Cutler Bay Council Votes to Purchase 8.43 Acres for Conservation and Resiliency Purposes

May 5, 2020

During the Town of Cutler Bay’s Virtual Council Meeting on Wednesday, April 22, 2020, the Town Council unanimously voted to approve the purchase of an 8.43 acre property located at 18551 Old Cutler Road from Cutler Properties, LC, for $8.45 million—with the vision to preserve the vacant land for its environmental value, to further the Town’s resiliency efforts, and to prevent any development from occurring on it.

The property is adjacent to the Biscayne Bay Coastal Wetlands (BBCW) project, an area that has been identified by the US Army Corps of Engineers as a natural buffer to deal with sea level rise. The BBCW project is also a part of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Project (CERP). The CERP is the largest environmental restoration program in US history whose objective is to improve freshwater flow in Florida and to correct the balance among the water flow types to ensure a healthy and sustainable natural and human environment.

“This moment marks an important environmental and resiliency milestone for our community,” stated Cutler Bay Mayor, Tim Meerbott. “In acquiring this piece of land and preserving it as an open space, not only will this prevent any development from materializing on it, but it will also prevent the traffic that would have come along with it. This acquisition greatly complements the Town’s resilience objectives, allowing this property to continue protecting our Town—as this property is adjacent to the Biscayne Bay Coastal Wetlands that act as a buffer for our community during storms and with the threat of sea-level rise.

“This moment has been fought for by many residents, and past and current Council Members for many years. I am honored to stand with my fellow Council Members, past and present, along with all Town residents to take a stand on such an important environmental issue and see this idea to fulfillment.”

District 8 Miami-Dade County Commissioner, Daniella Levine Cava, congratulated the Town on making this important decision, "Mayor Meerbott and the entire Town Council have taken a bold and important stand by seeking to preserve this property for ecosystem protection. I applaud this decision and will do everything I can to engage the County and other restoration partners to work together to make this a great deal for the Town and our environment."

Commissioner Levine Cava has been pressing the County administration to review an application to include the property as part of the County's Environmentally Endangered Lands (EEL) program and expects hearings on the matter to be scheduled soon. The EEL Program’s focus is the protection and conservation of endangered lands.

“It’s important to note that this decision is not one the Council and I have taken lightly. We are committed to carrying out this transaction with great financial prudence and we are considering all financial possibilities and resources available,” added Mayor Meerbott.

“We also realize the timing of this transaction is tricky, as we are navigating through uncharted waters during the COVID-19 pandemic. Yet, this is an opportunity that may not present itself again. Our commitment to the environment cannot be delayed, our Town’s resiliency depends on actions like these to be taken.”

The Town’s negotiating team, comprised of the Town Manager and Town Attorney, have been aggressively negotiating with the property owners to reach an amicable purchase price since November of 2019.

“The property owner had several legal options to pursue after the Town Council denied their site plan to develop the property during the November 2019 Council Meeting,” stated Town Manager Rafael Casals. “Yet, through our negotiating efforts, we were able to agree on a purchase price—subject to the appraisal and environmental assessment report. I want to thank Cutler Properties and their legal team for working with the Town to reach this agreement.”

Reaching this point has not been without struggle or controversy—as this property carries a long history of plans for development that were never fulfilled. It also highlights the focus and dedication that this community has to resiliency efforts and the environment.

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