Doral floats idea to pay Miami-Dade at least $20M in taxes to relocate trash incinerator
Doral is so eager to advance its long-standing goal of relocating Miami-Dade’s controversial waste plant that the City Council has agreed to start negotiations with the county to set the terms for relocation, which could include Doral making a long-term tax contribution of at least $20 million to the county.
After the county’s trash incinerator caught fire in February 2023 at its longtime site within Doral city limits, there has been a debate about whether a new incinerator, also known as a waste-to-energy plant, should be placed at the same site or if an alternative location should be chosen.
Doral residents have long complained about garbage odors from the incinerator and worried about its effect on property values. At a meeting Tuesday night, Doral’s city council unanimously authorized the negotiation of a memorandum of understanding with Miami-Dade County and endorsed the relocation of the waste-to-energy plant.
If the incinerator site is moved outside of Doral city limits, the county is requesting that Doral contribute a portion of the increased property tax revenue generated from properties within a 1-mile radius of the former site. That contribution would be from any property value increases exceeding 3.5%. On that matter, Doral is prepared to offer a 30-year commitment of tax contributions, estimated to be around $20 million, to facilitate the relocation of the waste plant. However, the county is seeking a 40-year commitment of those property tax revenues.
And the city has one non-negotiable condition: ensuring that the old site is not used for any type of solid waste project or for a bulky waste facility, which Miami-Dade has been considering putting on the property. City officials have emphasized that the issue will be a key focus of the negotiations.
“We don’t want a transfer station — it’s essentially just garbage,” Councilwoman Maureen Porras told el Nuevo Herald after this week’s council meeting. “It’s crucial for us that the site is not repurposed or exchanged for a transfer station.”
Councilman Rafael Pineyro agreed. “If the county expects Doral’s support on this issue, the transfer station cannot remain within the city,” he said.
A debate over future incinerator site
Doral’s resolution comes just two weeks before Miami-Dade County commissioners are set to debate the future of the incinerator on Sept. 17.
Initially, the county considered two other locations outside of Doral: one in Medley and another at the site of the defunct Opa-locka Airport West. Now, Miami developer David Martin, the CEO of Terra Group, has introduced a new option.
Martin is offering up a piece of land outside of Miami-Dade’s Urban Development Boundary, which protects rural areas and the Everglades from suburban sprawl. He is hoping to trade that property for county-owned land outside Doral, near Northwest 58th Street and 87th Avenue, for a development that would include 1,002 low-rise apartment units and 1 million square feet of industrial space. The land is currently used by the county’s Solid Waste Department.
City officials in Doral argue that Martin’s proposed site would be the most favorable for residents, as it is more than 2 miles away from any neighborhoods.
“No community would be impacted by this new solid-waste facility,” said Doral Mayor Christi Fraga.
Porras asked to add language to the resolution supporting a request by County Commissioner Juan Carlos Bermudez, a former Doral mayor, for a comprehensive and expedited review of the fourth location put forward by Martin.
READ MORE: Miami-Dade plans to build the biggest waste-to-energy facility in the country
More cities join opposition to new proposed incinerator location
The Martin site is nearly 2 miles from Miramar, where city officials have threatened to sue Miami-Dade if the $1.5 billion incinerator is built near the county line.
Hialeah Heights, a neighborhood in the newest area of Hialeah, is also voicing opposition. Residents of that area, located 3.8 miles from Martin’s proposed site, are preparing to fight the project. Bermudez, who represents the area, will play a key role in the discussions.
Hialeah Councilwoman Monica Perez told el Nuevo Herald that she has been in conversations with state representatives and county commissioners to gain support in blocking the Martin site. Councilman Bryan Calvo said he is willing to sponsor a resolution opposing that site when the council meets next week.
Hialeah Mayor Esteban “Steve” Bovo, a former county commissioner, also expressed concern about the Martin site in an interview with el Nuevo Herald, stating, “I want to know how this is going to affect my city.” Without all the details, Bovo raised questions about the potential impact on Hialeah residents. “I want to see the proposal and discuss it with my commissioners to fully understand the implications,” he said.
Bovo described the issue as “toxic” and downplayed the likelihood of the county making a decision at the Sept. 17 meeting.
A large turnout of residents from Doral, Hialeah and Miramar is expected to show up at the upcoming County Commission meeting, although opinions on the proposed incinerator locations remain divided.
