MIAMI MIRROR TRUE REFLECTIONS

March29.2014
JimmyMorales
CityManager
CITYOFMIAMIBEACH
Proposed:AuditofComplianceDivisionSidewalkCafCodeEnforcement
Mr.Morales:
Mycursoryexaminationofarepresentativesampleofthecodecompliancedivisionssidewalkcafcode
enforcementreportsdatedfromJanuary1,2013,throughMarch27,2014,raisesprobabilitiesworthyof
aprofessional,citywideauditofthedivisionsactivitiesinrespecttothatenforcementoverthelastfive
years.
As you may see for yourself by examining the attached spreadsheet, a pattern appears, indicative of
currentmaladministrationandmisprisiononthepartofthecitymanagerandstaff,thecitymanagers
buildingofficialresponsibleforthecodecompliancedivision,andthedirectorsandsupervisorsofthat
division. Other than poor training and gross negligence, moral and criminal corruption at all levels is
suspected.
Mind you that my suspicions are intuited or induced from the limited, superficial information made
available to the general public online via the Accela Citizen Access Permit Manager facility, which I
understandmaybetamperedwith.Furthermore,myconclusionsmaybesubconsciouslydeducedfrom
theverybadopinionIhaveformedofthecodecompliancedivisionoverthepastseveralyears,based
onmyanecdotalexperienceinSouthBeachalone.Soastudyoftheunderlyingrecordscouldprovemy
tentative inductions fallacious in part. Nonetheless, that proof should be forthcoming from a broad,
currentcitywideaudit.Ifthataudithasalreadybeenmade,youmayconsiderthisasmyChapter119
requestforacopyofsame.
Most disturbing of all, in this particular sample, is the probability of official favoritism afforded to the
Vida & Estilo Group (VE RESTAURANT GROUP, LLC) on Espanola Way. That group apparently includes
andprotectsseveralpartnersonEspanolaWay:OhMexico,CafNuvo,MojitosLounge,LaCantina,and
Havana 1957. Perhaps the arrangement involves a device to spread a liquor license among several
virtualowners,anaspecttheauditorsshouldinquireinto,aswellaspoliticalcontributions.
Thatpowerfulcombinehasahabitofsettingoutscoresofillegalchairsandtablestocapturethetourist
tradebeforeitreachestotherestaurantsbeyond,andsomeofthem,inturn,followingthatleadwhen
thereisstillanoverflow,setoutillegalchairsandtablestocatchwhattricklesdownfromV&EGroup.
Thatis,exceptfortheFlameCaffe&Grill,whoseowner,AntonioHalabi,happenstobepunctilious,or
asyoumightsay,obsessed,withobeyingthecodeinthatrespect.ItappearsthattheV&EGroupgets
off with wrist slaps while the little pigs that belong to no group are punished for the sins of hog. I
personallycountedtheexcesschairsandtablesonmyfirstfewvisits.Ononeoccasion,Iwatchedthe

Page1of2

MIAMI MIRROR TRUE REFLECTIONS

compliance officer ignore V&E Groups scores of illegal chairs and cite a small fry for its wee extra
accommodation.
Since Antonio Halabi tried to protect his business from this illegal behavior by reporting it, he was
identifiedbycodecomplianceofficers,evenwhenmakingananonymouscomplaint,withtheresultthat
heisscapegoatedforeverybitofenforcementonEspanolaWay.Heandhiswifehavebeenrendered
miserablebytheharassmentofhisneighborsandhislandlord,whoaccusehimoftheirownwrongs.He
beggedyouforyourassistance,butyousaiditwasapolicematter.
Indeed,itisbecomingapolicematter,onethathasbeencreatedbycityofficials,including,lately,your
highlyesteemedself.Soaccustomedaresidewalkcafownerstodoingwrong,thatwrongseemsright,
andnow,whenofficialsdotheirduty,themiscreantsbelievethedutytobethecrime,andbelievethe
lawabidingmanisthethief.
EspanolaWayislogisticallyoddintermsofpedestrianflow,buttheeconomicandemotionalharmdone
there as a result of the random as well as selective and discriminatory enforcement is by no means
peculiar.Smallbusinessesoldandnewcomplain,offtherecordtoprotectthemselvesfromcustomary
retaliation,thatthecompliancedivisionisrunninganextortionracket.Thenewkidsontheblocksuffer
themost.OneItalianownercomparesitunfavorablytotheMafiosobackhome.
Surely it cannot be that bad, but it is still bad, and just how bad will not be known short of an
exhaustive,impartialaudit.Atleastthatistheopinionofsomeonewhoisobsessed,asyousay,with
goodgovernment.Iunderstandthatcityofficialsdonotthinkmuchofmyopinions,soIwillclosewith
anoldadageportendingthefuture:Pigsgetfat,hogsgetslaughtered.
Sincerely,
DavidArthurWalters
Cc.MayorPhilipLevine

