WRITTEN PUBLIC COMMENTS READ INTO THE RECORD — Beverly Hills City Council, February 21, 2023

WRITTEN PUBLIC COMMENTS

READ INTO THE RECORD
From: Scot
To: City Clerk
Subject: Cheval Blanc Hotel
Date: Friday, February 17, 2023 10:24:44 AM
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Good Day, Ms. Ahmed,
This is Scot Prescott, owner of Auto Vault located at 440 N. Rodeo Dr. Beverly Hills.

As a Business owner on Rodeo Dr. for over 30 years, I fully support the Cheval Blanc hotel coming to my street.

A hotel of this high quality and magnitude, will attract not only our great local residents, but countless high-end tourists from around the world, who will be spending their money in our Beautiful city.

This represents an enormous investment in our city, which will help so many local businesses grow and prosper.

As a proud Beverly Hills business owner, I am excited, and looking forward to the opportunity of my business reaping the benefits of the Cheval Blanc coming to town.

Please call a special election for the earliest possible date, so we can vote YES on the creation of the Cheval Blanc Hotel.

Thanks for your consideration,
Scot Prescott
Auto Vault Storage
(310) 859-0703
autovaultstorage.com
[email protected]
440 N. Rodeo Dr. P3, Beverly Hills CA, 90210

From: Lillian Raffel
To: City Clerk
Subject: Regarding - Special election and Cheval Blanc project Date: Friday, February 17, 2023 10:03:15 AM
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Dear Mayor and City Councilmembers:

We would like to thank you, the City Commissioners, and the City staff for the hard work put into the Cheval Blanc project. Since a Special Election has been triggered by signature collection, we respectfully request that the election be set for the earliest date possible, so that the citizens of Beverly Hills are able to put their voices to the fate of this project.

Lillian and Stuart Raffel
To: City Clerk
Subject: CHeval Blanc Hotel
Date: Thursday, February 16, 2023 9:13:56 AM
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Dear Ms. Ahmed,
I would like you to share my strong support for the Cheval Blanc Hotel project proposal.. This project will benefit the entire community of residents and businesses for years to come. I would like to request that the Council arrange a special election at the earliest time possible. We have already wasted so much needless titime.

Thanki you.

Sincerely ,
Shawn Saeedian
Beverly Hills Market
From: WebCBH CITYMANAGER
To: City Clerk
Cc: Adrianne Tarazon; Dorina Mohan
Subject: FW: Item G1 - Beverly Hills voters deserve a say on Cheval Blanc Date: Tuesday, February 21, 2023 2:13:48 PM
Forwarding for public comment.

Jessika
From: Adrienne Baron >
Sent: Tuesday, February 21, 2023 1:20 PM
To: WebCBH CITYMANAGER <[email protected]>
Subject: Item G1 - Beverly Hills voters deserve a say on Cheval Blanc CAUTION: External Sender
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City Manager Nancy Hunt-Coffey,
Beverly Hills voters have made clear that the voters should have the final say on key Cheval Blanc project approvals. The City Council should facilitate maximum voter participation by placing the referendum on the ballot for the next general election in 2024.

Elections are our most sacred democratic tool. It is outrageous that the city would even consider allowing a developer’s allies to subsidize the cost of an election. And not just any election, but one that would be held at the developer’s behest where the developer’s interest is potentially the only item on the ballot. The developer’s push for a special election makes it appear that Cheval Blanc does not want high voter turnout for the election. It is common knowledge that general elections during a presidential year produce higher turnout. Any attempt to stifle participation should be rejected.

Adrienne Baron
Beverly Hills , California 90210
From: MITRA BERMAN
To: City Clerk
Subject: Cheval Blanc project
Date: Monday, February 20, 2023 4:00:57 PM
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As a long time resident of Beverly Hills, I whole heartedly support the hotel Cheval blanc project in this city.

Please acknowledge receipt of this email.

Thank you
Mitra Berman
--
Mitra Berman
Estates Director
Nelson/Shelton Realtors
345 N. Maple Dr.

