At their Sept. 28 meeting, Miami Town Council received a detailed update on flood-control work underway in Miami and agreed to hold a special meeting before acting on a proposed overhaul of the Town’s historic-preservation rules. Council also renewed its lobbying-services agreement and approved an updated Copper Mountain Transit nondiscrimination plan.
Work at Latham Boulevard and Adonis Basin under the Emergency Watershed Program is progressing, according to a report from Patrick Wolf of Wilson Company and Mike Garrison of Tiffany Construction.
At Latham Boulevard, drainage improvements have been completed, including removing accumulated sediment, stabilizing slopes and installing a new culvert through the flood wall.
As a result of a property owner’s concern about runoff, flood-control treatment is being extended upstream. Crews are adding areas where sediment can collect and can be removed before it continues downstream, Wolf said.
At Adonis Basin, sediment and debris have been removed, and large rock is being placed to protect slopes and channels against erosion. Crews are also raising the top of the dam to restore material lost to erosion.
At Bloody Tanks, planned work will include removing a large amount of sediment upstream of US-60 and constructing a grade-control structure to help direct water through the bridge area. Crews will also install grouted rock to address erosion near Forest Avenue and install flap gates on catch basins to prevent floodwater from backing up into streets.
“If we could grow crops anywhere as well as you guys can in [Bloody Tanks], you would have another source of income for around here.” Patrick Wolf
Additional design work is also underway for improvements in Smelter Canyon.
Garrison told Council that the EWP work has been running about 60% to 65% under budget. The existing 220-day EWP contract period expires October 23, but Miami has requested an extension to the middle of June.
Miami is seeking additional funding for flood-related projects, including a potential $22.5 million grant through the Promoting Resilient Opera[tions for Transformative, Efficient, and Cost-Saving Transportation (PROTECT) competitive grant program. The work would focus on repairs and preservation on the west side of Miami, and specifically would help to reduce repeated flood damage and protect transportation access.
Miami has also requested an additional $4.6 million in Emergency Watershed Program funding to complete work at Smelter Canyon, and is working with Gila County on approximately $1.1 million in matching funds.
A lengthy proposal for overhauling Miami’s historic-preservation regulations came before Council, but they agreed to hold a special meeting before acting on it.
The new ordinance would establish new historic-preservation regulations and a Historic Preservation Commission. It would also specify procedures for designating historic properties and districts, rules governing alterations and demolition, and standards for economic hardship and property maintenance.
The proposal was discussed previously, but Councilman Reiman said that after reading the proposal, he wanted a more detailed discussion before he would approve it. Specifically, he questioned how demolition provisions would work in practice and what obligations might apply after a historic structure is removed.
Reiman argued that Council should understand the practical consequences before adopting it, and Mayor Sosh agreed that the rules needed to be clear.
“This is a beautiful community. They're beautiful buildings. We want to see these beautiful buildings preserved.” Rick Powers
Rick Powers, chairman of the Design Review Board, told Council the proposed regulations were developed after reviews of preservation policies used by communities with similar size and demographics, and the provisions in the new ordinance were considered to be appropriate for Miami.
Some requirements were included to meet state and federal standards and could open up possibilities for partnerships and financial assistance.
Powers said the committee plans to hold public workshops because of widespread misunderstanding about what historic preservation does and doesn’t require.
Council approved a professional-services agreement with The Demenna Public Affairs for continued lobbying services. The firm's work during the previous agreement helped bring approximately $2.5 million to Miami for flood mitigation, Rivera said.
Two current priorities have already been identified. One is an effort to obtain approximately $1.3 million for the Police Department, and the other involves proposed state action affecting the food-consumption tax, which Rivera said could have an impact equivalent to roughly 12% of the Town’s budget.
Council also approved town payroll of $95,102.11 and general demands covering September 4 through September 17 in the amount of $345,926.23.
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