Blue Heron Park: Transformation Under Florida’s Brownfields Program

Municipalities across Miami-Dade and Broward counties have excelled in transforming contaminated and underutilized properties into vibrant public parks, greenways, and recreational spaces that improve quality of life while protecting public health and natural resources. These successes reflect not only strong local leadership but also Florida’s nationally recognized brownfields framework, which encourages responsible redevelopment through clear regulatory pathways, risk-based cleanup standards, and meaningful financial incentives.

Our firm is privileged to have supported many of these efforts, including on behalf of Cutler Bay, Doral, Florida City, Hialeah, Hollywood, Key Biscayne, Miami, Miami Beach, North Miami, North Miami Beach, Oakland Park, and Pompano Beach. One project we are especially pleased to highlight is Blue Heron Park in Cutler Bay.

Blue Heron Park

Blue Heron Park is a heavily used community asset, home to nearly 300 mature trees, walking paths, a water feature, exercise equipment, and open lawns used daily for recreation and wellness. Upon identifying arsenic concentrations above safe park-use thresholds, the town acted promptly. It closed the park, reported the findings to the Miami-Dade Department of Environmental Resources Management, and initiated rehabilitation under Chapter 62-780, Florida Administrative Code.

Blue Heron Park is one of three public spaces where Cutler Bay has engaged us to provide environmental legal, regulatory, and technical support. Our work has focused on navigating Florida’s brownfields framework, establishing collaborative relationships with regulators, developing cost-effective remediation strategies, and ensuring that cleanup efforts align with both public health objectives and long-term community use. The technical challenges at this site were substantial, including the removal of soil exceeding safe levels while preserving every mature tree on the property. shows how that preservation strategy is being implemented during source removal.

Another noteworthy aspect of this project is the remediation sequencing strategy developed in coordination with Town Manager Kimley-Horn and the remediation contractor. By carefully timing project initiation for December 2025 and not just one month later, the town qualified up to $1 million in expenses as eligible for Voluntary Cleanup Tax Credits that would otherwise have been permanently forfeited. That’s a huge financial win for taxpayers.

Collaboration through Community Partnerships

Projects like this succeed because of collaboration and shared commitment. We’re grateful for the leadership of the town council, the clear direction of Mayor Tim Meerbott, the vision and steady guidance of Town Manager Rafael Casals, and the technical excellence of Kimley-Horn, led by the highly experienced and deeply credentialed William Spinner, PG. Together, this team demonstrates how thoughtful policy, sound science, and strong partnerships can transform environmental challenges into lasting community assets.