Miami-Dade County Commission Adopts Biscayne Bay Shoreline Stormwater Runoff Buffer Protections

MIAMI, FL — The Miami-Dade County Board of County Commissioners voted 10–2 on Tuesday to enact an environmental ordinance establishing a mandatory 100-foot living shoreline and green stormwater buffer requirement for all new commercial and residential developments abutting Biscayne Bay.

Ecological Standards and Runoff Restrictions

The ordinance, sponsored by Commissioner Eileen Higgins, amends the county development code to prohibit impervious concrete seawall caps on newly redeveloped waterfront parcels, mandating native mangrove fringe plantings, permeable pavers, and bioswales designed to capture and filter nutrient-rich urban fertilizer runoff before it enters the bay.

The regulatory measure is a core component of Miami-Dade County’s Biscayne Bay Watershed Management Plan, designed to halt recurring toxic algae blooms, protect endangered seagrass beds, and support regional fisheries.

Waterfront Development Standards and Density Offsets

To balance environmental protections with property rights, the ordinance includes density-transfer provisions allowing waterfront developers to transfer unused floor-area-ratio (FAR) density to inland parcels within the same municipal zoning district.

Marine conservation organizations and clean water coalitions praised the commission's vote as a vital protective standard for South Florida’s most economically and ecologically valuable estuary.

Implementation Timeline

The living shoreline buffer rules take effect for all new master site applications submitted after November 1, 2026.