Alice Burch, Mayor, Miami Shores Village February 28, 2017

Carlos A. Gimenez, Mayor Miami-Dade County

10050 NE 2nd Avenue. Hand Delivered

Miami Shores, Florida, 33138

Re: $20,000,000.00 Bond Referendum and the Health and Safety of the Village Residents of Miami
Shores Estates regarding the Shores Motel, 10500 Biscayne Boulevard, Miami Shores Village, 33138.

Honorable Mayor Alice Burch and Honorable Mayor Carlos Gimenez,

This letter is in reference to planned Bond Referendum in the Village of Miami Shores, the death of and
armed intruder in our neighborhood, and the Golden Beach Police officer shot, down the street from my
home, located at 1102 NE 105 Street, Miami Shores, Florida, 33138. A previous murder also occurred in
March of 2016, at the Shores Motel, and another last year at the Convenience store located at 10801
N.E. 13 Avenue, in Unincorporated Miami-Dade County. These two properties have continuous illegal
activities, and are closely connected safe havens and communication points for drugs, robberies, thefts,
and prostitution, assault, battery, as well as many other crimes and code violations impacting our
neighborhood, over the last several years. According to the Village and County records, the property
owners are corporations, listed as ICUC Holdings Inc., a California based company, Mike Luong, is listed
as the President, for the motel, and Aziz Discount Food Stop & Beauty Supply Number 3, Inc., Misbah
Uddin, MD., from Broward County.

As a result of the ongoing illegal activities taking place at these properties, in close proximity to my
residence, my family and neighbors feel threatened and unsafe in our neighborhood, with no protection
from the illegal activities and aggressive behavior down the street. Family members and neighbors no
longer feel safe going outside in the front yard at night, early in the morning, walking around the
neighborhood, and playing with the neighborhood children, because of the out of control illegal
activities, and continuous threats of aggression from the tenants and customers at these commercial
establishments. I would invite you to visit the property on Friday or Saturday night but not alone, and
observe for yourself the illegal activities, taking place throughout the night, and into the early morning
hours.

I have spoken with the neighbors, consented to voice their concern over the new $20,000,000.00 Bond
issue, scheduled for a voter referendum in April, for a new recreation facility that was discussed at the
last Village Council Meeting, while the security and safety issues of our neighborhood and other parts of
the Village are not being addressed.

Recently our neighbors down the street near the Shores Motel, were going fishing around 4:30am, and
placed their fishing equipment in the back of the vehicle. The neighbor went inside to lock their home
and prepare to leave, as only a few minutes passed. They came outside to leave and the fishing
equipment was gone. My vehicle was broken into in front of my home, Thanksgiving evening. The
United States Post Office has removed the post office drop off mail boxes adjacent to their office on 98 th
Street, because of theft and vandalism. They will not return the boxes until the neighborhood is safe.
The Shores police were called to a disturbance at the Shores Motel February 21 st, because someone was
trying to extort the combination to the gate lock to enter our neighborhood . My neighbors vehicle was
stolen February 23rd at night. We have people on bicycles, motor scooters, cars and on foot canvassing
the neighborhood for easy targets and unoccupied homes.

Both the Village and the County, have addressed issues similar to this situation in the recent past. The
County opened up a Police Substation in the Silver Blue Lake Development located at 1401 NW 103rd
street, and the Village has a substation, located at 790 NE 91 st Street, next to the Hacienda Motel , which
previously was a haven for drugs and prostitution. The County required the Silver Blue Lake properties
to secure their borders with fencing and a security gate. The Hacienda has secured it's borders with
fencing and has security cameras and additional lighting to identify all tenants and customers to assist in
identifying illegal activities.

I have attempted to assist in addressing the issues regarding security and safety with the Village
Administration, the Miami-Dade County Police Department, Nuisance Abatement Unit, Code
Enforcement and the State Attorney's office, as I do realize that additional equipment, police officers
and code enforcement staff will impact our Village budget and the County budget as well.

The property owners, impacted by the crimes , safety concerns and decreasing property values,
suggested video surveillance for our neighborhood (same as in Bayfront Park on 96 th street and North
shore Drive), higher fencing with wire to prevent crossing over the top of the fence on the West side of
the Motel, additional street lighting, and license tag readers, similar as to what is being used in Coral
Gables and Miami Beach. These suggestions will have an impact, and can be implemented quickly, but
we still need to coordinate, combine and focus our resources, and those of Miami-Dade County,
through an Inter local Agreement to coordinate, information and manpower on the two properties that
are providing a safe haven for the illegal activities impacting our residents. Action must be taken to
resolve the ever increasing security and safety issues that are creating a dangerous situation for our
residents.

Here are several options the neighbors have recommended to address the security and safety issues:

1) Additional street lighting

2) Video neighborhood surveillance

3) License tag readers

4) Require the businesses to secure the property borders with upgraded fencing and access gates.

5) Prepare ordinance modifications requiring the businesses to have permit conditions allowing
them to operate in the Village or the County to post a bond, that would be accessible to the
Village and County, to pay for a Police calls over 5 per year, and require on site off duty Police
Officers if the calls persist.
 6) A Village Police Substation and a Miami-Dade Police Substation located on the hotel property
and in the Strip mall.

7) Temporary gate closure on west side of 105 street, until all the other recommendations are
addressed.

8) Use the expertise of the County Nuisance Abatement Unit, that was offered previously, to
continue the documentation preparation process for filing against the businesses, in
accordance with Florida State Statutes.

The business owners do not live or reside in the Village or Miami-Dade County, but their businesses are
reaping the profits, affecting our property values, and impacting quality of life of our residents, by
allowing these ongoing illegal activities and not taking steps to prevent them from occurring. The motel
owner is deceiving us by asking for a 5 story building, when he knows He will not receive zoning
approval.

We respectfully request your attention to this matter as soon as possible. We would like to meet with
representatives from the Village Administration, The Village Police, County Police, County and Village
Code Enforcement, and the Nuisance Abate Unit, to discuss this matter in detail. We want to pool
resources, enhance communication, develop a plan, prepare a time frame for implementation, draft and
prepare for the adoption of ordinance changes, that may allow the County and Village Staff to be able
to respond quickly to these and similar issues in a pro-active manor before they escalate into the
situation we have now.

We are requesting that this matter be placed as an emergency item on the Village Council for March and
prior to the upcoming election in April. We also request a County Resolution supporting our endeavor
to improve the health, security, safety and quality of life for the residents of the Village and the County.

I am looking forward to receiving your response, and if you need any further information I can be
reached at (305) 778-9835.

Sincerely,

Robert Menge

1102 NE 105 Street,

Miami Shores, Fl 33138.

CC.

Steven Zelkowitz

Mac Glinn
Herta Holly

Ivonne Ledesma

Tomas J. Benton

Barbara Estep

Kathrine Fernandez Rundle

Gladys Coia

Kathy Fernandez

Sally Hayman

Audry Edmonson

Kevin Lystad

Juan J. Perez

Jack Dicarlo

Ismael Naranjo

Next Door Miami Shores Estates.