another wave of selective enforcement in miami beach suspected

8/13/2019 Another Wave of Selective Enforcement in Miami Beach Suspected

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MIAMI MIRROR TRUE REFLECTIONS

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THE LAS OLAS CAF INQUIRY

The New (Pigeon) Sidewalk Caf December 2013

David Arthur Walters< [email protected]> Thu, Jan 9, 2014 at 10:21 AMTo: "Castor, Jeannie" Cc: "Echert, Georgie" , "Marquez, Manny", "Soria, Raul" , "Hawayek,Barbara" , "De La Espriella, David", "Morales, Jimmy"

Dear Ms. Castor:

Excellent!

As I expected, the facts you have provided disprove the allegation of selective waiver of


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enforcement of Code at the Las Olas Caf. The allegation was referred to IA because police

involvement was alleged, and because Compliance is commanded by a police officer.

However, your email did not respond to my request for an explanation of why the citation

of the establishments new owner for an unpermitted sidewalk caf apparently disappeared

from the citys online record a day or two after I called attention to it, and for information

as to when and who deleted that record if anyone. I recall there is someone in IT who can

answer such questions but I do not recall his name at the moment.

I am suggesting to the City Manager by means of a copy of this email that he take steps to

improve transparency for this kind of permitting activity so that the public may have

immediate access to consolidated information instead of interrupting officials with

requests.

I recommend that sidewalk caf permit information including issuance of permits, annual

renewals, violation citations, and terminations be posted to Velocity Hall.

As far as I am concerned, all types of permitting should be posted to that system for

immediate public online access, including, for example, sign permits. The enforcement of

signage code is lackadaisical hence the majority of signs go unpermitted.

Thank you again for your assistance. Please forward this email to someone in IT who can

answer my question about the apparent deletion of the record of the sidewalk caf

violation at Las Olas Caf.

Sincerely,

David Arthur Walters

Cc Jimmy Morales, City Manager

Cc. Capt. De La Espriella, Commander Internal Affairs

Attached: Image - new sidewalk cafe at Las Olas Cafe

Attached: List of Velocity Hall permit record today, noting disappearance of one record

[Quoted text hidden]

2 attachmentsLas Olas Pigeon Cafe.jpg224K

2014-01-08 Las Olas Permit Record to Date.pdf283K


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[NOTE: CURIOUSLY, NO TABLES AND CHAIRS WERE OBSERVED ON THE SIDEWALK UNTIL THELAST QUARTER OF 2010, ALTHOUGH THE BELOW ACCOUNTING REPRESENTS THAT PAYMENTsOF SIDEWALK CAF FEES WERE MADE IN YEARS PRIOR TO 2010. EDITOR]

Castor, Jeannie< [email protected]>Wed, Jan 8, 2014 at

5:36 PMTo: David Arthur Walters Cc: "Echert, Georgie" , "Marquez, Manny", "Soria, Raul" , "Hawayek,Barbara" , "De La Espriella, David", "Morales, Jimmy"

Mr. Walters,

Upon further research, I see that Las Olas Caf LLC had not applied for a sidewalk caf. As per city

code, Sec. 82-382, the customer has to first apply before being granted a sidewalk caf. This would

explain why they were cited for having the chairs and tables. For further information regardingSidewalk Caf Permits, please click on the link:

http://library.municode.com/HTML/13097/level5/SPAGEOR_CH82PUPR_ARTIVUSPURI-

W_DIV5SICA_SDIIPE.html#TOPTITLE

To obtain a Sidewalk Caf Permit application, please contact our Public Works Department located

at 1700 Convention Center Dr, 4thFloor, Miami Beach, Fl 33139. They can be reached at

305.673.7080.

With regards to the closed account Las Olas Caf, please see below:

FISCAL YEAR PENALTIES TOTAL AMOUNT

Applicationfee

SidewalkCaf fee

State SalesTax

2012/2013

(FEE OF $20/SQ FT.)

N/A $150 $1260.00 $88.20

2011/2012

(FEE OF $20/SQ FT.)