Attached:EspanolaViolationsSpreadsheet

Page2of2

Address

Group

Name

Date

Tag

447
447
447
447
447
447
447
447
447
447
447
447
447
447
447
447
447
447

Galileo
Galileo
Galileo
Galileo
Galileo
Galileo
Galileo
Galileo
Galileo
Galileo
Galileo
Galileo
Galileo
Galileo
Galileo
Galileo
Galileo
Galileo

Flame
Flame
Flame
Flame
Flame
Flame
Flame
Flame
Flame
Flame
Flame
Flame
Flame
Flame
Flame
Flame
Flame
Flame

3/29/13
4/4/13
4/5/13
4/22/13
5/16/13
5/30/13
5/30/13
7/16/13
8/2/13
10/6/13
10/9/13
11/18/13
12/29/13
1/5/14
1/22/14
2/26/14
2/27/14
3/7/14

XC13002016
CE13006595
CE13005708
CE13007582
XC13002521
CE13004271
CE13009052
CE13011163
CE13011426
CE14000128
XC14000210
CE14000292
XC14002130
CE14003149
CE13011177
CE14004999
CE14000195
CE13012549

437
437
437
437
437
437
437
437
437
437

Manugio
Manugio
Manugio
Manugio
Manugio
Manugio
Manugio
Manugio
Manugio
Manugio

Boteco
Boteco
Boteco
Boteco
Boteco
Boteco
Boteco
Boteco
Boteco
Boteco

4/24/13
5/5/13
5/8/13
5/28/13
5/30/13
5/30/13
6/4/13
7/15/13
8/20/13
10/1/13

XC13002334
XC13002482
XC13002566
CE13008816
CE13004272
CE13008686
XC13003005
CE13010838
CE13008324
XC13005257

Chairs

Extra
Extra

Extra

Other(seeNoteL)

Fine

Note

LoadingZone
5Feet
5Feet
Fans,Planters,Station
Garbage
5Feet,Furniture
5Feet(fixtures),Planters
Fans,Tarp
Stacking
Planters
Stacking
Stacking
LoadingZone
Noise
ElecCord
Planters,Rug
FansIndoorType
StorageFans

0
100
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
250

Stand

0
0 (B)Invalid
(K)Invalid
0
0
0 (K)Disposition?
0 (K(Invalid
0
100
0 (K)Invalid

HardLiquor
Soliciting
Stand
LiquorExpired
HardLiquor
5feet,Stand

Extra2244Seats
HardLiquor

Invalid

Invalid
(C)Disputed

Assigned
Invalid

(I)FalseCharge

437
437
437
437
437
437
437
437
437
437
437
437
437
437

Manugio
Manugio
Manugio
Manugio
Manugio
Manugio
Manugio
Manugio
Manugio
Manugio
Manugio
Manugio
Manugio
Manugio

Boteco
Boteco
Boteco
Boteco
Boteco
Boteco
Boteco
Boteco
Boteco
Boteco
Boteco
Boteco
Boteco
Boteco

10/8/13
10/23/13
2/3/14
2/5/14
2/21/14
3/3/14
3/3/14
3/3/14
3/3/14
3/13/14
3/21/14
3/23/14
12/23/14
12/23/14

XC14000115
XC13001789 Extra2430Seats
CE14003556
XC14002278
CE14004736
CE13008507
CE13012547
CE14002593
CE14004735
CE13010358 Extra
CE14006324 Extra
CE14006522
CE14002566
CE14002596

