Memorandum
To: Honorable Mayor and Town Council
From: Council Member Robert "BJ" Duncan
Date: January 20, 2021
Re: Supporting the Biscayne Bay Task Force Report - Protection of Biscayne Bay
REQUEST
title
A RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND TOWN COUNCIL OF THE TOWN OF CUTLER BAY, FLORIDA, SUPPORTING THE JUNE 2020 BISCAYNE BAY TASK FORCE REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS; PROVIDING FOR AUTHORIZATION; AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
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BACKGROUND AND ANALYSIS
The Town of Cutler Bay (the "Town"), a coastal community located adjacent to the Biscayne Bay Aquatic Preserves, is diligent in its efforts to preserve the environment, including our ocean, waterways, wetlands, and land in between. The water quality of Biscayne Bay, the Atlantic Ocean, and area water channels is critical to the health of the environment, the strength of the economy (including the tourism and recreation), and the health, safety, and welfare of the residents of the Town and Miami-Dade County (the "County"). Currently, municipal and County stormwater systems discharge nutrients, such as fertilizer, into Biscayne Bay from on-land activities. The well-known effects of unregulated use of fertilizers can lead to the presence of excessive nutrients and increased levels of nitrogen in surface and ground waters, which ultimately result in detrimental effects to the Town's environment and waters.
On May 20, 2020, the Town Council adopted Resolution No. 20-23, which urged the County to implement minimum standards applicable to the incorporated and unincorporated areas of the County for the proper use and application of fertilizers by adopting a Florida-Friendly Fertilizer Ordinance; allowing municipalities to implement more stringent, restrictive measures, if permitted by state law, in an effort to reduce pollution of our water bodies and protect local surface and groundwater quality.
On July 15, 2020, the Town Council adopted Ordinance 20-06, which revised the standards in Chapter 14, "Environm...
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