N/A $150 $1260.00 $88.20

2010/2011

(FEE OF $17.50/ SQ FT.)

$110.25 $150 $1102.50 $77.18

2009/2010

(FEE OF $15.00/ SQ FT.)

$125.57 $150 $945.00 $66.15

2008/2009 N/A $150 $945.00 $66.15
http://library.municode.com/HTML/13097/level5/SPAGEOR_CH82PUPR_ARTIVUSPURI-W_DIV5SICA_SDIIPE.html#TOPTITLEhttp://library.municode.com/HTML/13097/level5/SPAGEOR_CH82PUPR_ARTIVUSPURI-W_DIV5SICA_SDIIPE.html#TOPTITLEhttp://library.municode.com/HTML/13097/level5/SPAGEOR_CH82PUPR_ARTIVUSPURI-W_DIV5SICA_SDIIPE.html#TOPTITLEhttp://library.municode.com/HTML/13097/level5/SPAGEOR_CH82PUPR_ARTIVUSPURI-W_DIV5SICA_SDIIPE.html#TOPTITLE


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(FEE OF $15/ SQ FT.)

2007/2008

(FEE OF $15/SQ FT.;CHRGFOR A QTR)

N/A $150 $236.25 $66.15

I hope the information helps you. Should you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to

contact our offices at305.673.7420 or305.673.7440.

Best regards,

Jeannie Castor

From:David Arthur Walters [mailto:[email protected]]

Sent:Wednesday, January 08, 2014 12:16 PM

To:Castor, Jeannie

Cc: Echert, Georgie; Marquez, Manny; Soria, Raul; Hawayek, Barbara; De La Espriella, David;Morales, Jimmy

Subject:Response in re 644 6th St - LAS OLAS CAFE

8 January 2014

[Quoted text hidden]

Response in re 644 6th St - LAS OLAS CAFE4 messages

David Arthur Walters< [email protected]> Wed, Jan 8, 2014 at 12:15 PM

To: "Castor, Jeannie"

Cc: "Echert, Georgie" , "Marquez, Manny"

, "Soria, Raul" ,

"Hawayek, Barbara" , "De La Espriella, David"

, "Morales, Jimmy"

8 January 2014

Ms. Jeannie Castor

Thank you very much for your response to my question about the permitting and receipt of

fees for a sidewalk caf outside of the Las Olas Caf at 644 6th

Street.
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]


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First of all, my apologies for mistakenly referring you to Activity #00052774: the number is

actually 00052770, which I took from Attachment B of the Memorandum re the 7 July 2011

NCAC held at the City Managers Office (attached). The BACKGROUND on the subject

reads as follows:

Annually, the Finance Department, Licensing Division sends a courtesy renewal notice

(Attachment A) to all permitted sidewalk cafes (Attachment B). In addition, the City's

sidewalk cafe coordinator, through Code Compliance, delivered notifications of non-

payment in March and April to any sidewalk cafe owner who had not yet paid their annual

permit renewal fee. (NCAC July 7, 2011 Agenda- page #10)

The information you provided makes sense. The new owner of the Las Olas Caf is a LLC

filed with the Secretary of State in July 2013. In December 2013 it was cited by Compliance

and the tables and chairs were removed from the sidewalk caf. I found the citation on

Velocity Hall (attached), and I sent a copy to Internal Affairs. I was unable to retrieve it again

in several attempts a few days later.

The record had appeared in Velocity Hall as Case CE14001677 dated 12 December 2013 at

644 6th

Street: NOV issued for failing to obtain a sidewalk cafe permit for the SW Cafe

located at 644 6th Street. Written Warning - 24 hours to comply OFC G Del Favero 716.

My inability to retrieve the record again piqued my interest in allegations I still believe are

baseless and think you may disprove with facts. The integrity of the record system worries

me more than the permitting issue in this matter. Perhaps my inability and the inability of

others to find the record is yet another instance of user error. I understand that the city

invested over a million dollars in a program that tracks and identifies the person who

deletes records.

