Vice Mayor Mark Merwitzer and Paul Schwiep Advance Safe Streets in Palmetto Bay

The Village Council voted Monday night to place before voters a Charter amendment that would make pedestrian, bicycling, and golf cart facilities the default in Village roadway improvement projects, embedding safe streets principles in the Village’s highest governing document.

The amendment also creates a dedicated Transportation Fund that would restrict existing transportation revenues to mobility, safety, and accessibility improvements, with priority given to projects that connect residents to parks, schools, transit stops, and other daily destinations.

Vice Mayor Mark Merwitzer co-authored the amendment with Paul Schwiep, a longtime member of the Miami-Dade County Citizens’ Independent Transportation Trust whom Merwitzer appointed to the Village Charter Revision Commission.

“Streets that only work well for cars don’t work as well for drivers, either. When more people can safely walk, bike, use a golf cart, or connect to transit, everyone benefits, including people who keep driving,” said Vice Mayor Mark Merwitzer. “This amendment gives voters the chance to make a safer, more connected transportation network a permanent part of how Palmetto Bay gets around.”

While communities across the country have adopted complete streets policies by ordinance, Palmetto Bay is taking the uncommon step of asking voters to embed those principles directly into its Charter. If approved, the amendment would make safe streets a permanent part of the Village’s governing framework that future councils could change only through another vote of the people.

“The Charter Revision Commission worked hard on this proposal, and it’s great that the Village Council has voted to forward it to voters. If approved, the proposal will improve quality of life for all Village residents by providing safe infrastructure for walking, bike riding and golf carts when the Village undertakes a roadway project,” said Commission member Schwiep. “We love our golf carts in our Village. This will require planning for them, as well as for folks walking and biking.”

The measure, Proposal 6 on the list of Charter amendments approved for the ballot, needs a majority vote on November 3 to take effect.

The full list of Charter amendments approved for the November ballot is attached.

Contact: Mark Merwitzer, Vice Mayor, Village of Palmetto Bay, [email protected], 786-309-6743

Paul Schwiep, Member of Palmetto Bay Charter Revision Commission and Citizens’ Independent Transportation Trust, [email protected]