Wednesday night didn't go the way we wanted. The settlement agreement with the Village Center developer on Old Cutler Road passed 3-2, with Mayor Cunningham, Councilman Fiore, and Councilman Cody voting to approve the massive development deal. The deal they cut will bring 450 units, over 130,000 square feet of retail space, buildings up to 130 feet in height, and a 120-room hotel to Old Cutler Road.
But I want every resident to remember that we showed up. Over 100 residents packed Village Hall, and the strength of our community was undeniable. The level of civic engagement we've seen, from the Palmetto Bay Moms' Chat to our environmental advocates to neighbors from every corner of our village, is absolutely unprecedented in our community's history.
That energy in the room made our position clear, and I'm grateful that Councilwoman Matson stood with me in opposing this settlement and supporting my alternative proposal.
Let me explain the choice we faced. The court had previously ordered a much less intense 2017 plan. I pushed for the council to stick with this court-ordered plan instead of cutting a deal with the developer to end their legal blackmail against the village.
However, during Wednesday's meeting, the council chose to approve a settlement agreement that gives the developer more than the court-ordered plan required, adding over 130,000 square feet of retail space and a 120-room hotel that weren't in the original court order, while providing weaker protection for the 22-acre forest.
Here's what convinced me we were fighting for the right approach. During the meeting, our lawyer passed me a note stating that the last thing the developers wanted was my alternative, because it would only give them what they're legally required to receive, not the extra commercial space and hotel that the village was about to fold on. What this told me beyond any doubt is that even those involved in this development privately recognize that the plan without the hotel and massive commercial units was not only viable, but would give the developer so much less.
While I'm deeply concerned about the impact this settlement will have on our quality of life and traffic on Old Cutler Road, I refuse to let this discourage us. We have a major opportunity ahead. Two of the three council members who voted for this deal are termed out and ineligible for re-election in 2026.
That means we have the chance to remake this council together. We've proven that when residents like you get engaged, when you show up, when you make your voices heard, this community becomes unstoppable. They want you to be discouraged. They want you to go home and give up.
But that's not who we are.
We are a community that doesn't go down without a fight. We are neighbors who care enough to fill Village Hall on a weeknight because we love the place we call home. And we are the movement that will carry this energy forward to 2026.
Thank you again to everyone who stood with us, including the moms' groups, environmentalists, and concerned neighbors from every part of Palmetto Bay. This level of engagement with local government is unprecedented, and it gives me so much hope for what we can accomplish together. | 
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