MiamiHerald.com- Miami Beach Commissioners agree to have green incentives for developers.

By: Rebecca Dellagloria
April 27, 2009

Developers of new projects in Miami Beach now have two new reasons to go green.
Commissioners last week signed off on incentives for builders to employ environmentally friendly and sustainable practices on new construction projects in the city.

The measure was passed on Earth Day.

Among the benefits: jumping to the front of the line for building permits and inspections, as well as a financial incentive of up to $10,000 per project.

The city has allocated $50,000 to kick-start the program, which will be offered to developers who seek LEED certification from the U.S. Green Building Council — the building rating system whose acronym stands for Leadership in Energy and Environment Design.

Those selected will receive a $3,000 rebate for the LEED certification application fee and be reimbursed 1 percent of the total project costs.

”I think it makes a statement for the city to be on the cutting edge,” said Commissioner Saul Gross, who sponsored the law through his sustainability committee. “We’re taking a conservative approach of making it voluntary.”

The benefits of going green also will be available to homeowners who apply to have their homes, or additions to homes, LEED-certified. In order to receive the financial benefit, builders must put up 1 percent of the project’s cost in a bond, which will be refundable once the project is complete. The bond provision was added by Commissioner Jerry Libbin to prevent people from trying to circumvent the system.

”My concern was that we are giving people priority to get their projects expedited,” Libbin said. “If ultimately they don’t achieve the LEED standard that they said they were going to get, then they’ve basically leap-frogged other people’s projects, saved a lot of money and we didn’t get the desired result.”

Gross said he was concerned the bond would be a deterrent but nonetheless agreed. The city will be required to hold at least one free training workshop for residents and businesses to educate them on the program. The city manager will also give commissioners a semi-annual review of how the program is working.