The Standard Ethics PresentationFixing the System: Lessons from The
Standard, and the Path to Stronger Ethics
Protecting neighborhoods, not developers’ profits
Background
• New owners of the Standard Hotel planned to significantly upzone the
property –and add 6 ultra-luxury condos to the site.
• Developer and Belle Isle Residents Association (BIRA) entered into a
contract for $1.2 Million for “neighborhood support” without transparent
resident input.
• $1.2M “agreement” was officially announced 1 month after binding the
agreement between BIRA and the Developer.
• Ethics Commission flagged undisclosed communications by BIRA members
• Belle Isle Residents overwhelmingly opposed to process and upzoning
development
Agreement was
re-written to
make $1.2
Million payout
time -based
instead of
contingent on
project approval.
Oct 30, 2024
BIRA sends an
email to
residents
“announcing”
the $1.2 Million
agreement and
payout.
Oct 24, 2024
Design Review
Board (DRB)
meeting held Oct
1; Land Us e
Committee
(LUSC) meeting
held Oct 14. $1.2
Million deal called
into question.
Oct 1 + 14, 2024
The Standard’s
lobbyist files
paperwork with
the City
disclosing the
$1.2 million
payout to BIRA.
Sept 30, 2024
The Standard’s
lobbyist holds a
webinar to
inform Belle Isle
residents of The
Standard’s
development
plans.
Aug 27, 2024
The Standard
and BIRA sign
an Agreement
with a $1.2
Million payout.
First $360,000
installment due
on August 14 ,
2024.
July 31, 2024
Timeline
The $1.2 Million Agreement
• Original agreement: Payout contingent on project approval
BIRA Contractually Obligated to Support The Standard
What’s the Money For!?
Witness: Rafael Paz, former City Attorney, and husband
of BIRA VP Jack Robbins
Community Shut Out
•July 31,2024:Agreement signed
• August 27, 2024:Residents informed about the $1.2 Million in a
developer-sponsored Webinar:
○$1.2 Million is ‘No strings attached’
○'No approval needed by residents'
• October 1, 2024:Resident (Jo Ferrone) testimony –'I had no idea about
this’
• October 24, 2024:Email titled "BIRA reaches agreement with The
Standard Hotel" sent to Belle Isle residents
Lobbyist Webinar –August 27, 2024
DRB Meeting –October 1, 2024
BIRA Email to Residents
October 24, 2024
Town Hall –January 28, 2025
●Applicants need to apply and BIRA’s
‘nominating committee’ decides who
“qualifies.”
●Insider process is NOT subject to a
community vote.
●No public meetings are held.
●Very little transparency.
BIRA is Unelected and Unaccountable
← Internal BIRA email about The
Standard, and subsequent legislation
↓
Lobbyist Michael Larkin: Case Study #1
Lobbyist Michael Larkin: Case Study #2
Ethics Commission Findings
• Letters of Instruction:
Issued to BIRA Board Members
Rugg, Robbins, and Bryant for
failure to disclose
communications to City
Commissioners
• Contingency Fee:
Ethics Commission cannot
enforce contingency fee
prohibition ordinance against
entities or their representatives
The Only Path Forward
• Close contingency fee loopholes by
applying contingency fee ordinance to
entities and their representatives
• Require representatives of neighborhood
associations to register as lobbyists when
monetary compensation is involved
• Require authentic community input for
future proposals; not a developer-led faux
process