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.