Video: Pinellas man told barbecue smoke can’t leave backyard [NOT in Montgomery Co. MD BTW]

St Petersburg Tribune ^ | 7/27/15

[markomalley]

A video of a Pinellas County man being told by an inspector that his barbecue smoke cannot leave his property has been viewed more than 4 million times on Facebook.

Scotty Jordan, 38, posted the video (caution, it contains profanity) to his Facebook page on Wednesday and by Monday morning it had 4,091,474 views and 86,510 shares.

“I didn’t expect it to go this far, but I always believe everything happens for a reason,” Jordan said about the video in a Facebook post early Monday. “God puts situations and life experiences in front of you. It’s up to you to realize them.”

Pinellas County Air Quality sent an inspector to the house after receiving a complaint on Wednesday about an objectionable amount of smoke and odor coming from the property, according to a release from the county.

There have been 15 smoke and odor complaints about the property since September, according to the release. The owner was cited separately by the City of St. Petersburg for possession of commercial grilling equipment in a residential neighborhood, the release said.

In the video, the inspector is seen explaining to the resident that smoke from his barbecue is not allowed to leave his property.

However, in the release, the county says the inspector was not there to regulate barbecue grilling.

[Crim]

Saw this...LOL’d.....we should be calling the enforcer with complaints like “my wife farted in the house...can you get her removed?”

[dennisw]

I have a sneaking suspicion that Mr BBQ guy is selling his BBQ informally. That he is grilling all the time and there is smoke all the time because he is making money. IOW he is not just a weekend BBQ enthusiast doing it for family and a few drinking buddies

[iontheball]

There are major issues with this property encroaching statist run tyranny. The complaint permits the complaining party to remain anonymous. Obviously, this is a major problem because anyone who wants to annoy or harass a neighbor can use the little commies as surrogates to do the terrorizing and to do so under penalty of being fined for non-compliance. If the fine is not paid, a lein will be attached to to property title and the state will have effectively stolen some of your property. They do not require the complainant to swear to the complaint, so there is no way to punish anyone for filing a false complaint like there is for filing a false criminal complaint. Since the complainant can remain anonymous there is no way to know how many complaints he/she has filed against the same party. Essentially, there is no way for the property owner to combat false complaints filed by vindictive neighbors.

[GladesGuru]

Pinellas County was described by Kenny Bunk as the”the newly wed, the nearly dear, the poorly bred and the very stuped”.

Having been born and raised in the Tampa Bay area, you can take my word for the accuracy of Kenny Bunk’s summary of the other side of Tampa Bay.

BBQ smoke regulations are typical of the sum and substance of that place.

[iontheball]

I have a sneaking suspicion that Mr BBQ guy is selling his BBQ informally.

_____________________
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

[Vaquero]

In the summer I have been known to charcoal grill (yes Virginia BBQ is different) almost every night. (Grilled some nice New York strips last night....yum)

It is my choice. If some vegan doooosh can’t deal with it he had better move.

[knarf]

This is NOT funny

The clipboard is very serious and real ...

He probably has a wife and a fat little baby tucked away somewhere in complete compliance

These guys exist ... they have a job ... they actually GET PAID and they are dead serious ... in America ............... Be afraid, be very afraid

[toothfairy86]

I just got back from Clearwater Beach. Been down there many times. Do you know how difficult it is to get good barbecue down there? I know of one “shack” in Dunedin that is only open on certain days, and then, only for a few hours. Pinellas County is being overrun with people of a certain group who tend to shun all things porkalicious. Just sayin’...I’ve seen more burkhinis this past week than ever.

[Crim]

Liberalism is a mental disorder...how is the property owner supposed to be able to control the wind direction?

But yes...liberals dont want you to BBQ or have a fire in your fireplace...or use a wood burner to heat your house...

And you watch...the next libtard push will against air conditioning...I heard today (yet unconfirmed) the next utility push will be to meter your AC separately and charge extra for using AC.

[SWAMPSNIPER]

All it takes is one Nooyawker in the neighborhood.

Mess with me and I'll start a skunk farm on my land.

[Pecos]

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.

[1010RD]

So what? That’s why we have tort law.

[1010RD]

Yep, this violates your right to face your accuser.

[Amagi]

Flunky bureaucrat not capable of holding down a real job.

[Paladin2]

The Whisky Rebellion happened.

[ilovesarah2012]

His neighbor is obviously racist.

This is one of the dumbest things I have ever heard, other than HOA stories. I would hate to have neighbors like this guy.

[ilovesarah2012]

What do you base that “suspicion” on? His skin color?

[Flick Lives]

The owner was cited separately by the City of St. Petersburg for possession of commercial grilling equipment in a residential neighborhood...

I guess this must be the AR15 of grills.

[Paladin2]

Somebody envies his Rims.