Would you please have the appropriate person check and let me know what if any activities

took place on that record and by what authority?

As for the previous owner of the Las Olas Caf, which I believe was a dba of a corporation, I

can say from an almost daily personal observation that the Las Olas Cafe did NOT have

tables and chairs on the sidewalk from June of 2006 to the third quarter of 2010.

Does the BTR record include amounts collected for the usage of the square-foot public

right-away for the sidewalk caf? (I also understand that there is one-time charge for each

seat on the sidewalk.)

Would you kindly send me a copy of your ledger or transaction record on Las Olas Cafe with

the sidewalk caf permit, and break out the sidewalk caf annual renewal amounts on the

last receipt?

Your excellent service is deeply appreciated as always.


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On Tue, Jan 7, 2014 at 5:29 PM, Castor, Jeannie wrote:

Good afternoon Mr. Walters,

As per your request, there is a current BTR for Las Olas Caf LLC, which includes restaurantand food sales; there is no sidewalk caf at this location. However, on August 22, 2013, we

received a request to close the BTR for Las Olas Caf, which included a sidewalk caf. Thetwo companies are not the same although the names are.

The activity number that you provided, #00052774, according to our records seems to have

no association with Las Olas Caf or Las Olas Caf LLC. The name of the company was Lotus

Bistro & Lounge DBA Cavalier Crab Shack. It was located at 1320 Ocean Dr and wasrequested to be closed on April 2, 2013.

Thank you,

MIAMIBEACH

Jeannie Castor,

Financial Analyst I

FINANCE DEPARTMENT

1700 Convention Center Drive, Miami Beach, FL 33139

Tel:305-673-7000 Ext 6188,Fax:786-394-5374

www.miamibeachfl.gov

We are committed to providing excellent public service and safety to all who live, work and

play in our vibrant, tropical historic community

2 attachments

644 6th Street LAS OLAS CAF TOTAL OF ITEMS APPEARING 7 JANUARY 2014.pdf207K

2011-07-11 Las Olas Sidewalk Cafe Listed Compliant.pdf7733K
mailto:[email protected]://www.miamibeachfl.gov/http://www.miamibeachfl.gov/mailto:[email protected]


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644 6th Street LAS OLAS CAFE SIDEWALK CAFE PERMIT

David Arthur Walters< [email protected]>Tue, Jan 7, 2014 at 3:02

PM

To: "Echert, Georgie"

Cc: "De La Espriella, David" Cc: Mayor Phil Levine , Commissioner Micky Steinberg

, "Grieco, Michael"

Dear Ms. Echert:

Please advise what your records show for the Las Olas Cafe sidewalk cafe permitting at 644

6th Street. I do not see that it was ever permitted on the Velocity Hall record, but I found a

report to the Commission that the cafe was in compliance on 1 October 2010, Activity

00052774.

As you can see from the attached, I discovered a recent violation (the cafe was removed),and reported it to Internal Affairs, but then I was no longer able to pull the violation up on

Velocity Hall.

Thank you for your excellent service.


644 6th Street LAS OLAS CAF TOTAL OF ITEMS APPEARING 7 JANUARY 2014.pdf207K

ATTACHED RECORD FROM VELOCITY HALL

95FI4268 FIREINSP VIOCOMPL 9/15/1995

96FI3465 FIREINSP FCANCEL 5/30/1996BV960455 BVIO CLOSED 6/18/1996B9602615 BUILD FINAL 7/3/1996

BP960983 BPLUM CLOSED 7/3/1996

BE961581 BELEC FINAL 7/31/1996

BM960863 BMECH FINAL 7/31/1996

BM960875 BMECH FINAL 8/3/1996BMS61410 BMISC APPROVED 9/6/1996B9603407 BSBUILD FINAL 9/18/1996

BMS61623 BMISC APPROVED 9/27/1996

BV970022 BVIO CLOSED 10/15/1996BM970085 BMECH FINAL 11/5/1996

BM970128 BMECH FINAL 11/14/1996
http://getval%281%29/http://getval%282%29/http://getval%283%29/http://getval%289%29/http://getval%281%29/http://getval%287%29/http://getval%281%29/http://getval%282%29/http://getval%289%29/http://getval%2810%29/http://getval%2810%29/http://getval%284%29/http://getval%283%29/http://getval%284%29/http://getval%284%29/http://getval%283%29/http://getval%284%29/http://getval%2810%29/http://getval%2810%29/http://getval%289%29/http://getval%282%29/http://getval%281%29/http://getval%287%29/http://getval%281%29/http://getval%289%29/http://getval%283%29/http://getval%282%29/http://getval%281%29/