Beverly Hills, CA 90210
Tel: 310-387-6199
Fax:310-273-8740
[email protected]
www.MitraBermanHomes.com
BRE#01040749
From: WebCBH CITYMANAGER
To: City Clerk
Cc: Dorina Mohan; Adrianne Tarazon
Subject: FW: Item G1 – No Special Election for Cheval Blanc Date: Tuesday, February 21, 2023 2:13:14 PM
Forwarding for public comment.

Jessika
From: Debbie Bernheim
Sent: Tuesday, February 21, 2023 1:07 PM
To: WebCBH CITYMANAGER <[email protected]>
Subject: Item G1 – No Special Election for Cheval Blanc CAUTION: External Sender
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City Manager Nancy Hunt-Coffey,
Dear Honorable Mayor and Members of the Beverly Hills City Council, As a Beverly Hills voter, I am deeply concerned about the City’s actions regarding the Cheval Blanc project. The Beverly Hills City Council should respect the over 3,000 signatures from Beverly Hills voters on referendum petitions. Beverly Hills voters deserve the final say on the project approvals. The City of Beverly Hills should not waste more taxpayer money by holding a special election and should put Cheval Blanc project approvals on the ballot for our next general election. Let the people of Beverly Hills vote! Debbie Bernheim
Beverly Hills, California 90212
From: Gerrick Pickering
To: City Clerk
Cc: Thomas J. Blumenthal
Subject: Cheval Blanc, Request for Special Election
Date: Friday, February 17, 2023 5:40:14 PM
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February 17, 2023
City of Beverly Hills
Attn.: Huma Ahmed, City Clerk
455 North Rexford Drive
Room 290
Beverly Hills, CA 90210
Via email: [email protected]
Dear Ms. Ahmed,
I am writing this letter to express my desire for the City to call a special election regarding the Cheval Blanc project. This is a very important matter and if possible, a special election should take place at the earliest date possible.

The Cheval Blanc project has my unequivocal support! I believe that this project is just what is needed to help maintain the vibrant relevance of Rodeo Drive as we continue to navigate the luxury experience at every level.

I have often heard comments that the 400 block of Rodeo is kind of the “stepchild” of this iconic street. The addition of the Cheval Blanc Project will certainly change that. By adding a luxurious hotel with retail and dining options, we will finally have a strong anchor that will be a draw to tourists and locals alike.

This project will undoubtedly attract the clientele that will shop not only on Rodeo Drive- but the entire business triangle will be revitalized by the dynamic nature of a high-end hospitality destination. This project is the right move for landlords and tenants alike.

As a business owner and resident of Beverly Hills, I am extremely excited by this new project! Please feel free to reach out to me if I may provide additional insight regarding this project.

Sincerely,
Thomas J. Blumenthal
By:

Gerrick Pickering
Executive Assistant to the CEO
[email protected]
310-273-4741
310-858-7555
351 N. Beverly Dr.

Beverly Hills, CA 90210
GEARYS.COM
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From: Darian Bojeaux
To: City Clerk
Subject: SS Item A-2
Date: Tuesday, February 21, 2023 12:06:37 PM
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________________________________
Please read these comments at today’s session in connection with SS agenda item A-2:

I object to the splitting of this subject between the study session and tonight’s formal city council meeting. In doing so, you are discussing a subject on which action is intended to be taken at tonight’s formal meeting, thereby preventing all of your discussions and decisions from being transparent to the majority of residents who only tune in to the evening formal council meeting due to their schedules.

There is no legitimate justification to split the agenda item between the study session and the evening formal city council meeting. If two sessions are actually required, a continued evening formal city council meeting could be held a week later.

Further, keeping some of your discussions and decisions out of the view of those only tuning into the evening formal council meeting, risks the voiding of action taken, under the Brown Act.

Cheval Blanc, a party to the election, has offered to reimburse the city for its $55K in election costs if a special election is set for the earliest date possible date, May 23, 2023.

