Palmetto Bay: The Best of New and Old
It is a village of parks perched on the southern edge of Miami's metropolitan core, overlooking the flowing Biscayne Bay, and beyond, the Atlantic. Palmetto Bay awaits, one of southeastern Florida's newest incorporated villages, and a community full of enthusiasm for its future.
The 33rd municipality in Miami-Dade County views itself as a treasure among treasures. Beautification is the name of its game, with its leaders pushing for cleaner, greener, brighter, more open-space minded living, but offering all the amenities of near-urban living. The vision is one of old and new, a synthesis of rural Floridian charm and modern growth.
Here's a rundown of what's what in the village:
- Population: The village is home to some 23,000 residents, and a rich mix of cultures including those of Latin America and the Caribbean. A significant number of residents also hail from Irish and German backgrounds. Median household income is about $95,000.
- Real Estate: There are about 8,000 households in Palmetto Bay, and more than three-quarters of its residents own their homes. According to the U.S. Census median home value is $556,100. The homeowner vacancy rate is 3.3%, and rental vacancies hover at about 5.8%.
- Business: Palmetto Bay used to be home to the Burger King corporate headquarters, but it's since moved to another part of the county. Now, according to the U.S. Census, residents primarily work in the fields of education, science, finance, management, and other kinds of professional jobs.
- Schools: The village is home to several public schools, part of the Miami-Dade district. There are three public elementary schools. Older students attend the Southwood Middle School, also in the village. Secondary school is held at the Miami Palmetto High School, located in nearby Pinecrest.
- Weather: Like most of Miami-Dade County, average temperatures in the winter are in the upper 60s, and the summer averages in the low 80s. The year-round chance of sunshine? About 70%. The rainiest months, on average, are June, August, and September. Hurricanes are a factor in August most years.
When it comes to Palmetto Bay's history, you're in the middle of it. Founded in 2002, the past eight years have seen the development of six parks, new traffic systems, the refinement of its police force, and the emergence of its downtown district around the newly constructed Village Hall, completed in 2010. A new library is underway.
Getting there is possible in a number of ways. The closest major airport is Miami International, about 20–30 minutes away along Florida's 836. Drivers come in from the north or south along U.S. Route 1, or the Florida 821 toll road. The Miami Metrorail services the community by train and by bus, about an hour ride with transfers.
While the diversity and activity of Miami is virtually next door, visitors and residents alike also partake of the green space upon which Palmetto Bay is largely focused.
Coral Reef Park is home to tennis in the village, as well as walking and picnicking across its 50 acres. Free outdoor movies are another attraction throughout the year. Among other open space options is the Palmetto Bay Park, a newly expanded 25-acre complex featuring fields, a skating rink, softball diamonds, basketball courts, and the largest playground of its kind in South Florida.
The four-acre ocean-side Thalatta Estate directly overlooks Biscayne Bay. Dating to 1926, the two-story, towered Mediterranean Revival mansion is cloaked in mangroves and draped in the convergence of its historical and cultural influences. It’s now a popular spot for weddings and events. Similar to this is the nearby 444-acre Deering Estate at Cutler.
Community events center around the parks in the village, including organized soccer, flag football, karate, and other athletics. The Palmetto Bay Municipal Center is home to frequent exhibitions, from painting to underwater photography.
Like civic involvement? Palmetto Bay may be the place for you.
With openings on its boards in the realm of arts, historical preservation, and even tree-scaping — to name a few of the opportunities in 2011, alone — helping this eight-year old enterprise take its early steps is one of the advantages people coming to Palmetto can enjoy.
There's a kind of freshness to the place: a new village hall, the sculpting and development of roads and services, the laying down of templates for how Palmetto Bay will run in the coming decades.
