M E M O R A N D U M
To: Honorable Mayor and Members of the Town Council
From: Roger Coriat, Council Member Seat 3
Date: June 17, 2020
Re: Adopting a Prohibited Species List
REQUEST
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A RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND TOWN COUNCIL OF THE TOWN OF CUTLER BAY, FLORIDA, AUTHORIZING THE TOWN MANAGER TO REMOVE PREVALENT INVASIVE EXOTIC PLANT SPECIES FROM TOWN OWNED PROPERTIES AND RIGHTS-OF-WAY, INCLUDING SAPLINGS AND SPROUTS; FURTHER AUTHORIZING THE TOWN MANAGER TO CREATE A PUBLIC AWARENESS CAMPAIGN AND SEEK GRANTS RELATING TO THE REMOVAL OF SUCH SPECIES; AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
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BACKGROUND AND ANALYSIS
Invasive, non-indigenous plant species present serious threats to ecosystem community structure and function throughout South Florida. As such, controlling invasive species is cited as a critical resource management activity in the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) Strategic Plan, 2012-2017. Successfully managing invasive species is also important to other strategic goals as their far-reaching effects must be considered during many SFWMD activities?from evaluating Environmental Resource Permits to managing the Everglades Stormwater Treatment Areas to restoring natural fire regimes.
According to the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, there are many reasons to be concerned about the expanding problem of invasive species. For example, approximately 46 percent of the Federally listed threatened and endangered species in the United States are imperiled in part due to impacts of invasive species. Economists have estimated that across the globe, $3-5 trillion may be lost annually to the impacts and management of invasive species (this figure includes impacts by introduced plants and animals, diseases, agricultural weeds and others).
The Town of Cutler Bay (the "Town") is currently reviewing Article VII - Land and Tree Preservation as part of the Architectural and Landscape Moratorium. According to the T...
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