PPA Resource Center

Flood risk mitigation and nature-based designs are ever-evolving fields in South Florida. To assist with drafting and selecting designs, this section provides standard documents and guides from both the PPA team and other local and state organizations.

Standard Details Document

• Standard details will be provided by the City's PPA consultants, Brizaga. These standard details are specific to flood risk mitigation projects and provide minimum specifications and guidance to complete construction that complies with City codes and properly addresses flooding.

Public Works Manual

• The Miami Beach Public Works Manual provides guidance and standard details on City requirements for various types of construction and controls around construction sites.

Florida Friendly Landscaping

• Florida Friendly Landscaping (FFL) is a program that guides property owners on low impact, environmentally friendly, science-based landscape practices which use less water and reduce pollutants running off into surface waters. This is a great program to reference and contact if you are pursuing a green infrastructure, such as rain gardens, for your flood risk mitigation project.

The PPA program provides funding for projects that reduce flood risk, from rain gardens to seawalls. For additional funding opportunities, which may cover other types of property improvements, please see the resources below.

Solar Energy Loan Fund (SELF):

• The Solar Energy Loan Fund provides low interest, unsecured loans for projects that improve the sustainability, resilience, and health conditions of your home. Projects may include solar installation, energy efficiency, storm/wind resilience, and flood and stormwater mitigation improvements.

My Safe Florida Home

• The My Safe Florida Home (MSFH) program provides hurricane inspections and grant funding to conduct home storm resilience improvements for roofing, exterior doors, garage doors, and windows. This program provides $2 for every $1 the homeowner invests, up to $10,000.

Rain Barrel Rebate Program

• The Miami-Dade County Rain Barrel Rebate Program provides workshops on rain barrel uses, installation, and maintenance. After completion of a rain barrel installation, the program provides rebates for up to $50 per rain barrel installed on a property. A maximum of two rain barrels per property may receive rebates and the barrels must have a minimum of 50 gallons in water storage capacity. Water Conservation | Miami Beach - Rising Above (mbrisingabove.com)

Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit

• If you make qualified energy-efficient improvements to your home after Jan. 1, 2023, you may qualify for a tax credit up to $3,200. You can claim the credit for improvements made through 2032. This can be applied to building envelope components, home energy audits, heat pumps, air conditioning, and other energy efficiency improvements.

Residential Clean Energy Credit

• The Residential Clean Energy Credit provides tax credits up to 30% of the value of new, qualified clean energy improvements to your home. This can be used on solar electric panels, solar water heaters, wind turbines, geothermal heat pumps, fuel cells, and battery storage technology.

Contractors can provide a range of services and expertise to help you conduct your flood risk mitigation project. Ensure that your selected contractor has the necessary knowledge, experience, or requisite certifications to complete your project effectively and in compliance with city, county, and state code regulations. Select a contractor that has the necessary insurance and certifications to move forward with your project.

Before beginning a project or permit, ensure your contractor is registered to conduct work in the City of Miami Beach, and that they are licensed and certified by the State and County: Contractor License & Insurance - City of Miami Beach (miamibeachfl.gov)

Contractor Searches and Complaint Verification – There are state-wide and local level websites that allow anyone to search for and verify contractor licenses and complaints. These are excellent resources for validating the integrity of potential contractors you would like to work with. The search sites can be found below:

• Florida Department of Business & Professional Regulation (DBPR)
• Miami-Dade County BCCO Contractor Inquiry
• City of Miami Beach Citizen Self Service
• Please refer to the Seawalls webpage for a list of contractors that the City has worked with for public seawall projects.

After securing a contractor to complete your project, you will need to work with them to submit all the necessary permit applications to the City of Miami Beach and, if applicable, other regulatory bodies such as Miami-Dade County, the Army Corps of Engineers, and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.

The City of Miami Beach and other regulatory bodies provide resources to assist you in navigating the permitting process. Please explore these resources through the links below:

• Permits - City of Miami Beach (miamibeachfl.gov)
  • This site provides an overview of the permitting process as well as requirements for insurance and contractors for projects you may pursue.
• *Interactive Permit Guide* - City of Miami Beach (miamibeachfl.gov)
  • The Interactive Permit Guide provides visual guidance for types of permits required based upon the project(s) you are pursuing. This is a great place to start if you are unfamiliar with the permitting process and the different permits required depending on where you are working on your property.
• Building Department Appointment booking (qmatic.cloud)
  • If you have any questions regarding permitting and building requirements, you may schedule an appointment with a Building Department lead to discuss.

For seawall projects, you will need to work with Miami-Dade's Department of Environment and Resource Management (DERM) to attain a Class I marine permit. Please review the process for Class I permits on the DERM website.