Higgins, Commissioner Escolona, and Chairwoman King, was expedited and passed unanimously at the last City Commission meeting.
  • Next Steps: The city manager is directed to evaluate candidate sites for sponge parks, coordinate with the county on parcel acquisition, assess cost estimates, and report back to the commission on feasibility within 125 days.

Office of Resilience and Sustainability Updates

  • Bloomberg Grant: Awarded $50,000 for the Bloomberg Youth Climate Action Fund, providing microgrants for youth-led climate projects.
  • London Climate Week: Mayor Higgins represented Miami, speaking on urban resilience, climate finance, and clean energy.
  • Tree Giveaways: Next round tentatively scheduled for October 2026.
  • Tree Advisory Committee: First meeting confirmed for July 13, 2026, 9 AM to 12 PM at City Hall. The City Commission directed an increase in membership from 10 to 11 to include a CRC appointee.

Key Outcomes

  • Budget Recommendations Approved (2-1): The committee voted to forward a memorandum to the City Commission with four specific funding recommendations: incorporate NOAA Atlas 15 data, earmark funds for Sponge Program implementation, pilot an inland street design from the Southwest Streetscape Master Plan, and allocate dollars for outcomes of the Tree Advisory Committee.
  • Sponge Program Advancing: Unanimous commission support positions the program for formal feasibility study.
  • Stormwater Master Plan Status: Progress is being made on priority projects, but significant funding gaps remain—full implementation at current revenue is "not feasible" within 20 years. The city is pursuing grants, leveraging private development, and coordinating with county/state projects to maximize return on investment.
  • Meeting Adjourned: The next regular CRC meeting is scheduled for September 21, 2026.

Meeting Transcript

609. All right, we'll start off with uh with a roll call from my right, please. Jenny Lee Molina, Alison Weinstock, Aaron Dameo. Relabake. Sylvio Frank Puople. Nick Atkinson, Office of the City Attorney. Sonia Rubaker, Chief Resilience Officer, City of Miami. Miriam Flores, Office of Resilient Sustainability. Thank you. All right, we'll go to item two, which is public comment. Anyone from the public would like to make a comment. Welcome. Uh my name is Lindsay Kane. I am a resident of Miami Dade. This is my first time at one of these committee meetings, but I've been to the city hall quite a few times this year, fighting to save the trees that um are currently at threat all over the city. So currently citizens are asking for more parks, more green spaces, and they all currently seem to be under attack. And I feel like when we talk about climate resilience, trees should be a key factor. I feel like this summer especially has been so extremely hot, and it's directly related to the more than 300 trees that have been cut down in Miami this year alone, and there's more planned. So Alan Morris Park in Brickle, which is one of the only parks in Brickle that's untouched, is at threat, planned to be demolished. I believe they're gonna start that next week. Margaret Pace Park is planned for a huge renovation that will remove 105 trees. And there's another historic site in Brickle with old trees that is set to be demolished. So it seems like every green space and the ones that aren't touched have a for sale sign. So at the meetings, I've been reading the citizen bills of Bill of Rights, which states that it shall be the policy of the city to conserve and protect its natural resources and scenic beauty, which policy shall include the abatement of air and water pollution and excessive and unnecessary noise. So I'm in here in hopes that your committee can help change the dangerous trajectory that the city is currently on. I feel like we're becoming a city of hostile architecture, anti-green decisions that will ultimately affect everybody's health. People want more parks, more green spaces, more trees, in addition to saving the ones that already exist. Any other public comments or any submitted online? None. All right. Oh, motion to approvals. Okay. Thanks in a second. Second. In a second. All right, all in favor. Aye. Aye. Are you oppose or abstain? All right. Those both passed. Thank you. So we'll move to item four, which is presentations. We have uh a pr a status update on the implementation of the 2024 stormwater master plan. Uh this is something that came before the CRC and I think possibly the C Lobel Rise Committee, many moons ago, uh, a number of times during its creation. And um requested this at your first meeting, and you know, I'm glad that we were able to get this on the agenda. So thank you all so much for joining us and really appreciate you being here. Good evening. Uh thing is it on? Yes.

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