It is truly unfortunate that Cheval Blanc, in its effort to circumvent our established zoning laws, has caused residents to have to call for an election. However, the city has a duty to its residents to hold an impartial election, and allowing a party to the election to pay election costs in any amount, to buy an early election date and to to curry favor with the electorate, is clearly improper. Further, the city would still be left owing $815K for the county’s election costs instead of $149K.

In order to avoid spending an additional $666K (the difference between county costs for a special election and a regular election), and to avoid the impropriety of a party to the election buying an early election date and currying favor with the electorate, the election should be set on the first regular election date, March 5, 2024.

Darian Bojeaux
From: Giacomino Drago
To: City Clerk
Subject: Cheval Blanc Hotel
Date: Friday, February 17, 2023 7:18:07 PM
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Dear Ms. Ahmed:

As a longtime business owner and resident, I just want to offer my full support for the Cheval Blanc Project. This is good for Beverly Hills. Please call a special election for the earliest possible date.

Thank you.

Sincerely,
Giacomino Drago
Giacomino Drago Group of Restaurants
9405 Brighton Way, #32, Beverly Hills, Ca 90210
Ph# 310-275-8441 ext 5 | fax #310-492-5348
email: [email protected]
www.GiacominoDrago.com
February 20, 2023
Mayor Bosse and Council Members
City of Beverly Hills
455 N Rexford Dr
Beverly Hills, CA 90210
Dear Honorable Mayor and Council Members,
We are writing in support of the Cheval Blanc Beverly Hills Hotel Project. The Cheval Blanc Beverly Hills Project went through a lengthy and transparent process that resulted in overwhelming approval of the Project.

As you are aware, interested groups collected enough signatures to call a Special Election on this broadly supported Project. The City Council can elect to “pull” the approved plan in lieu of having the Special Election.

We have had thoughtful conversations with neighbors and friends and concluded that this project would bring enormous benefits to our community. We respectfully ask that you allow Beverly Hills residents to determine what happens in our City and the fate of this Project and request that a Special Election be set for the earliest possible date. We are confident that our City will vote YES on Cheval Blanc, but no matter the result the citizens should have an opportunity to be heard.

Our city is fortunate to have forward-thinking leaders on our City Council and Planning Commission who are focused on what is best for our City. On behalf of concerned and involved residents of Beverly Hills who are in support of the Project, we hope that the City Council will respect the hard work of the City Council and Planning Commission and allow a vote on the Project, which would be a wonderful asset of the community and City.

Thank you to our elected leaders, commissioners, and the City staff for working through and resolving concerns raised throughout the process and allowing every voice to be heard.

Sincerely yours,
Jill Egerman
Romi Azevedo
David J Bennett
Allan and Carole Chasin
Kimberly Combs
Lee Egerman
Lori and Dan Fienberg
Jena Frankel
Rose Kaiserman
Andi Orland
Kelli Schatz
February 15, 2023
To: Ms. Huma Ahmed
City Clerk
City of Beverly Hills
Email: [email protected]
Dear Ms. Ahmed,
I would like to state my strong support for the Cheval Blanc Hotel project.

Not only will this project bring more traffic to the Golden Triangle, it will also bring a highly desirable group of visitors to our City.

Beverly Hills deserves to have a Hotel of this status in our City. Therefore, I urge you to call a special election at the earliest possible date so we can vote YES on Coeval Blanc and stop the ongoing harassment from outside special interest groups.

Thank you for your consideration,
Vito Esposito
Vito Esposito Salon

MEMORANDUM
TO: Beverly Hills City Council
Via email – [email protected]
FROM: Southwest Beverly Hills Residents
DATE: February 16, 2023
RE: Cheval Blanc Beverly Hills Hotel Project – Written Public Comment We are very fortunate to live in a great city where we have forward-thinking leaders on our City Council and Planning Commission.

Additionally, we respect the lengthy and transparent process that resulted in overwhelming approval of the Cheval Blanc Beverly Hills hotel project.

