PELICAN HARBOR SEABIRD STATION

Board of County Commissioners · 2026-07-21 · resolution

The Board of County Commissioners adopted Resolution R-628-26 (File Number 260783) on 7/21/2026, waiving competitive bidding procedures by a two-thirds vote to approve a Programming Partnership Operating and Management Agreement between Miami-Dade County and Pelican Harbor Seabird Station, Inc. (PHSS), a not-for-profit entity, to continue operating the Pelican Harbor Seabird Station for the care of sick and injured seabirds. The agreement is for a term through April 1, 2027, with yearly fees to the County of $300.00. PHSS has operated from this location since 1990 and will relocate to a new facility on or before April 1, 2027. The agreement allows PHSS to remain on County property and continue providing uninterrupted care until construction of the new facility is complete. The current facility is located within Pelican Harbor Marina (Park) at 1279 NE 79 Street Causeway, Miami, Florida 33138, in County Commission District 3. PHSS cares for around 2,700 native wildlife patients per year, for a total of around 70,000 bird lives impacted over the life of the lease. The Parks, Recreation and Open Spaces Department's (PROS) Assistant Director of Finance and Administration, Robert Villar, will manage the terms and conditions of the Agreement. The County will continue to incur no operating expenses for the current facility but will continue to incur charges for utilities associated with the operation of the building. The exact fiscal impact is not quantifiable as utility payments for PHSS are paid in conjunction with those associated with the marina as a whole. PHSS will continue to remit their annual payment of $300 per year. The Recreation, Tourism, and Resiliency Committee forwarded the item to the Board of County Commissioners with a favorable recommendation on 6/9/2026. The item was introduced on 4/29/2026. The Prime Sponsor is Keon Hardemon, and the Co-Sponsor is Vicki L. Lopez. The Requester is Parks, Recreation and Open Spaces. The resolution authorizes the County Mayor or the County Mayor's designee to execute the agreement. PHSS has experienced many roadblocks with the construction of their new building due to unforeseen delays such as issues with permitting, brownfield remediation, archaeological work, and the COVID-19 pandemic. PHSS has notified the County of its intent to relocate to land purchased by PHSS to expand their operation. PHSS's current expected relocation date is April 1, 2027. The document does not state any public comment or stakeholder sentiment.