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BCC97041 BCCOMP VOID 12/5/1996BV970231 BVIO CLOSED 2/4/1997

BCO97189 BCOCC APPROVED 5/6/1997

BCO97190 BCOCC FINAL 5/6/1997

BM970938BMECH FINAL 7/22/1997B9800176 BSBUILD FINAL 10/15/1997

B9800601 BSBUILD FINAL 11/24/1997

BE980734 BELEC CLOSED 2/2/1998BE980736 BELEC CLOSED 2/2/1998

BV980870 BVIO CLOSED 5/29/1998

99FI1001 FIREINSP NOVIO 2/1/1999FI00000331 FIREINSP NOVIO 11/15/1999

BMS0000607 BMISC VOID 12/7/1999FI00000588 FIREINSP COMPLIED 1/21/2000

FI00001169 FIREINSP NOVIO 2/28/2000

FI00002926 FIREINSP COMPLIED 6/19/2000FI01002588 FIREINSP COMPLIED 4/16/2001

FI05000014 FIREINSP CRTCOMPL 10/1/2004FI05000496 FIREINSP COMPLIED 12/8/2004

BMS0603304 BMISC CLOSED 5/23/2006FI08002408 FIREINSP COMPLIED 3/20/2008

B0902616 BSBUILD FINAL 4/17/2009

BM090790 BMECH CLOSED 5/6/2009FI11000425 FIREINSP COMPLIED 11/12/2010

CE11005180 CNOISE INVALID 3/6/2011B1204525 BSBUILD FINAL 7/10/2012

B1204540 BSBUILD CLOSED 7/11/2012BV13000128 BVIO CLOSED 11/14/2012

FI13000411 FIREINSP COMPLIED 11/30/2012

B1304644 BSBUILD FINAL 6/10/2013B1305080 BSBUILD FINAL 7/1/2013

BCU1300948 BCU APPROVED 8/27/2013BMS1400053 BMISC APPLIED 10/4/2013

DELETED Case / Application /

Permit Number

CE14001677

Type / Classification CCVIO

SIDEWALK:

Sidewalk Cafe

Violation

CODE: Code

Compliance
http://getval%283%29/http://getval%285%29/http://getval%284%29/http://getval%285%29/http://getval%285%29/http://getval%281%29/http://getval%282%29/http://getval%288%29/http://getval%289%29/http://getval%286%29/http://getval%283%29/http://getval%288%29/http://getval%286%29/http://getval%289%29/http://getval%2810%29/http://getval%281%29/http://getval%282%29/http://getval%283%29/http://getval%284%29/http://getval%287%29/http://getval%285%29/http://getval%284%29/http://getval%2810%29/http://getval%286%29/http://getval%287%29/http://getval%285%29/http://getval%286%29/http://getval%282%29/http://getval%287%29/http://getval%287%29/http://getval%288%29/http://getval%286%29/http://getval%288%29/http://getval%288%29/http://getval%286%29/http://getval%288%29/http://getval%287%29/http://getval%287%29/http://getval%282%29/http://getval%286%29/http://getval%285%29/http://getval%287%29/http://getval%286%29/http://getval%2810%29/http://getval%284%29/http://getval%285%29/http://getval%287%29/http://getval%284%29/http://getval%283%29/http://getval%282%29/http://getval%281%29/http://getval%2810%29/http://getval%289%29/http://getval%286%29/http://getval%288%29/http://getval%283%29/http://getval%286%29/http://getval%289%29/http://getval%288%29/http://getval%282%29/http://getval%281%29/http://getval%285%29/http://getval%285%29/http://getval%284%29/http://getval%285%29/http://getval%283%29/