Many of us have had thoughtful conversations with neighbors and friends and concluded – this project would bring enormous benefits to our community.

Furthermore, we are disappointed that an out-of-town special interest has narrowly collected enough signatures to trigger a Special Election on a broadly supported project.

We respectfully ask that you allow Beverly Hills residents to determine what happens in our city and the fate of this project. Please call a Special Election for the earliest possible date. We are confident that our city will vote YES on Cheval Blanc.

We want to thank our elected leaders, commissioners, and City staff for working through and resolving concerns raised throughout the process.

Respectfully submitted,
Gina & Peter Garland Julie & Anthony Behrstock Amie & Dean Sherry Hope Levy-Biehl Mandy & Scott Cukier Amy & Joey Behrstock Andrea & Steve Firtel Lindsey & Jay Levine

From: WebCBH CITYMANAGER
To: City Clerk
Subject: FW: Item G1 – No Special Election for Cheval Blanc Date: Tuesday, February 21, 2023 2:15:01 PM
Forwarding for public comment.

Jessika
From: Maral Hashemi
Sent: Tuesday, February 21, 2023 2:04 PM
To: WebCBH CITYMANAGER <[email protected]>
Subject: Item G1 – No Special Election for Cheval Blanc CAUTION: External Sender
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City Manager Nancy Hunt-Coffey,
Dear Honorable Mayor and Members of the Beverly Hills City Council, As a Beverly Hills voter, I am deeply concerned about the City’s actions regarding the Cheval Blanc project. The Beverly Hills City Council should respect the over 3,000 signatures from Beverly Hills voters on referendum petitions. Beverly Hills voters deserve the final say on the project approvals. The City of Beverly Hills should not waste more taxpayer money by holding a special election and should put Cheval Blanc project approvals on the ballot for our next general election. Let the people of Beverly Hills vote! Maral Hashemi
Beverly Hills, California 90212
From: Michael Henschel
To: City Clerk
Cc: Shani
Subject: Cheval Blanc
Date: Tuesday, February 21, 2023 6:10:52 AM
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________________________________
Good Day,
both of us agree that this project would bring enormous benefits to our community.

Sincerely
Michael and Shani Henschel
Sent from my iPhone
From: WebCBH CITYMANAGER
To: City Clerk
Cc: Adrianne Tarazon; Dorina Mohan
Subject: FW: Item G1- Let the people of Beverly Hills vote on Cheval Blanc! Date: Tuesday, February 21, 2023 2:10:19 PM
Forwarding for public comment.

Jessika
Policy & Management
From: jing ho <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, February 21, 2023 1:05 PM
To: WebCBH CITYMANAGER <[email protected]>
Subject: Item G1- Let the people of Beverly Hills vote on Cheval Blanc! CAUTION: External Sender
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City Manager Nancy Hunt-Coffey,
Honorable Mayor and Members of the Beverly Hills City Council:

The Beverly Hills City Council should not send the project approvals to a special election at the behest of the developer, which according to the staff report, would cost the city over $800,000. That is more than five times as much as the cost of referring it to the consolidated regular election in 2024. I strongly urge the Beverly Hills City Council not to schedule a special election, which likely would mean fewer voters would weigh in on this important question. I also find it unusual and highly concerning that the Friends of Cheval Blanc Beverly Hills political action committee is urging for the earliest available election and has offered to reimburse the city for the costs of the special election. I hope that this council is not seriously considering a direct subsidy from the developer’s allies, which could undermine citizens’ confidence in the fairness and impartiality of the election process. The city should not simply agree to the developer’s demands, but should instead listen to the thousands of constituents who made clear that they want the public to have a say on the project. Please send the project approvals to the next consolidated regular election in 2024 to ensure greater voter participation and to avoid spending hundreds of thousands of Beverly Hills taxpayer dollars on a special election.
jing ho
BEVERLY HILLS, California 90210
From: WebCBH CITYMANAGER
To: City Clerk
Cc: Dorina Mohan; Adrianne Tarazon
Subject: FW: Item G1 – No Special Election for Cheval Blanc Date: Tuesday, February 21, 2023 2:14:13 PM
Forwarding for public comment.

