Council member Suzy Lord wants Cutler Bay to stop letting developers run their own traffic studies and start commissioning them directly, a centerpiece of her campaign for the town's open mayor's seat on Nov. 3.
Lord, a 47-year Cutler Bay resident who has served on the council since 2020, is one of four candidates vying to replace Mayor Tim Meerbott, who is termed out. The others are Ricardo De Melo Gomes, Robert "B.J." Duncan and Clint Rodriguez, according to the town's election filing.
åIn a candidate questionnaire published Aug. 14 by the South Dade News Leader, Lord laid out positions on growth, traffic and government transparency that distinguish her in the four-way race.
"I will continue to insist that all future projects undergo independent traffic studies commissioned directly by the town, not by developers," Lord said. "This ensures unbiased data so we can implement traffic-mitigation strategies, such as adding integrated public transit and bus stops, before construction finishes."
Traffic is a perennial sore spot in Cutler Bay. U.S. 1 carries the bulk of non-Turnpike traffic through the roughly 10-square-mile town, with volumes approaching 55,000 vehicles per day as of the town's 2014 Transportation Master Plan, the most recent publicly available figure. Lord's proposal would shift the cost and control of pre-development traffic analysis from applicants to Town Hall.
Lord prioritizes economic stability, public safety and permit reform
Lord listed Cutler Bay's economic stability, job creation and public safety as her three top issues. Her first priority as mayor, she said, would be protection and welfare of residents along with fiscal oversight of town staff, supporting existing businesses, attracting new ones, environmental protection and park improvements.
She also pointed to her record on building permits, saying she championed streamlining the permit process during her council tenure. Town records available for this article do not independently confirm that claim.
Lord said she wants to protect the community vision established in a town charrette held more than 20 years ago. Town planning records confirm Miami-Dade County conducted an intensive seven-day charrette that led to the Urban Center Zoning District adopted in March 2006, a year after Cutler Bay incorporated.
Lord's path from parks committee to a term-limited council seat
Lord began her public service on the Parks and Recreation Committee in 2019 before winning her council seat in 2020. She currently serves as the Town Council liaison to the Age-Friendly Community Committee, a body created under Resolution No. 21-42 to support residents of all ages, according to the town's website.
Her resignation from her council seat takes effect Nov. 3, the same day as the mayoral election, according to a Cutler Bay News community page post. A special election to fill that seat is scheduled for Feb. 2, 2027.
The mayor's annual salary is $21,880.08.
Mayoral election set for Nov. 3; special election follows in February
The general election is Nov. 3. Voters can contact the Town Clerk's office at 305-234-4262 or [email protected] for election information. Town Hall is at 10720 Caribbean Blvd., Suite 105.
