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RESOLUTION DIRECTING THE COUNTY MAYOR OR COUNTY MAYOR�S DESIGNEE TO PROCEED WITH A PILOT PROGRAM FOR ADAPTATION ACTION AREAS RELATED TO SEA LEVEL RISE AND THE COMPREHENSIVE DEVELOPMENT MASTER PLAN

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WHEREAS, in 2013, pursuant to Resolution No. R-599-13, this Board created the Miami-Dade County Sea Level Rise Task Force; and
WHEREAS, this Board subsequently adopted multiple resolutions in order to implement the recommendations of the Sea Level Rise Task Force, and some of those resolutions required that reports subsequently be presented to this Board; and
WHEREAS, on October 23, 2015, the County Mayor submitted the Second Quarter Status Report in Response to Multiple Resolutions Pertaining to Recommendations by the Sea Level Rise Task Force (the �Status Report�), and this Status Report includes a feasibility assessment for Adaptation Action Areas, as requested by Resolution No. R-44-15; and
WHEREAS, as described in more detail in the Status Report, Adaptation Action Areas may be designated in a local government�s Comprehensive Development Master Plan (CDMP) to identify those areas that experience coastal flooding due to extreme high tides and storm surge and that are vulnerable to the related impacts of rising sea levels, for the purpose of prioritizing funding for infrastructure needs and adaptation planning; and
WHEREAS, the feasibility assessment for Adaptation Action Areas in the Status Report discussed four different approaches, and recommended the fourth approach, referred to as �area planning for newly-identified vulnerable areas,� at least on a pilot program basis; and
WHEREAS, �area planning for newly-identified vulnerable areas� would involve using the best available science on vulnerable areas, including the results of the United States Geological Survey�s integrated surface and groundwater modeling for Miami-Dade County, in order to designate Adaptation Action Areas on the basis of their vulnerability to rising sea levels and related impacts; and
WHEREAS, although the Status Report acknowledged that a more comprehensive vulnerability analysis is needed to carry out the above-mentioned approach, pilot Adaptation Action Areas could be selected based on available information; and
WHEREAS, the Status Report�s �Recommended Next Steps� includes thorough and well thought out plans of how Miami-Dade County could begin such a pilot program, including how to select the initial pilot locations and how to involve and collaborate with interested municipalities, and such a program may ultimately involve the identification of specific problems and possible solutions; and
WHEREAS, this Board wishes to encourage and support such a pilot program, with the goal of continuing to build upon Miami-Dade County�s knowledge about and ability to address sea level rise issues and concerns,
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, FLORIDA, that this Board hereby directs the County Mayor or County Mayor�s designee to actively proceed with the pilot program for Adaptation Action Areas and �area planning for newly-identified vulnerable areas,� as discussed in the Status Report.