City of Miami Climate Resilience Committee Meeting – September 21, 2026

The City of Miami Climate Resilience Committee held a regular meeting on September 21, 2026, at 10:45 AM. The meeting covered updates on Biscayne Bay health, the Back Bay Coastal Storm Risk Management study, budget recommendations, and other resilience initiatives. The committee also addressed attendance requirements and set a future workshop.

Consent Calendar

• Unanimously approved the minutes of the June 1, 2026, regular meeting, the July 6, 2026, workshop (which had been treated as a workshop due to lack of quorum), and the June 18, 2026, budget workshop minutes. (Motion by Sarahi, seconded, unanimous)
• Unanimously approved waiver requests for two absent members: one for a member who was absent that day (motion by Sarahi, seconded, unanimous) and one for Silvio, who was attending New York Climate Week (motion by Sarahi, seconded, unanimous).

Public Comments & Testimony

• No public comments were made, either in person or online.

Discussion Items

• Attendance Requirements and Quorum: Nick Atkinson from the City Attorney's Office reviewed bylaws: members are considered absent if not present for at least 75% of a meeting; automatic vacation occurs after three consecutive absences, four total absences in a calendar year, or attendance at fewer than 50% of meetings. Quorum requires six members (50%+1). Remote participation counts for attendance but not quorum. The prior meeting (July 6) had only five members present, rendering any official actions void, so items were re-voted.
• Biscayne Bay Marine Health Summit Recap: Dave Dobler, co-chair of the Biscayne Bay Marine Health Coalition, presented highlights from the 2026 summit held in May. Key issues: persistent water quality challenges with 70% of bay segments impaired for nutrient pollution; 18 billion microplastic particles; 64 billion dollars in economic activity supported by the bay; 12,000 septic properties countywide. Dobler noted that street sweeping and stormwater cleaning are cost-effective interventions. He recommended: expanding street sweeping to secondary and tertiary streets, increasing stormwater cleaning to an annual cycle (currently every two years), growing neighborhood litter crews, checking progress on plastics policies (single-use reduction), closing the stormwater funding gap, requiring net benefit development for new coastal projects, and using the Biscayne Bay Task Force report as a roadmap. Committee members expressed strong support and discussed prioritizing septic-to-sewer conversions, integrating stormwater projects with water quality goals, and exploring a charter boat regulatory model similar to Miami Beach's Marine Waterfront Protection Authority.
• Back Bay Coastal Storm Risk Management Feasibility Study: Aaron (Chair) noted that a presentation from the Army Corps and Miami-Dade County was not possible this meeting. Alyssa Parina summarized the tentatively selected plan: elevation of approximately 3,200 residential buildings, dry floodproofing of 175 non-residential buildings and 100 critical infrastructure facilities. The public comment period ended September 18. Committee members expressed concerns about costs, feasibility, and the need for structural measures like gates. They emphasized the importance of understanding the study to advocate for the city's interests. The committee agreed to invite these agencies for a future presentation.
• Tree Ordinance Advisory Committee Update: Avra provided an update on the first meeting of the committee, which reviewed the regulatory framework (city, county, state rules). Public input meetings were held across five locations. The committee's focus includes improving transparency and process. The timeline aims to wrap up by end of year. The Flora initiative (related to tree canopy) was discussed at a recent City Commission meeting, with a recommendation that the tree ordinance committee consider it.
• Office of Resilience and Sustainability Updates:
  • Heat Sensors in Homes Report: Final report to be published soon. Key findings: outdoor heat exposure varied across neighborhoods; humidity and moisture were more prevalent issues than high temperatures; recommendations include improving building envelopes and energy efficiency. Report includes neighborhood-specific data, 911 call demographics (people over 60 and those in their 30s were most likely to call), and a resource guide.
  • Tree Giveaways: Six events in early October offering fruit trees and flowering trees.
  • Youth Climate Action Fund: Microgrants ($1,000–$5,000) for youth-led projects (age 15–24) focused on flooding, heat, or waste reduction. Application deadline October 2. A unique idea from a diabetic pageant queen about medical waste.
  • Jose Marti Park Adaptive Redesign: Construction begins November 2026 with an estimated 24-month schedule. Features include improved riverwalk, subsurface cistern, raised seawall, and landscape improvements. Project aims for Envision certification (similar to LEED for waterfront projects).

Key Outcomes

• Approved FY 2026–2027 Budget Recommendations: The committee voted (6-0-1, with one abstention from a city employee) to approve the budget recommendations as presented. These had been previously discussed at the July 6 meeting but were voided due to lack of quorum.
• Set Workshop for October 6, 2026: The committee voted to hold a workshop on October 6, 2026, from 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM at City Hall. The purpose is to set the committee's agenda for the next six months, including prioritization of topics like Biscayne Bay health and other resilience issues. Members are to submit agenda ideas in advance.
• Referred action on Biscayne Bay recommendations: The committee expressed intent to develop recommendations to the City Commission based on Dave Dobler's presentation, including exploring expansion of street sweeping, annual stormwater cleaning, net benefit development policies, and addressing charter boat regulation.
• Directed staff to invite Army Corps and Miami-Dade County for a future presentation on the Back Bay Coastal Storm Risk Management Feasibility Study.