Run-off December 1, 2026.
Palmetto Bay Village Council · Seat 3 Run-off · December 1, 2026
Lasaly Changkachith is running for Palmetto Bay Village Council Seat 3 to protect our green spaces and water, keep the character of our neighborhoods, and make sure residents are heard.
As Seen On Miami’s Community News
On The Michael Miller Show, Lasaly talks about why she is running for Palmetto Bay Village Council Seat 3.
Watch on YouTubeHi, Palmetto Bay. I’m Lasaly Changkachith, and I’m running for Village Council Seat 3. I recently replied to an email from a resident. They reached out to all the candidates, asking where each of us stands on a possible 77th Avenue bridge.
I’m sharing my perspective with you for two reasons.
First, the neighbors most likely to be affected asked me about it when I knocked on their doors. Second, if this bridge ever happens, it’s not going to be one bridge and two neighborhoods, but it would be two bridges and four neighborhoods affected.
I’m not a traffic engineer. I believe decisions should rest on sound data and expert advice. So I need to research the county’s traffic master plan and any traffic studies it has done, and whether that plan supersedes our village’s rights.
I say bridges, plural, because 77th Avenue is interrupted in two places. The first is between 159th Terrace and 162nd Street, where a riparian canal carries stormwater through the Deering Powers property into a wetland reclamation area that feeds Biscayne Bay. That’s the same canal the historic Chinese bridge arches over.
The second interruption is in my own neighborhood, where Bill Sadowski Park and 173rd Street. Because of these two interruptions, I have strong environmental concerns about building bridges at either location.
Public works pipes also run parallel to 77th Avenue, and any interruption to these major pipelines would affect more than the construction sites. It would affect every home they serve, so any bridge plans must account for it.
Because of these conversations with neighbors, I started paying closer attention to the traffic coming through 77th Avenue. One neighbor’s house sits right next to the land set aside for extending 77th Avenue to 184th Street. In my opinion, the 184th Street roundabout makes that extension difficult.
Traffic in the roundabout has an established right-of-way turn that moves cars smoothly out of it onto Eureka. From what I’ve observed, extending 77th Avenue would conflict with that right-of-way.
So where do I land? Only if all these concerns are addressed, only after holding open forums with residents of the neighborhoods most affected and factoring their voices and concerns into my decisions, and only after understanding what the county’s traffic master plan means for Palmetto Bay. Only then would I consider supporting construction.
If elected, I answer to the residents, not to the county, and not to a master plan.
Vote for the candidate who best fits your vision for our village. Election Day is this Tuesday, November 3rd. I’d be honored to have your vote. Punch 190 for Village Council Seat 3.
Hi Palmetto Bay, I’m Lasaly Changkachith and I’m running for Village Council Seat 3.
While knocking on doors in District 3, a few residents asked, where are our Palmetto Bay patrol cars? I have only seen Miami-Dade Sheriff’s vehicles. It’s a fair question.
To get answers, I went to our Village officers. Here is what they told me. The Sheriff’s Office is rebranding its entire fleet, changing it from Miami-Dade Police to Miami-Dade Sheriff. This is happening countywide and it’s expected to take about three years. And the standard rebranding may not include the name of the municipality on the vehicles.
So the car may say Miami-Dade Sheriff, but the officers patrolling your street are still the ones serving Palmetto Bay. Nothing has changed about who is keeping our neighborhoods safe.
If you have questions or concerns, call the Palmetto Bay Municipal District Sheriff’s Office at 305-278-4000. And in an emergency, always call 911.
I’ll keep listening, keep asking questions, and keep you informed. Punch 190 for District 3. Thank you.
Hi Palmetto Bay, I’m Lasaly Changkachith, candidate for Village Council Seat 3. Neighbors keep asking me about the old Burger King property behind me.
In 2025, the Village and the property owner reached a settlement. That settlement allows for up to 455 homes, a 120-room hotel, and for shops and offices. It also sets aside 22 acres along Old Cutler Road as a nature preserve. The owner has to maintain it and keep the paths clear for residents to use.
In January, the Miami Herald reported that the property was for sale. But a sale doesn’t reset the deal. The Village has confirmed that any new owner has to honor the settlement. So, what’s still open is how well it gets built.
Here is what I will do. I’ll hold the owner to the settlement’s limits, 455 homes, the height cap, and the preserve. The Village is a party to this agreement, and enforcing it is the Village’s job. I’ll make sure the 22 acres transfers and stay protected. I will push for drainage that keeps runoff out of the bay. And I’ll keep you informed with a monthly newsletter.
I’d be honored to have your vote. Punch 190 for Village Council Seat 3.
Michael Miller: With all the walking that you’ve been doing, the doors you’ve been knocking on, what do people want from their elected officials in Palmetto Bay, the people that you’ve spoken to?
Lasaly: It varies, for sure. I just think that a lot of our residents just want their leaders to listen to them and to be able to do what is best for the village, best for the residents. And that’s what I’m out for. That’s one of the reasons why I’m running, is to be there for the residents. I had a question yesterday, again, knocking on the door, and it prompted me to do a video. And I’ve never done a video on Instagram before. And I actually had my daughter help me put it up. But it was basically to answer a question, whose camp am I on? And I was…
Michael Miller: What does that mean?
Lasaly: We wanted to know whose camp on the council was I on. Meaning, I guess they were talking about the divisions that was there. And I looked at the resident. I said, you know what? I’m not on a camp. And the only camp I should be on are the residents. Because that’s who I’m elected for. I’m not elected for my ego or for anything. I am elected for the residents, and that’s who I should be working for.
About Lasaly
Lasaly Changkachith grew up in Homestead, Florida, just a few miles from the community she now calls home. After years in Chicago and Atlanta, she and her husband chose Palmetto Bay for its tree canopy, its safety, and its ties to Biscayne Bay. They raised three children here. Two sons graduated from Coral Reef Senior High, one through the International Baccalaureate program and one through the Visual and Performing Arts Magnet, and her daughter through the School for Advanced Studies. This is their forever home.
She has been a fixture in her children's schools for years, including coaching a winning Odyssey of the Mind team at Frank C. Martin K-8. For more than 20 years she served as an adult Scout leader, the last seven as Scoutmaster, and both her sons earned the rank of Eagle Scout. She now coaches the badminton team at Coral Reef Senior High, a sport she excelled in as a regional champion at Homestead Senior High School.
Today she serves on the Village of Palmetto Bay's Resiliency Committee, working on a community composting program, the restoration of The Woods, and the Village's application to become a Keep America Beautiful affiliate. These are active projects she is personally driving.
Her family knows what service looks like. Her eldest son currently serves as a First Lieutenant in the United States Space Force. She has a family member who serves in local law enforcement. Her family helped spearhead fundraising to build Wat Buddharangsi, a Buddhist temple in the Redlands.
Lasaly has a background in science and technology, which shapes how she works through the problems facing Palmetto Bay, environmental and fiscal alike.
Lasaly believes change comes from showing up. She has done it for years across Miami-Dade: in classrooms, on Village committees, and at her neighbors' doors. Running for Council Seat 3 is the next step in that work.
Palmetto Bay is 8 square miles of green space and safe, close-knit neighborhoods.
Local elections come down to a few hundred votes. A conversation, a yard sign, or a shared post can move that number. Here is how you can help.
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The last day to donate is Wednesday, October 28, 2026.
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