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Address 644 6TH ST

Miami Beach,

FL 33139

Parcel Number 42030091810

Top of FormParcelDetail

%3CwddxPacket

1

Bottom of

Form

File Date 2013-12-20

Status CLOSED

Status Date N/A

Valuation $0.00

Fees $0.00Payments $0.00

Balance $0.00

Description NOV issued

for failing to

obtain a

sidewalk cafe

permit for the

SW Cafe

located at 644

6th Street.Written

Warning - 24

hours to

comply OFC G

Del Favero

716

View Map

(Click the "Back" button on the browser to return to Permit

Manager.)

Contacts

Name LAS OLASCAFE, LLC.

Business N/A

Relationship APPLICANT

Phone N/A

Name VT
http://www.mapquest.com/cgi-bin/ia_free?level=9&streetaddress=644%206TH%20ST&city=Miami%20Beach&state=FLhttp://www.mapquest.com/cgi-bin/ia_free?level=9&streetaddress=644%206TH%20ST&city=Miami%20Beach&state=FLhttp://www.mapquest.com/cgi-bin/ia_free?level=9&streetaddress=644%206TH%20ST&city=Miami%20Beach&state=FL


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COMMERCIAL

HOLDINGS LLC

Business N/A

Relationship OWNER

---------- Forwarded message ----------

From: David Arthur WaltersDate: Sat, Jan 4, 2014 at 12:35 PM

Subject: Please help: Possible Police Involvement in Selective Code Compliance Enforcement

To: "Morales, Jimmy"

Mr. Morales, I must be mistaken, but could you have someone in your office check, becausewhen I came back to Accela to check for CE14001677 as per my below inquiry to IA, the record

of the violation no longer appears there. I do not believe the rumors but want to clear the air

("que escandala" is the word I heard with rolling eyeballs there). Surely all must be proper since

Mr. Gongora had an award presented to the Las Olas owner and, for some reason, had Elsa

Urquiza there to receive it, for the cafe's service to the community. Thanks! David Arthur

Walters

APPENDED: City Commission Meeting City Hall, Commission Chambers, 3rd Floor, 1700

Convention Center Drive, July 13, 201110:48:17 a.m. PA9 Certificate Of Recognition To Be

Presented To Las Olas Caf And Owner For Their Long Standing Contribution To The City OfMiami Beach. (Requested By Commissioner Michael Gngora) ACTION: Certificate presented.

Commissioner Gngora introduced the item and stated that Benson operated the Alton Road

Supermarket and then in 1996 started Las Olas Caf with much success. Since then they have

been featured in Wall Street Journal and several national newspapers. He thanked him for his

contribution to the City. He also asked Elsa Urquiza to accept the certificate along with Benson.

Mr. Benson spoke.

*Benson is actually Vincent Diaz, principal in Dove Foods, Inc., which owned the fictitious

name Las Olas Caf and did business at 644 6th

Street as Las Olas Caf. The new owner is the

limited liability corporation Las Olas Caf LLC, established October 2013. Editor]
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]


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---------- Forwarded message ----------

From: David Arthur Walters

Date: Thu, Jan 2, 2014 at 11:22 AMSubject: Possible Police Involvement in Selective Code Compliance Enforcement

To: "De La Espriella, David"

Cc: Raymond Martinez

[CAPT. DE LA ESPRIELLA OF INTERNAL AFFAIRS DID NOT RESPOND TO THIS EMAIL]

David ( if I may),

My understanding of Spanish is minimal, but the scuttlebutt regarding the disappearance of the

Las Olas Cafe Cafe (tables and chairs on the sidewalk) after over two years is that it was"protected" by the police because the owner was a cop "in with the Cubans", but the place was

sold to a Mexican, so Code Compliance, which is "run by a cop," made him take get rid of the

tables and chairs. I believe the cafe was actually permitted by the previous owner at one time,

but I do not know where to find that info online if it exists as it is not in the Velocity system. But

the recent violation is there. I had trouble believing the scuttlebutt, and asked George Castell to

look into, but I regret that I did so, because he took the liberty of filing formal complaints in my

name, although I told him I did not wish to file complaints, regarding whether or not code is

complied with or situations are permitted et cetera.

