Title
A Resolution Of The City Commission Of The City Of Hollywood, Florida, Approving And Adopting A Dune Master Plan.
Strategic Plan Focus
Resilience & Sustainability
Body
Staff Recommends: Approval of the attached Resolution.
Explanation:
Established dunes provide protection to upland properties and infrastructure by serving as a buffer from storm damage and flooding by coastal waves and elevated sea levels. They also help prevent beach erosion caused by increased high tide and king tide events.
Dune health and overall height help prevent breaches and overtopping from waves that can wash out or damage upland property and structures. Vegetated dunes provide habitat to distinct regional biota that are well adapted to survive beach conditions (salt spray, periodic salt water inundation, periodic drought, soil erosion, dune migration, and harsh winds). Furthermore, Hollywood Beach supports between 100 to 150 marine turtle nests annually, with each nest averaging 110 eggs, resulting in thousands of hatchling turtles during the year. The creation of a Dune Master Plan is consistent with the goals of the City’s Sustainability Action Plan, which outlines a management approach that addresses both improvements to existing dune features and new dunes/vegetation.
The City of Hollywood Community Redevelopment Agency (“CRA”) retained Moffat & Nichol to prepare a preliminary Dune Master Plan with the following goals:
• Differentiate management zones based on current beach/dune features and adjacent upland use,
• Prioritize new dune locations for storm protection, enhanced ecology/aesthetics, and increased property values,
• Provide typical topographic design profile for new dunes,
• Establish native salt‐tolerant vegetation palette for dune planting,
• Provide recommendations for further action items, studies, and/or assessments,
• Evaluate potential to “bank” mitigation credit with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection for completed dune restoration projects, and maintain new dunes in their permitted templates,
• Investigate the possibilities of future changes to the FEMA VE zone, which could lead to lower insurance premiums for adjacent property owners, and
• Discuss FDEP permitting instruments for Plan implementation.
The CRA Board approved the creation of a Dune Master Plan Task Force, whose members included beach property owners, representatives from the beach business community, city-wide members, and City staff. The Task Force recommended steps the City should take to establish dunes along Hollywood Beach, solicited community input, and provided public outreach.
The City of Hollywood has an opportunity to demonstrate its capacity to plan to adapt to challenges and mitigate their impacts while meeting its goals and recognizing related opportunities. The Dune Master Plan lays the framework for the City to take proactive actions to create a sustainable, resilient beach ecosystem that is attractive and healthy, and promotes a prosperous coastal economy. Implementation of the plan will draw upon cooperation and support from multiple agencies and the community. The plan may be amended as funding allows and/or based on county, state and federal permitting. As a living document, the plan may be amended from time to time as operationally necessary.
Fiscal Impact:
Implementation of the Dune Master Plan will be funded by grants, in-kind support from local volunteer groups and the Department of Public Works. Funding requirements and availability will be determined as the plan is implemented.
Recommended for inclusion on the agenda by:
Elaine Franklin, Sustainability Manager
Peter Bieniek, Director, Public Works
Gus Zambrano, Assistant City Manager/Sustainable Development