Miami-Dade County officials want to raise the money needed for flood mitigation through new impact fees on developers.
The county plans to spend $400 million to build a system of valves, pumps, and raised roadways to reduce the impact of flooding in the low-lying region. Four county commissioners, according to reports, have proposed placing fees on developers who build in environmentally sensitive areas.
Commissioners plan to get input from the public and local businesses. It would be at least a year before any impact fees would be assessed. The commissioners have also asked Mayor Carlos Gimenez to prepare a report on the feasibility of such fees. According to reports, Gimenez may be cool to the idea.
Increased flooding in Miami, even in calm weather, has been attributed to climate-change-induced rising sea levels. South Florida is considered high risk to flooding from storms.
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