Jessika
From: Jess Imme
Sent: Tuesday, February 21, 2023 1:26 PM
To: WebCBH CITYMANAGER <[email protected]>
Subject: Item G1 – No Special Election for Cheval Blanc CAUTION: External Sender
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City Manager Nancy Hunt-Coffey,
Dear Honorable Mayor and Members of the Beverly Hills City Council, As a Beverly Hills voter, I am deeply concerned about the City’s actions regarding the Cheval Blanc project. The Beverly Hills City Council should respect the over 3,000 signatures from Beverly Hills voters on referendum petitions. Beverly Hills voters deserve the final say on the project approvals. The City of Beverly Hills should not waste more taxpayer money by holding a special election and should put Cheval Blanc project approvals on the ballot for our next general election. Let the people of Beverly Hills vote! Jess Imme
Beverly Hills , California 90212
From: Stephanie Jarin
To: City Clerk
Subject: Support in favor of Cheval Blanc Hotel
Date: Monday, February 20, 2023 6:20:15 AM
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To Whom It May Concern:

I am writing to convey my enthusiastic support for the anticipated Cheval Blanc Hotel!
As a business owner in Beverly Hills I fully support the Cheval Blanc Hotel, as the project is proposed.

As a resident, property owner and landlord in Beverly Hills I fully support the Cheval Blanc Hotel, as the project is proposed.

A hotel of this lofty caliber and luxury brand recognition represents an enormous investment in our city and reaffirms the city’s designation as a top tier city renowned for luxury.

Cheval Blanc will draw highly desirable clientele and those potential guests will be spending their dollars in our city, which in turn will benefit our community vis a vis sales tax revenue, city service fees such as parking and associated taxes.

The City of Beverly Hills and its citizens will benefit from the TOT (Transient Occupancy Tax). The Bed Tax will generate surplus revenue for our community and improve the city’s finances by replenishing reserves which is especially relevant in a post pandemic economy.

Cheval Blanc will draw additional upscale tourists to the Golden Triangle who will seek to visit their spa and restaurants, thus increasing overall desirable foot traffic.

Please convene a Special Election for the earliest possible date so we can vote YES on Cheval Blanc.

Sincerely,
Stephanie Jarin
RENÉ MANCINI
9487 Dayton Way
Beverly Hills, 90210
t: (310) 278 8366
e: [email protected]
www.renemancini.com
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To Whom It May Concern,
As a Beverly Hills Chamber of Commerce board member, a businessman with tremendous interest in the long-term success of our great city, and a life-long resident, I fully support the Cheval Blanc Hotel in Beverly Hills.

We should be honored that LVMH has chosen our city for the next location of its prestigious hotel, because this represents an enormous investment in our future. Not only will this draw more people to the Golden Triangle and increase foot traffic, but it will bring highly desirable clientele who will spend their money in our community.

The opening of Cheval Blanc will help numerous businesses in our city, and it will ensure that Beverly Hills continues to be the epicenter of luxury in our nation (and even the world).

I am wholeheartedly requesting a special election at the earliest possible date so that we can vote YES on Cheval Blanc.

Sincerely,
Houman Mahboubi
From: Leslie Michelson
To: City Clerk
Cc: Leslie Michelson
Subject: Cheval Blanc
Date: Monday, February 20, 2023 4:11:03 PM
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Dear Council Members:

I have been a resident of Beverly Hills for almost 25 years. We love living here. One of the many things that makes this a great and unique community is the remarkable number of high end hotels.

They contribute significantly to our financial stability by paying large amounts of taxes without comparable use of our schools or other services and they attract tourists who support our restaurants and retailers. And, because hotels are open to the public, we get to enjoy dining in more fine restaurants and attending more life cycle events in beautiful settings.

