Posted on 05/25/2012 7:50:20 PM PDT by smokingfrog
If you want authentic barbecue, it's a good weekend to fire up your backyard pit because barbecue restaurants say some South Florida cities aren't too hot on their traditional slow cookers.
The fragrant smoke that attracts 'cue lovers is often a turnoff to neighboring homes, so a growing list of cities are adding restrictions to routine health and fire codes, making it difficult for restaurants to open.
"If they knew what they were going to have to go through to open a place, I don't think anybody in their right mind would ever get into this business," said Mark Vasturo, CEO of Miami-based chain, Shorty's Bar-B-Q.
Open pits are legal under national rules, there are limits as to how the flame and smoke need to be controlled.
"Some cities that are more strict," said Bruce Strandhagen, fire captain and inspector in Fort Lauderdale. "These codes put further restrictions on the equipment."
In Boca Raton, a business can be fined if smoke from the restaurant is deemed a "nuisance" to those nearby. The constant plumes of smoke funneling out of strip malls and free standing barbecue restaurants in suburban areas can cause conflicts with nearby neighborhoods, said Mike Woika, assistant city manager in Boca Raton.
(Excerpt) Read more at sun-sentinel.com ...
WTF?
Objecting to the smell of barbecue?
That’s like.....objecting to ...Heaven.
I would think that would RAISE property values.
My only complaint would be that the smell of BBQ would make me want to have it EVERY day.
I wonder how many laws, rules, regulations, restrictions and policies a free country can have before calling itself a free county becomes kind of an inside joke.
Remember when South Florida used to be a part of the South? I reckon those days are long gone if this is really happening...
That's a bad thing? :-)
I can see where smoke drifting in to a nearby neighborhood could become an issue.
Wonderful idea. Open it next to the New World Trade Center in NY.
How about a BBQ pulled pork stand in the trade center?
It is if you don’t want to weigh 400 pounds.
There is a Muslim behind this....I’d bet the farm on it.
>>So, that means before too long your next door neighbor can complain about your fireplace and fireplaces will be outlawed. Where does it end?
They’re already been largely banned in San Francisco and many neighboring areas. Look it up.
Anyone that doesn’t enjoy the smells of a good charcoal cookout or wood smoker isn’t an American!
If they banned anything, it should be gas grills, because gas grills just suck!
There would be some minor drawbacks.
Hmmmm...
This is BS, what next, ban fireplaces?”
Fireplace control is already here. In some parts of Arizona there are ordinances governing what types of fireplaces you can install, in Washington, there are restrictions on the type of wood you can burn and in California EPA will let you know what days you can use your fireplace.
It’s obvious that some states would rather people didn’t burn any of the trees but rather allow them to catch fire and end up with a raging property threatening inferno.
Remember when South Florida used to be a part of the South? I reckon those days are long gone if this is really happening...
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Not since the ‘Snowbirds’ migrated long ago. Have long been infiltrated.
We have a lot of ‘*ahem* peeps from various areas, here. It’s beginning to show in our culture and noticeable when just going out to the local ‘Wally’s’. They have NO manners......whatsoever. No “excuse me”, “holding the door open”.....no decency.
In other words...
...they're Yankees.
Brush fires were not a problem in Aspen Colorado, the ground was covered with 3 feet of snow. Smoke hanging in the air and not blowing away because of weather conditions was the problem. Fireplace burning was severely restricted until the weather changed.
I like the smell of BBQ but smelling it constantly day and night would get a little bit old. I am glad I don’t live near a BBQ restaurant. It would be kind of like hearing your favorite song played constantly, it would get tiresome pretty quickly.
Some of these petty regimes in some areas, especially in California, HAVE placed bans or restrictions on: the use of charcoal lighter fluid; backyard BBQ or fireplace usage on 'red days'; gas powered lawnmowers, chainsaws, and the like under certain conditions; and a batch of other nonsense.
California Air Resources Board has even pretty much forced/"influenced" manufacturers of gas cans to change their designs, by making all older types 'non-compliant'.
Oh, and over the decades, so I understand, some BBQ joints I frequented while in school, had to either close down; stop using wood pits; move; or install prohibitively expensive 'control systems'.
This is what I had to deal with this morning when I got up.
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