I have a sneaking suspicion that Mr BBQ guy is selling his BBQ informally.
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But running a commercial establishment in a residential area is not the charge. They appear to be using environmental rules in this instance.
http://www.pinellascounty.org/environment/airquality/default.htm
And that is why my guess is that you are seeing carpet-bagging New Yorker retirees that moved to Florida to avoid state income tax. The view from here in northern Virginia is that they always seem to bring all of their social/political baggage with them as well.
From the Pinellas website FAQ:
Anonymous complaint
“Air Quality staff do not give out information about the individual who filed the complaint during field inspections. However, in the State of Florida, citizen complaints are part of the public record. As such, concerned parties can access citizen complaint records by coming to the Air Quality in person, or by submitting a written request for a copy of the citizen complaint.”
Backyard BBQ
“Commercial barbecue cookers are not exempt from causing a nuisance odor. If a sufficient number of complaints, representing different households, are reported and an Inspector witnesses the problem, they can issue a Warning Letter.”
Everything’s a matter of degree but the problem is that the laws don’t specify a degree. These kinds regs, which are typically for commercial practices, will be used more and more for things like preventing you from smoking in your own home. Burden will be on the defendant to show that there is no actual harm caused, through the appellate process.
ha....funny you should say that.....when I saw that the guy was black I immediately thought the lady across the street complained because he was a black guy making BBQ. You could be right, but that county worker who came to his house is a weasel and it’s a bullshit thing to do. If the guy is actually selling BBQ illegally then send a cop and write him up. I think the lady across the street doesn’t like blacks in her neighborhood and found some worthless county ordinance under which to complain.