440
440
440
440
440
440
440
440
440
440
440
440
440
440
440
440

R&G
R&G
R&G
R&G
R&G
R&G
R&G
R&G
R&G
R&G
R&G
R&G
R&G
R&G
R&G
R&G

Picolla
Picolla
Picolla
Picolla
Picolla
Picolla
Picolla
Picolla
Picolla
Picolla
Picolla
Picolla
Picolla
Picolla
Picolla
Picolla

3/23/13
4/5/13
4/16/13
4/23/13
5/5/13
5/28/13
6/18/13
6/20/13
7/16/13
8/2/13
8/12/13
9/13/13
12/31/13
2/20/14
2/26/14
2/26/14

CE13006207
CE13005709
CE13003888
CE13007584
CE13004278
CE13008815
CE13010156
XC13003325
CE13011310
CE13011428
CE13011696
CE13006598
CE13013137 Extra2
CE14004690
CE14004998
XC13001786 Extra3038

HardLiquor
PermitRenewal
HardLiquor
Unspecified
Stand
Plans,Sign
5Feet
PermitRenewal
Stand,Sign
Umbrella
Sign
Plans
Stand,Sign
5Feet
Plans
Umbrellas
Plans,NoPermit
Soliciting
Plans(toresubmit)
EncroachLoadZone
NoPermit
Plans
SolicitingbyBlondes
5Feet
Planter
PermitRenewal
Planters
REF:W012191031213

0
0
0
0
0
250
750
100
100
500
750
1000
0
0

(K)Invalid
(B)Invalid
(K)Invalid

(M)Selective
(A)Previous?

0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0 Invalid
100
0
50
100
0
0
0
0 (B)Invalid

440
440
440
440
440
440
440

R&G
R&G
R&G
R&G
R&G
R&G
R&G

Picolla
Picolla
Picolla
Picolla
Picolla
Picolla
Picolla

2/27/14
3/7/14
3/15/14
3/16/14
3/16/14
3/19/14
3/21/14

XC14003393
CE14005391
XC14003724
CE14005940
XC14003737
CE14005837
CE14006352

Extra3051

Extra10seats
Extra
Extra3038

429 Romana
429 Romana

Romana
Romana

429
429
429
429
429
429

Romana
Romana
Romana
Romana
Romana
Romana

Romana
Romana
Romana
Romana
Romana
Romana

5/6/13
5/10/13
5/14/13
6/4/13
8/9/13
9/3/13

XC13002484
CE13008427 Extra7489Seats
CE13008508 Extra
CE13004281 Extra
CE13012211
CE13012552

429
429
429
429
429
429
429
429
429
429

Romana
Romana
Romana
Romana
Romana
Romana
Romana
Romana
Romana
Romana

Romana
Romana
Romana
Romana
Romana
Romana
Romana
Romana
Romana
Romana

9/16/13
12/23/13
1/15/14
1/22/14
2/3/14
2/3/14
2/22/14
3/14/14
3/14/14
3/19/14

XC13001788 Extra7490Seats
CE14002594 Extra2125Tables
CE14002595
CE13011178
CE14003557
CE14003565
CE14004738
CE14004737
CE14005648
CE14005941 Extra

448 Tapas
448 Tapas

Tapas
Tapas

4/5/13 CE13003886
4/5/13 CE13005712 ExtraCE13008427

4/23/13 CE13007585
4/30/13 CE13006596

Stand
LoadingZone
5Feet
440,429,429Reported
EncroachLoadZone

Plans,Stand
5Feet
UsingOthersSpaceOK'dby
them
5Feet,Stand,HamonUmbrellas
Umbrellas,Stands,Frame
Stand,Tank
Stand
REF:W012188031213
PermitRenewal
ElecCord
Cart
PermitRenewal
Unspecified
PermitRenewal
PermitRenewal
Umbrella
Umbrellas,Fans,Stacking
5Feet,Stacking,Plans

(D)Assigned
100
0
250
0 (E)Unknown
0
500
0
0
0 (J)Invalid
100
250
0 (F)Whynofine?
0
500
(B)Invalid
0 WHY?
0
0
0
0
0
0
100
250 (G)Extended?
0
0
0

