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Sutnick Adam Shedroff 10182017City of Miami Beach Attorney Raul Aguila 1700 Convention Center Road, 4th Floor Miami Beach, FL 33139 Adam Shedroff 520 16th Street, Uppr Miami Beach, FL 33139 October 18, 2017 'RctC . PH last ,S? ,„k,,.. Ref: Alleged activity of Deputy City Attorney, Advisor to the Planning Board lobbying the CMB Commission on behalf of parties applying for permits before the Planning Board. City Attorney Aguila, I have previously contacted the city to express my concern about the appearance of corruption on the CMB Planning Board. My concerns center on a number of issues, among these: - The unanimous decision of the planning board to spot zone a new entertainment district in the middle of a residential neighborhood The decision of Planning Board members, prior to the hearing, to meet with representatives of the owner of the proposed restaurant, bar, entertainment venue and night club, while refusing to meet with residents of the affected community - The unanimous false certification by the Planning Board that granting an entertainment license and opening an indoor/outdoor restaurant/bar/entertainment center/nightclub until 11:00 PM outdoors and 2:00 AM indoors would have no effect on general welfare or public safety of the neighborhood - Unusual and inappropriate procedures used to pass the Conditional Use Permit for this venue and activity. Since the time that that I provided that information to the City, I have become aware of additional information which raises more questions about inappropriate activities and the appearance of corruption on the planning board. After the Planning Board unanimously agreed to a new entertainment district across the street from my home, and in the middle of a residential neighborhood, I had to make a decision. I had 30 -days to file an appeal in the courts. This would mean I would have to borrow around $40,000 to hire an attorney. Instead, I asked Commissioner Kristen -Gonzales to put the issue of commercial intrusion into residential neighborhoods onto the CMB Commission agenda, which she did. This was the only time I could get help before the 30 -day appeal window closed. I intended to explain the situation, and ask the Commission to file an appeal, as they have done in the past, or at least to give me a copy of the transcripts, so that I could file an appeal. At the Commission Meeting, with over two hundred items on the agenda, Mayor Levine intervened, and removed this one item, and three commissioners voted to sustain his action. I was later informed that Deputy City Attorney Eve Boutsis, who advises the Planning Board and Historic Preservation Board, had secretly lobbied Commissioners in favor of the project. Further, I was informed that Deputy City Attorney Boutsis stated that Mr. Shedroff (me) did not sincerely oppose the project, but was an extortionist attempting to shake down the project applicant, Paul Cejas. Mr. City Attorney Aguila — My understanding is that a City Attorney serves on the Planning Board and the Historic Preservation Board to assure that proceedings are fair and impartial, and that the boards are informed of the legality and legal consequences of their decisions. It would seem, then, that lobbying Commissioners in favor of a project (and against residents who oppose it) is an inappropriate activity. In any case, lobbying the Commission, not on the legal merits of a project, or the effect on the neighborhood, but by accusing residents who oppose the project of extortion — a serious state and federal crime seems unbelievable, and to make such allegations secretly is fit for a star chamber or inquisition, not the United States of America, where our Constitution guarantees equal justice under the law. In the Commission meeting, when Mayor Levine and the Commission voted to create a new entertainment district, with noise, drugs, prostitution and violent crime, in the middle of my neighborhood, I was dumb struck. To be clear, I did not personally hear these statements made by Deputy City Attorney Boutsis; I spoke with Commissioners. Can you please arrange for the appropriate investigation, in particular interviews the Deputy City Attorney and with Commissioners, to understand exactly what happened? Can you please let me know how this investigation will proceed? Can you please initiate this investigation as soon as possible, so it can be decided which City Attorney should sit at the upcoming Planning Board and Historic Preservation Board meetings? Also, allegations of extortion are extremely serious, and I need to understand the basis for these false allegations. Thank you for your help on this matter. Adam Shedroff AdamShedroff@Yahoo.com 786-267-7720