In addition, high end hotels in Beverly Hills help Los Angeles attract the most important sporting event in the world— world cup, Olympics, US Open , Final Four, etc— as well as award ceremonies— including the Oscars, Grammys and Golden Globes— among others. All of this burnishes the reputation of our special community and increases the values of our residential and commercial properties.

We have seen the benefits of the many top hotels in Beverly Hills and we have every reason to believe that the Cheval Blanc add considerable value as well.

If this outside group is able to prevent the construction of this iconic property , not only will our community lose a great opportunity but it is likely that other developers will be reluctant to invest here.

Please don’t let that happen!!!
Leslie Michelson.

Beverly Hills, Ca 90210
From: Franny Rennie
To: City Clerk
Subject: CHEVAL BLANC - City Council Meeting February 21, 2023 Date: Monday, February 20, 2023 3:33:43 PM
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Dear Mayor Bosse and members of City Council:

As long time residents and active community members of Beverly Hills, we fully support the Cheval Blanc in Beverly Hills.

We know this project has gone through a lengthy, thorough and transparent approval process from the Planning Commission to City Council. We thank our forward thinking leaders on City Council and the Planning Commission in bringing such a stunning new hotel to Beverly Hills that will transform the area, bring necessary funds to our City and be a fabulous area for residents to shop and dine. We have had various conversations with our friends and neighbors and we all agree this will be a great addition to Beverly Hills.

We have participated in the approval process of Cheval Blanc by attending presentations, having the opportunity to ask Cheval Blanc representatives questions directly in regards to how this hotel will affect our City and our residents as well as attending City Council meetings during the Cheval Blanc presentations and thorough Q & A from City Council during the approval process. We thank our elected leaders, commissioners and CIty staff for working through and resolving the various concerns raised throughout the process.

We are disappointed that now an out of town special interest group has gathered just enough signatures to have a Special Election on a broadly supported project.

We respectfully ask that you allow Beverly Hills residents to determine what happens in our City and the fate of this project. Please call for a Special Election on the earliest possible date. We are confident that our City will vote YES on Cheval Blanc.

Best Regards,
Franny & Steve Rennie
Ronit Stone
Laurie & Todd Okum
Annette & Marc Saleh
Jean Huang & Charlie Tercek
Deborah Frank
Nadine Neiman
To: City Clerk of Beverly Hills
Re: Letter of Support for Cheval Blanc Project
Date: February 19, 2023
Dear City of Beverly Hills,
I am writing in support for the Cheval Blanc Beverly Hills hotel project. Beverly Hills has been my home for more than half of my life. It is a place that I have repeatedly returned to despite my time across the country. First, as a graduate of UC Berkeley, then as a White House Intern under President Obama, and then an attorney from Brooklyn Law School; I have seen cities around our country meet the demands of the twenty-first century. And far too often, I’ve return to our city to see little change. Here, we have an opportunity that brings together a myriad of businesses that not only help with our economic growth but boost the city’s presence on an international stage.

The Cheval Blanc Beverly Hills hotel project is an enormous opportunity to revitalize the city’s image as a global icon. We are fortunate to have forward-thinking leaders on our City Council and Planning Commission who understand the importance of balancing the city’s community atmosphere with its international attraction. Since the grand opening of the Montage, the City has not moved forward in boosting its global brand. At times, the city has to make decisions that support one element over the other. I believe that investing in the Cheval Blanc Project is proper in both time and need.

Recently, I’ve learned that an out of town special interest has collected enough signatures to trigger a Special Election for a project that has garnered broad public support. Since the project’s announcement, I have had many thoughtful conversations with local business owners and residents and I have concluded that the benefits of the project are far superior than the “concerns” of the special interests. The democratic process is an important element for any and all city-wide decisions, however, it is equally important to recognize where special interests are influencing our local decisions.

I respectfully ask that you allow Beverly Hills residents to decide the fate of the Cheval Blanc Project and to call a Special Election for this at the earliest possible date. I am confident that our city will vote YES on Cheval Blanc and invest in the future of our beloved city.

Respectfully,
Ariel Rofeim, Esq.