448
448
448
448
448
448
448
448

Tapas
Tapas
Tapas
Tapas
Tapas
Tapas
Tapas
Tapas

Tapas
Tapas
Tapas
Tapas
Tapas
Tapas
Tapas
Tapas

5/2/13
6/20/13
7/12/13
8/9/13
9/6/13
9/27/13
10/5/13
10/9/13

448
448
448
448
448
448
448
448
448
448
448
448

Tapas
Tapas
Tapas
Tapas
Tapas
Tapas
Tapas
Tapas
Tapas
Tapas
Tapas
Tapas

Tapas
Tapas
Tapas
Tapas
Tapas
Tapas
Tapas
Tapas
Tapas
Tapas
Tapas
Tapas

10/23/13
11/7/13
1/28/14
2/3/14
2/3/14
2/20/14
3/5/14
3/5/14
3/14/14
3/14/14
3/17/14
3/21/14

405
405
405
405

Vida
Vida
Vida
Vida

Havana
Havana
Havana
Havana

1440
410
410
410

Vida
Vida
Vida
Vida

Mexico
Mexico
Mexico
Mexico

CE13007205 Extra4Chairs
CE13010359
CE13011165
CE13011311
CE13011699
CE13013140
CE14000127
XC14000201

Stacking,Planters
Storage,Fans,Coolers
Stacking
Soliciting
Stand
Sign
Planters

XC13001790 Extra3250
XC14001209
CE14003963
CE14003555
CE14003563
CE14004689
CE14005249
CE14005271
CE14004688
CE14005647
CE14005785
CE14006325 Extra

REF:W012186031213
Noise
Noise
PermitRenewal
Stacking
Unspecified
Planters
Stacking
PermitRenewal
PermitRenewal
PermitRenewal

4/24/13
5/11/13
1/29/14
2/27/14

XC13002312 Extra
XC13002607 Extra5065Seats
CE14002940
CE14005002

5feet

1/28/13
5/5/13
5/9/13
6/18/13

CE13003889
CE13004279 Extra
CE13008435 Extra
CE13010157

Garbage
5Feet,Planter,Storage
Plans
5Feet
5Feet

0
0
0
100
50
250
0
0
(B)Invalid
0 WHY?
0 Invalid
0
0
0
0
0
0
100
250
500 (G)Closed
500
0
0
100
0
0
0
100
0

410
410
1440
410
410
410
410

Vida
Vida
Vida
Vida
Vida
Vida
Vida

412 Vida
412 Vida

Mexico
Mexico
Mexico
Mexico
Mexico
Mexico
Mexico
Nuvo
Nuvo

7/2/13
7/16/13
7/21/13
2/13/14
2/27/14
2/27/14
2/27/14

CE13010837
CE13011161
CE13011031
CE14003558
CE14004997
CE14005026 Extra
XC14003391 Extra94160Seats

4/1/13 CE13006206
4/5/13 CE13003887

5Feet
Stand
5feet
Planters
Planters,Height,Storage

Soliciting
Stand,Plans

0
0
0
0
0
250
0 (H)Fine?
50
0

NOTES:BasicIssues:1)CityAdministration,2)Training,3)Supervision,4)Negligence,5)Favoritism,8)Corruption,7)Opacity
(A)Recordsofpreviousoffensesmissingtojustifyfinesonsomeoccasions.Tampering?
(B)Accelarecordgivesnoreasonforinvalidation.Extrachairsouteveryweekend.NegligenceofCorruption?
(C)Definitionof"fixures"agreedtobeerroneousyetFEZcafpartnertolditholdsforhispermitapplication
(D)Accelagivesnodispositionfor"Assigned"
(E)Overagewaspersonallycountedbytwowitnesses.Extrachairshabituallyputouteveryweekend.
(F)Whynofineforrepeatoffense.HabitualViolator.Negligenceorcorruption?
(G)TapasorderedtoremovecafbutRomanoextended.NegligenceofCorruption?
(H)Fineapparentlymissing.NegligenceorCorruption?
(I)Invented(trumpedup)violation.Codedoesnotprohibittemporaryprotectingtwofansfromrainunderawning.
(J)Isusingsomeoneelsesspacepermitted?Wastheotherspacepermittedforthatusage?
(K)Complaintshardliquorservedwereallegedlymadebyemployee.Thiswarrantedundercoverinvestigation.
(L)AllviolationsshouldbespecificallycodedbyuniquenumberandrelatedtoCodesectionsfortracking.
(M)ComplianceofficerswereinformedofoveragesOhMexicobutselectedthissmallfry.Corruption?