Austin may require Smoke Scrubbers

nolaegghead

It's not a republican or democrat issue - it's coexisting in a crowded urban area issue.  And it's a zoning issue. Nothing pisses me off like someone burning a pile of lawn debris (leaves, grass).  I wouldn't give a damn if the smoke didn't infiltrate my house and make my eyes water.  I sympathize for the BBQ joints and the homeowners, they just need to work out something equitable.

We had some fracking operation moving into a 99% conservative drill-baby-drill area of the North Shore and you wouldn't believe how almost every single one of the residents there turned into an environmentalist overnight.  There was zero local support from residents, as the area was concentrated with families with playgrounds and kids.

Legume

FWIW, here's the view from the front. a row of houses that back to it (it would suck to be right over the fence from that smokehouse).  https://goo.gl/maps/A1TCN

this is the overhead view, no other neighborhoods in sight other than what's behind.  https://goo.gl/maps/WeOEF

I wouldn't want to live over the fence of a place like this - that smoke 24/7 would really be tough to take, but in this case, the houses came first, having a bbq place there just happened.

Carolina Q

Frankly, I wouldn't want to smell that smoke all the time either. Especially if I lived there first.

Perhaps they should consult with Bluesmoke, a Q joint in NYC that opened in 2002. They have a TALL smokestack!

Been there a couple of times... Good ribs!!

http://www.nytimes.com/2002/03/27/dining/where-the-smoke-rises-and-rises.html

The Cen-Tex Smoker

SmokeyPitt said:

Franklin estimates the cost of such a system would run between $15,000 and $20,000, which he says is not an option for even his hyper-successful business. 

I don't disagree with him fighting this...but this caught my attention as it indicates he can't afford $15 - $20K.  Paleeeze.  That is probably a slow Tuesday lunch shift for him. 

If he ever had a slow lunch shift. By his own math (he says he goes through 35,000 pounds of brisket a month x$20 per lb) he's doing $8.4mm a year of just brisket. His biggest um...beef is that it would change the flow of his smokers and they wouldn't work the same. 

cazzy

The Cen-Tex Smoker said:

SmokeyPitt said:

Franklin estimates the cost of such a system would run between $15,000 and $20,000, which he says is not an option for even his hyper-successful business. 

I don't disagree with him fighting this...but this caught my attention as it indicates he can't afford $15 - $20K.  Paleeeze.  That is probably a slow Tuesday lunch shift for him. 

If he ever had a slow lunch shift. By his own math (he says he goes through 35,000 pounds of brisket a month x$20 per lb) he's doing $8.4mm a year of just brisket. His biggest um...beef is that it would change the flow of his smokers and they wouldn't work the same. 

Isn't that raw weight?

He's probably making about $4-5 lb after labor and food cost.

The Cen-Tex Smoker

cazzy said:

The Cen-Tex Smoker said:

SmokeyPitt said:

Franklin estimates the cost of such a system would run between $15,000 and $20,000, which he says is not an option for even his hyper-successful business. 

I don't disagree with him fighting this...but this caught my attention as it indicates he can't afford $15 - $20K.  Paleeeze.  That is probably a slow Tuesday lunch shift for him. 

If he ever had a slow lunch shift. By his own math (he says he goes through 35,000 pounds of brisket a month x$20 per lb) he's doing $8.4mm a year of just brisket. His biggest um...beef is that it would change the flow of his smokers and they wouldn't work the same. 

Isn't that raw weight?

He's probably making about $4-5 lb after labor and food cost.

Yeah- your right. Didn't think about that (duh). He's probably got a 45-50% yield so he's selling $4mm in brisket after its cooked. If he's making $5 per (which is probably high) he's making $2mm a year for himself on brisket alone. Bastard. 

cazzy

The Cen-Tex Smoker said:

cazzy said:

The Cen-Tex Smoker said:

SmokeyPitt said:

Franklin estimates the cost of such a system would run between $15,000 and $20,000, which he says is not an option for even his hyper-successful business. 