From: Debbie Sassoon
To: City Clerk
Cc: Sunny Sassoon
Subject: Cheval Blanc project
Date: Monday, February 20, 2023 3:53:21 PM
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________________________________
Dear members of Beverly Hills City Council,
I am writing today in support of the Cheval Blanc project. My husband and I were quite dismayed at the move that the unions were able to pull to derail this amazing project. This is just the kind of development that we want and need in Beverly Hills and we are writing in the hopes that we can get things back on track.

Thanks for all that you at the City council do for us.

Best,
Debbie Sassoon
From: Angela Sassounian
To: City Clerk
Subject: Cheval blanc project
Date: Monday, February 20, 2023 4:46:56 PM
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________________________________
I am writing to you in support of the Chaval Blanc project.

I had initially signed the petition against it, because I was grossly lied to about it by the person who was collecting signatures door to door a few months ago! ( for one, I was told that the project was a high-rise!!) I didn’t know much facts about this amazing project, and the revenue that it will bring into our beautiful city of Beverky Hills, plus the high status that is very much worthy of our city! Sincerely,
Angela Sassounian
Albert Sassounian
Sent from my iPhone
From: Joseph Shabani
To: City Clerk
Subject: Cheval Blanc support
Date: Monday, February 20, 2023 3:56:29 PM
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________________________________
I am a long term resident of Beverly Hills and fully support this project. I hope the City doesn’t allow the unions to affect their judgment.

Sincerely,
K. Joseph Shabani
From: Joyce Trabulus
To: City Clerk
Cc: Pamela Beck; Lili Bosse
Subject: Chevalier Blanc Beverly Hills
Date: Tuesday, February 21, 2023 8:59:04 AM
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________________________________
I am in support of this project and concur with the letter below Please let BH decide on its own projects
Joyce Bogart Trabulus
BH
Joyce Trabulus
Sent from my iPhone

Additionally, we respect the lengthy and transparent process that resulted in overwhelming approval of the Cheval Blanc Beverly Hills hotel project.

Many of us have had thoughtful conversations with neighbors and friends and concluded – this project would bring enormous benefits to our community.

Furthermore, we are disappointed that an out-of-town special interest has narrowly collected enough signatures to trigger a Special Election on a broadly supported project.

We want to thank our elected leaders, commissioners, and City staff for working through and resolving concerns raised throughout the process.

Respectfully submitted,
Gina & Peter Garland Julie & Anthony Behrstock Amie & Dean Sherry Hope Levy-Biehl Mandy & Scott Cukier Amy & Joey Behrstock Andrea & Steve Firtel Lindsey & Jay Levine
From: Joseph Turquie
To: City Clerk
Subject: Cheval Blanc / In Favor.

Date: Monday, February 20, 2023 5:33:17 PM
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Hello City Clerk,
My name is Joseph Turquie and I live at N Palm Dr & I have a house at Marilyn Dr, Beverly Hills, CA 90210.

I and my family are in Favor of the Cheval Blanc Hotel being built.

Thank you.

Joseph Turquie
From: WebCBH CITYMANAGER
To: City Clerk
Cc: Dorina Mohan; Adrianne Tarazon
Subject: FW: Item G1 - Beverly Hills voters deserve a say on Cheval Blanc Date: Tuesday, February 21, 2023 2:14:40 PM
Forwarding for public comment.

Jessika
From: Robert Villasenor
Sent: Tuesday, February 21, 2023 1:28 PM
To: WebCBH CITYMANAGER <[email protected]>
Subject: Item G1 - Beverly Hills voters deserve a say on Cheval Blanc CAUTION: External Sender
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City Manager Nancy Hunt-Coffey,
Beverly Hills voters have made clear that the voters should have the final say on key Cheval Blanc project approvals. The City Council should facilitate maximum voter participation by placing the referendum on the ballot for the next general election in 2024.

Robert Villasenor
Beverly Hills, California 90212
From: Thomas A. White
To: City Clerk
Subject: City Council Study Session Tues Feb 21st, 2023 Agenda Item A 2 Discussion of Referendum Against an Ordinance...

