Why Miami-Dade commissioners must sustain the mayor’s land-use veto | Opinion
Miami-Dade County’s approach to growth has been shaped by a simple idea: boundaries, applied consistently, protect the environment, the Everglades and the public interest. They also give developers the clarity and predictability needed to plan, invest and build with confidence. That approach continues to guide how growth and environmental protections are managed across the community, including the responsible management of water resources that sustain both our economy and our environment.
The Urban Development Boundary (UDB) is one of the clearest expressions of that approach. It establishes where development belongs while safeguarding wetlands and water resources that support the Everglades and help reduce flood risk. Those same wetlands play a critical role in recharging the Biscayne Aquifer and are essential to ensure a reliable water supply for our community.
Protecting our wetlands is essential to Miami-Dade County’s resilience with a changing climate and a growing population. Everglades wetlands capture, store and naturally filter rainwater, slowly recharging the Biscayne Aquifer, the primary source of drinking water for Miami-Dade County’s 2.8 million residents and countless tourists.
These wetlands also act as natural buffers that absorb and slow floodwaters, reducing damage to homes, infrastructure and public systems.
As sea levels rise and aging water infrastructure is pushed beyond what it was designed to handle, protecting and restoring wetlands is not just an environmental priority, but a practical investment in water security and in our region’s real estate and tourism-based economy.
Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava’s recent veto of a major land use change reaffirmed the importance of applying that framework as it was designed.
The proposed land use change raised significant concerns about whether long-standing planning protections would continue to be applied consistently or weakened through shortcuts that change how the UDB functions without the thorough review warranted.
When those protections are weakened, pressure on surrounding wetlands increases, affecting the systems that protect drinking water and reduce flood risk. Those impacts become harder to address over time.
Miami-Dade residents have invested tens of millions of taxpayer dollars in restoring and protecting the Everglades and strengthening the area’s resilience. Protecting that investment depends on strong, predictable land-use rules that safeguard wetlands as natural infrastructure and help avoid public costs, from flood mitigation to water treatment.
Ongoing and future restoration projects are designed to store rainwater when it is abundant, helping reduce flooding and making more water available during dry periods like the one we are experiencing today.
Economic growth and environmental protection do not have to be in conflict. Miami-Dade has demonstrated that development can move forward responsibly when planning frameworks are respected and applied as intended.
The Urban Development Boundary is one of the tools that makes balanced growth possible. It should be applied with consistency and care to protect water resources, support responsible development and maintain public confidence in the planning process.
We strongly urge the Miami-Dade County Commission to sustain the mayor’s veto.
Jorge Perez is the chairman and CEO of the Related Group. Eric Eikenberg is the CEO of The Everglades Foundation.