I don't disagree with him fighting this...but this caught my attention as it indicates he can't afford $15 - $20K.  Paleeeze.  That is probably a slow Tuesday lunch shift for him. 

If he ever had a slow lunch shift. By his own math (he says he goes through 35,000 pounds of brisket a month x$20 per lb) he's doing $8.4mm a year of just brisket. His biggest um...beef is that it would change the flow of his smokers and they wouldn't work the same. 

Isn't that raw weight?

He's probably making about $4-5 lb after labor and food cost.

Yeah- your right. Didn't think about that (duh). He's probably got a 45-50% yield so he's selling $4mm in brisket after its cooked. If he's making $5 per (which is probably high) he's making $2mm a year for himself on brisket alone. Bastard. 

I agree...that's probably on the high side.  He has a lot of staff.

pgprescott

Nothing like envy. Like I tell others who insist businesses can easily absorb regulatory expenses, go ahead and do it yourself. It's easy to work for another, try doing it all by your lonesome. I have nothing but respect for those who can do it. They deserve every bit of their spoils. Where does it stop? Today this nonsense, tomorrow another. Government is killing small businesses all over the country. Has to stop. I heard last week that UPS lost a suit regarding pregnancy. It is now considered a disability??? When it comes to Goverment the "equitable" solution is always you pay. 

nolaegghead

@pgprescott - did you read this thread at all or just go straight for the ideology?

DoubleEgger

Heck Aaron could put out a Kickstarter campaign and end up with a coal plant worthy 60' smokestack in a week. 

pgprescott

nolaegghead said:

@pgprescott - did you read this thread at all or just go straight for the ideology?

I know. But it seems like it's always something. If you really don't think there's an issue with these types of things then? Surely this is not the end of the world, just another drop in the bucket. BTW, I didn't mention a political party once. You must have inferred something. 

NPHuskerFL

@pgprescott This isn't government overreach or any of that crap. This has everything to do with zoning like @nolaegghead said (totally agree). Let's not politicize this. I'm in a residential/rural area that is situated approx 6 mi from an Army National Guard base that quite literally shakes the earth during drills and Apache Helicopters training exercises. I knew that coming in.  If my neighbor all the sudden wanted to burn his trash he can do it because we are zoned this way. We are NOT a crowded urban development either. 
OTOH if a resident wanted to open a production company of BBQ or business serving customers they would need to be zoned commercial. We can and they can coexist until it infringes on the other persons comfort in their own home. We ALL enjoy Egging and I think this causes us to put temporary blinders on.  I personally love the smell when I'm egging. Would I want that all day everyday....Absolutely Not. My issue is what's good for the goose is good for the gander. If one business (brand new business or one that's been around 50yrs) has to abide and conform to new rules or regs it should be across the board. 

nolaegghead

Ideology is the problem with politics, the extremes believing their shoe fits all sizes and compromise is weakness when the opposite is true.  I explicitly said in an earlier post this is not a political issue, so maybe I did infer that, again.

NPHuskerFL

Zoning. Period. 

pgprescott

nolaegghead said:

Ideology is the problem with politics, the extremes believing their shoe fits all sizes and compromise is weakness when the opposite is true.  I explicitly said in an earlier post this is not a political issue, so maybe I did infer that, again.

Hey, I don't feel like a fight, but you said it's not political and then you proceeded to mention politics. I bet you didn't even realize it. Whatever, this really isn't the end of the world. I am more offended by the talk of how because he's succesfull he can afford it. If he was struggling, what difference would it make? You win. 

nolaegghead

Intelligent discussion of issues doesn't have to be a "fight".  We'll suss out the meat of the issue through discussion like intelligent human beings and we can come to some general understanding of how the issue can be resolved.  Just dropping the F-everything government does because it just destroys bazillions of small businesses and all regulation does is bad, slippery slope this and that...it's dumbing down the issues.