Perhaps this is a matter you may be interested in. I do not know if there is a policy against

favoring a waterhole by not enforcing some code. It appears that Code Compliance does not

enforce some kinds of violations unless someone complains, and that is within its discretion. It

seems that selective enforcement if any should be uniform as a matter of stated policy, as

police departments sometimes do.

You have been around a long time. What is up with this that you know of?
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]


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Best Regards,

David

[GEORGE CASTELL DID NOT RESPOND TO THIS COMMUNICATION]

28 December 2013

George Castell, Supervisor

Code Compliance Division

Building Department

CITY OF MIAMI BEACH

Re: Las Olas Caf Sidewalk Caf

Mr. Castell:

A few weeks after we conferred on 26 July 2010 at the Las Olas Caf on the SE corner of Sixth

and Euclid, a favorite hangout for city employees including Code Compliance officers, a

sidewalk caf with tables and chairs was established alongside the establishment, on Euclid.

That resulted in a considerable increase in traffic and therefore revenues to the establishment.

Two weeks ago, around 13 December 2013, the sidewalk caf was removed and signs posted

outside as follows (image attached):

CUSTOMERS AND FRIENDS:
http://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&frm=1&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&docid=acT5z-sZhmX8dM&tbnid=FtxSXBrgIl99PM:&ved=0CAUQjRw&url=http://www.yelp.com/biz/las-olas-cafe-miami-beach&ei=HfS-Uq7JM5G5kQe2_oCIDQ&bvm=bv.58187178,d.eW0&psig=AFQjCNH1iZmnr_15D3UPS-n-AxYwrbH5jQ&ust=1388332303631952http://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&frm=1&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&docid=acT5z-sZhmX8dM&tbnid=FtxSXBrgIl99PM:&ved=0CAUQjRw&url=http://www.yelp.com/biz/las-olas-cafe-miami-beach&ei=HfS-Uq7JM5G5kQe2_oCIDQ&bvm=bv.58187178,d.eW0&psig=AFQjCNH1iZmnr_15D3UPS-n-AxYwrbH5jQ&ust=1388332303631952


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By order of the city and, for the time being, we have been requested to remove the sidewalk furniture.

We apologize for the convenience. Thank you for your patronage.

I inquired about the removal and was informed that it occurred because the business had been

sold to a Mexican and that the previous owners did not take care of the permit. It was

suggested to me that this is a case of selective enforcement, and that it had damaged thebusiness, but the persons commenting declined to be named.

I believe I have been misinformed. You will recall that, during the Las Olas conference two and a

half years ago, you insisted that your Division does not engage in selective enforcement, and

that my subsequent investigation of numerous unpermitted sidewalk caf operations and

signage violations on Washington Avenue revealed that enforcement was not selective, unless

random enforcement is a selection method, despite the allegations of two owners who

believed they were discriminated against because of their cultural backgrounds.

I want to prove that this new rumor of selective enforcement is false, but to do so I need

information on the incidental permitting and citation that is not online or immediately

available to the public, as it very well could be. At least my requests for online access to

permitting and violation records have been ignored as well as my proposal that all such

information be placed online so the public can help enforcement officers do their jobs without

wasting their time with record requests, or being forced to file complaints to discover violations

when there may be none, so they can be blamed for enforcement if violations are discovered.

So it is with my apology, and my assurance that I do not intend to insult you and your good

crew with a baseless insinuation of selective enforcement, that I ask you to check the databasethat you have access to, and advise me of when an application was made and approved for the

sidewalk caf in 2010, and when and why the establishment was cited for the violation

requiring removal. I am confident that the facts will show that everything is shipshape except

for the opaqueness of the enforcement system that arouses unnecessary suspicions in the

minds of civilians.

