TO: Mayor and Commissioners
FROM: Missie Barletto, Public Works Director
THROUGH: Jennifer Alvarez, Interim City Manager
DATE: January 19, 2021
Title
APPROVE RESOLUTION NO. 22-21 AUTHORIZING A GRANT AGREEMENT WITH FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION IN THE AMOUNT OF $3,211,945 FOR MANAGEMENT OF THE CITY OF DELRAY BEACH’S (CITY) SHORE PROTECTION PROJECT (PROJECT NO.17-081)
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Recommended Action:
Recommendation
Motion to approve Resolution No. 22-21 authorizing a Grant Agreement with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) for assistance with funding the City’s Shore Protection Project (Project No. 17-018) in amount of $3,211,945.
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Background:
The City of Delray Beach's (City) Beach Nourishment Program includes the design, permitting, construction and monitoring of approximately 2.6 miles of shoreline. The primary focus of the program is to provide for the protection and enhancement of the beach and coastal resources in accordance with State and Federal permit conditions.
The City holds a Joint Coastal Permit (JCP), Permit No.0303553-001-JC, with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) and the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) for sand nourishment of the beachfront with offshore borrow areas. The City has performed nine beach nourishment projects from 1973 to 2020, with the most recent sand renourishment project completed in March 2020 by the USACE as a Flood Control and Coastal Emergency project in response to damages from the 2017 Hurricane season. The JCP requires the City to perform certain activities, known as "conditions" of the permit. These conditions are specific to the beach nourishment / construction activities, and include marine turtle and manatee protection, monitoring and reporting, and annual post-construction physical beach monitoring studies.
The Delray Beach Shore Protection Program includes annual surveys of conditions both on the beach and offshore, a beach tilling event and marine turtle monitoring. The monitoring data is used to assess, with quantitative measurement, the performance of the beach replenishment projects. The monitoring data provides the City and FDEP with information necessary to plan for the next renourishment project, evaluate beach performance, and optimize the design of the next beach renourishment project. Other activities performed as a part of the Shore Protection Program include geotechnical reports (sand search) engineering, permitting, construction and construction oversight and testing. These activities are not performed annually, but as required for the beach nourishment construction events. The next anticipated beach nourishment event is planned in Winter 2021 and work specific to this renourishment commenced in Fiscal Year 2018/2019.
Pursuant to Sections 161.091 - 161.161, Florida Statutes, the FDEP provides financial assistance to eligible governmental entities for beach erosion control and inlet management activities under the Florida Beach Management Funding Assistance Program.
Under this grant agreement, the FDEP will provide the City with reimbursement of the Shore Protection Project activities in the amount of $3,211,945.
City Attorney Review:
City Attorney approves as to form and legal sufficiency.
Funding Source/Financial Impact:
This City’s Shore Protection Project has been in place since 1973 and is approved annually in the Capital Improvement Program. This grant will reimburse the City for the shore protection activities for Fiscal Year 2020/2021 and 2021/2022.
Timing of Request:
This item is time sensitive as it provides a reimbursement for services to be received in Fiscal Year 2020/2021.