Date: Monday, February 20, 2023 10:49:05 PM
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TO BE READ ALOUD
Dear Mayor, Vice Mayor and Councilmembers –
The City Council owes its highest fiduciary duty and position of public trust to serve, without conflict, as elected representatives of the People of Beverly Hills, and it has an unwaivable obligation under the California Constitution to take its direction from the People of Beverly Hills.

Allowing any real estate developer to purchase a waiver of the maximum commercial building height and density allowed under the Municipal Code is brazen and improper on its face. To further allow such developer to purchase the specific referendum election date it finds competitively advantageous, would be a direct conflict by the Council majority as the party which approved the very commercial transaction whose legitimacy is challenged by the referendum itself. It’s obvious that again favoring the real estate developer on this question would further violate the Council’s independence, impartiality and duty to the residents and voters of Beverly Hills.

The best interest of our community strongly favors March 5th, 2024 as the chosen referendum date because general elections ensure higher participation by the Beverly Hills electorate. Such important, precedential and impactful decisions on the City’s future deserve no less. Additionally, doing so places the opposing parties on a more level and equitable playing field by reducing the ability of either resulting campaign to in effect “buy the election” through utilizing overwhelming cash funding to achieve a potentially decisive strategic advantage.

March 5th, 2024 has also been confirmed by the County of Los Angeles as the most efficient and cost-effective election date option, and demonstrably avoids the appearance of conflict or impropriety between the Council majority and the real estate developer beneficiary.

Thomas White
Chairman
The Municipal League of Beverly Hills

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UNITE HERE Local 11
464 Lucas Avenue
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21 February 2023
Honorable Mayor and Members
of the Beverly Hills City Council
455 N. Rexford Drive
Beverly Hills, CA 90210
RE: Item G1 – No Special Election for Cheval Blanc
Honorable Mayor and Members of the Beverly Hills City Council:

The voters of Beverly Hills should have maximal input into what gets built in their city.

More than 3,000 Beverly Hills voters signed referendum petitions and qualified a ballot referendum of key project approvals for the Cheval Blanc Hotel project after the City Council voted to allow the developer to double the floor area ratio, triple the hotel rooms, and increased height from 45 feet to 115 feet. This means that Beverly Hills voters want to provide their input on the project and are entitled to weigh in on the project approvals.

The city should not simply agree to the developer’s demands but should instead listen to the thousands of constituents who made clear that they want the public to have a say on the project. Please send the project approvals to the next consolidated regular election in 2024 to ensure greater voter participation and to avoid spending hundreds of thousands of Beverly Hills taxpayer dollars on a special election. Please do not hesitate to contact me with any questions or concerns at [email protected]. Thank you! Regards,
Danielle Wilson
From: Richard Ziman
To: City Clerk
Subject: Cheval Blanc Beverly Hills Hotel Project – Written Public Comment Date: Monday, February 20, 2023 3:20:04 PM
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TO: Beverly Hills City Council
FROM: Southwest Beverly Hills Residents
DATE: February 16, 2023
RE: Cheval Blanc Beverly Hills Hotel Project – Written Public Comment We are very fortunate to live in a great city where we have forward-thinking leaders on our City Council and Planning Commission.

Additionally, we respect the lengthy and transparent process that resulted in overwhelming approval of the Cheval Blanc Beverly Hills hotel project.

Many of us have had thoughtful conversations with neighbors and friends and concluded – this project would bring enormous benefits to our community.

Furthermore, we are disappointed that an out-of-town special interest has narrowly collected enough signatures to trigger a Special Election on a broadly supported project.

We want to thank our elected leaders, commissioners, and City staff for working through and resolving concerns raised throughout the process.

Respectfully submitted,
Richard Ziman
May Ziman
Beverly Hils, CA 90201

Beverly Hills City CouncilFebruary 21, 2023

Beverly Hills City Council
February 21, 2023