Thank you for your excellent service.

Sincerely,



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Typical South Beach Journalist

Excerpt from Las Olas Conference Report26 July 2010

Again, I was not at the meeting to make trouble. I could have noted that a crime rate can

go down when laws are not enforced or laxly enforced. Instead, I cited some facts:

What about the knife fight in the alley right there last week or so, or the gun fight there a

couple of months ago? That part of the alley stinks so badly from human waste

sometimes that people have to cross the street. What about the woman that was draggeddown the alley behind the grocery store there, a block away, raped and stabbed? Whatabout the woman that was stabbed in the neck around 7th Street and Meridian at about sixoclock the other morning? What of the woman on the same block who was stabbed 17

times a while back by a man who was wanted for murder in Guatemala? What about the23-year old with a long criminal record who was shot to death a week ago in that

nightclub over there? I forgot to mention that the restaurant where she was sitting hadbeen robbed recently, and that the manager of the place said she had been terrorized justthe night before.

Im glad youre asked about those things, Officer Doty said with a smile.

Thats enough, Ms. Bernstein said, ordering me to be quiet, insisting that we move on.

But look behind you, right over there.

Shush!

You shush. You and your city manager should shut up and listen. Look right behind

you, on the corner, there is a violation in process, someone who must be reached out to.

I was pointing at a man who had been living in his car near the corner for two years,

urinating in bottles and defecating in bags, which he threw along with other trash onto thecurb. He was just getting out of his car, half dressed. He had gotten himself a residential

parking ticket so his car would not be towed. He had obtained temporary parking permits

during Urban Ghetto Week, probably from someone in Compliance, and sold them tovisitors. Some residents brought him food, but many residents had complained about thewaste and parking situation to compliance officers, who said they could do nothing abouthim.

Officer Doty waved her magic wand. Suddenly three detectives were on him, flashingbadges. Both he and his car were gone within 5 minutes, and we have not seen his car

since.

You should have told us about this. We need the peoples help. Officer Doty said.


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Thats right, Mr. Castell chimed in. We depend on people to keep us informed so wecan enforce the law.

You could go to our Citizen Leadership Academy,Ms. Bernstein said.

Im already a citizen, and I do what I can to help. And that has put me at risk. A police

offer mistakenly came to my door the other night after making two arrests. After he left,the drug dealers in the apartment in front of me came out and pointed me to the Honduran

dope dealers next door, who were relatives of one of the busted men. A citizen I am, butI would not want to be a leader given what I have seen thus far (I was getting a littleangry at the suggestion to be their good little citizen) so please dont send me to your

Leadership Academy, I would be ruined.

Look, this guy living in the car, I continued, has been living there for about two years,and has been littering the curb. Everybody knows it, the Parking Enforcement guys whohang out here know him, the sanitation workers know he is there, the cops see him all the

time, people have complained, sent in emails, nothing was done.

#

Ms. Bernstein had given up on even trying to run the meeting according to the agenda she

was referring to. I felt a bit sorry for her. She looked weary. She was just trying to followthe usual procedure, and, alas, a pesky insect from the neighborhood actually showed up

and insisted on buzzing around.

We do not selectively enforce the code, Mr. Castell said out of the clear blue.

Why in the world did he say that? I wondered to myself, astonished. Melville used to ask,Coincidence or God? Or was it that notion Jung came up with, what do you call it?

As a matter of fact, I have evidence, some of it photographic, of selective enforcement

of the code, and the persons fined believe they may have been discriminated againstbecause of their Muslim religion. Of all the outside umbrellas on sidewalk cafes that havethe Coca Cola name and symbolic bottle on them, including one across the street, CrazeeOlive was the only place fined.

What? Where is that? Mr. Castell proceeded to draw a map.

Here.

Oh, that guy, Mohsen, indicating he knew one of the partners.

Good bye, Ms. Bernstein said, getting up and leaving

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another wave of selective enforcement in miami beach suspected

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