I once had a hearing before a municipal “Technical Review Board” where I was appealing for a waiver for something that would have cost me a ton if I had to include it in my building plans. One Wednesday evening I met the board at a room in the local township hall and saw that one of the four members was a guy whose grandson I coached at baseball for many years. He came to most of the games and so we knew each other.
My waiver got approved.
It's not what you know, it WHO you know that really matters.
Although I've had that happen to me in many of my developments and I would always feel glad when I was approved, and most bitter when not; I still don't like it.
Years ago while in college, I conducted surveys of local governing boards as a school project. Anyhow, days when I shaved and dressed in a suit, I was given coffee....days later, at the same place (wearing tee shirt, blue jeans, and unshaven) security was called.
Have you read about the Dallas Cop and his Chick-Fil-A nightmare?