Town of Surfside Partners with Miami-Dade County for Resilient 305 Initiative 

The Town of Surfside is partnering with Miami-Dade County and the #Resilient305 strategy. This county-wide initiative will prioritize, evaluate and implement long-term resiliency projects for community sustainability. This program is a progressive and adaptive approach to mitigating climate change by enhancing natural and urban systems, improving utility efficiency and reducing the effects of climate change to our community. Below are projects embarked to show its commitment to building a resilient Surfside.

Green Infrastructure & Green Space

• Dune Re-nourishment Project (June 2022 – Present)
  • Three phase project that eradicates invasive species, promotes native plant diversity by raising canopies and plants native landscaping that reinforces dune soils.

  Water Conservation & Management

• Converting Irrigation on Town Properties to Smart Irrigation (August 2022)
  • Grant funded upgrades to various irrigation controls in the Right of Way and Town properties to smart irrigation which tracks rain patterns and watering habits for more efficient water use.
• Eyes on Water Advance Metering System
  • Three-year phase out of current meter system which will allow residents to monitor their daily water consumptions and set alerts for leaks, high water use and historical data accessible through a cloud-based platform.

Energy Management & Efficiency

• Converting Town Right of Way lighting from Conventional Fixtures to LED (2021-present)
  • Various fixtures throughout town have been converted to LED efficient fixtures with additional conversions projected in 2023. LED efficient and solar technology is the Town standard for new fixtures within the Right of Way and Town properties.
• Converting Town Facilities lighting from Conventional Fixtures to LED (2022-present)
  • Town Hall was converted to LED lighting to increase energy efficiency. Additional Town facilities will be converted to LED during fiscal year 2023.

Infrastructure

• Abbott Avenue Drainage Improvement (FY 2023 Construction)
  • Regionalized drainage improvements to help mitigate localized flooding within the Abbott Avenue corridor from 90^th Street to 94^th Street.
• Sea wall Replacement Project (2015-2017)
  • The Town replaced all Right of Way seawalls that were in poor structural condition with a design option to increase the concrete cap if needed.
• Outfall Check Valve Installation (2017-2018)
  • Installed check valves on all Town-owned Outfalls to minimize tidal inflow into the Town’s drainage systems.

Building & Planning

• Ordinance 22-1722 which allows for Non-Habitable Understory (2022)
  • A construction design method which creates open areas under structures within the single-family residential area making houses more resilient to water hazards such as flooding.
• Increasing permeable space requirements on properties from 30% to 40% (2022)
  • Increases required permeable space on private properties from 30% to 40% to be consistent with Florida Friendly landscaping requirements.
• 96 Street Park Construction LEED Silver & SITES Requirements (2022)
  • LEED silver and SITES design criteria were implemented during the 96 Street design phase in order to construct a more sustainable and environmentally friendly park.

Solid Waste Practices

• Zero Waste to Landfill
  • Town final destination for all waste is the COVANTA landfill which converts all waste to a fuel source to create electricity that is re-introduced into the electrical grid. This process is called Waste-to-Energy.
• Recycling Program
  • Town collects recycling through a single stream system which is sorted and sold as a renewable material.

Infrastructure Study & Planning

• Collins Avenue Water Main Design (current)
  • Design phase of a new water main to be installed within Collins Avenue to serve multi-unit buildings.  Current water main is over 70 years old and under-sized.
• Utilities Undergrounding Project Design Phase (current)
  • Design currently ongoing for a Town-wide conversion of all above ground utility lines to below ground in order to make the Town more resilient to intense natural events.

     

• Stormwater Master Plan and Flood Adaptation Strategies (current)
  • Comprehensive review of the Town-wide stormwater infrastructure to determine weak points and propose improvements. Review current and future surface water hazards an make recommendations based on findings.
• Seawall Elevation Criteria (current)
  • Review of existing seawall elevation allowed by Town Ordinance and recommend an elevation that is consistent with current hazards.  Elevation recommendation to be adopted as Town standard for all properties.

     

• Dune Resiliency Plan (current)
  • Study the current dune system elevation and develop permit proposal for higher elevation that is more resilient to storm surges.  Incorporate additional features such as diverter dunes and implement a beautification plan within impacted areas.