UncleFred

Sorry to say... this probably started here in San Diego

Back in 2001 the original Phil's BBQ in Mission Hills was closed down for almost a year and Phil was fined 158K for smoke polution (a suit brought by neighbors).... He moved and expanded and is recognized as one of the best BBQ places in San Diego... but for a while it was dicey.

grege345

UncleFred said:

Sorry to say... this probably started here in San Diego

Back in 2001 the original Phil's BBQ in Mission Hills was closed down for almost a year and Phil was fined 158K for smoke polution (a suit brought by neighbors).... He moved and expanded and is recognized as one of the best BBQ places in San Diego... but for a while it was dicey.

Ya tell him to move. Should be easy enough. He'll continue to be successful.

Jeepster47

SmokeyPitt said:

Franklin estimates the cost of such a system would run between $15,000 and $20,000, which he says is not an option for even his hyper-successful business. 

I don't disagree with him fighting this...but this caught my attention as it indicates he can't afford $15 - $20K.  Paleeeze.  That is probably a slow Tuesday lunch shift for him. 

A guess only, but I assumed that he couldn't run all of the smoker exhausts to one location ... that would screw with the airflow through each unit.  When I read the article, I translated it to be $15~$20K per unit ... yes/no?

Austin Egghead

Well the plot/smoke thickens.  One of the residents that made the first complaint about smoke has read the bill and he said in a radio interview today that the proposed ordinance as written was not very good.
It is really funny within about a 2 mile radius there are 3 BBQ places, Green Mesquite, Uncle Billy's and now the Black twins. Each have there own distinctive smoke smell/aroma.  
I have not read the proposed law but I have talked with a few people that have and their concern is the law it way too broadly written and can/might/could be used to regulate backyard q'ing also.
BTW friends in the Bay area are trying to do something very similar.   
This is going to be interesting to watch.  

The Cen-Tex Smoker

I've read it. It sucks. It makes no distinction between 5 1000
gallon smokers running 24x6 and a single hibachi on a food cart burning 4 hours in a Saturday. It is a total POS. 

theyolksonyou

Legume said:

I had to do some research at lunch, I hadn't been to Terry Black's BBQ yet, so I headed down there with a friend that was visiting from California.  I ordered one beef rib, just one.  It was close to 1 1/2 lbs and had a huge chuck of meet on the top of it (looked like a long version of some of the short ribs I've seen cooked here. This was the most amazing thing I've eaten in a long time.  Stupid me didn't take any pics, but this thing just melted, the fat content was amazing, the bark was amazing and the smoke ring was intense.  I will go back just for that rib, at least until they close the place.  Unlike the Schmidt Family place out in Bee Cave, they're definitely smoking all of the meat there.  There aren't a lot of houses around at all, but what are there are up the hill from it.  I can see how that would get annoying, but the approved a BBQ restaurant for that location, including all of the pits they have, so maybe the city should be kicking in for the smoke scrubbers.

How much for one?

Legume

theyolksonyou said:

How much for one?

I can't remember the price per lb, but it was a spendy lunch.  My friend had brisket and pork ribs and I had the one beef rib.  Sides and some tea and the total was ~$45 for two of us.  Lots of food though.  I didn't try the pork ribs, but the brisket was moist and tender, lite but good flavor.  The rib had more smoke.

Terrebandit

That's the problem with Austin city government and it's city council.  They blindly try to change the laws without sufficient thought or to cater to special interests. For example, they recently wanted to ban kids and anglers from fishing on a boardwalk on Lady Bird Lake.   This was done after they used fishing as a justification for building the thing with tax payer dollars. They cited safety as a concern with no evidence to back that claim up. Meanwhile, they let bikes fly up and down that thing all day long.  Word on the street was that some user group, bikes or joggers, don't want to share it and whined to someone with the city.  They are going to have to drag me off that SOB, kicking and screaming, if they try to ban fishing on that boardwalk.   I've been following this one closely and fortunately, we have a state fisheries department and some anglers that are willing to fight for peoples right to fish.   Looks like were making progress.. 

nolaegghead

I like turtles.

cazzy

nolaegghead said:

I like turtles.

The Cen-Tex Smoker

theyolksonyou said:

Legume said:

I had to do some research at lunch, I hadn't been to Terry Black's BBQ yet, so I headed down there with a friend that was visiting from California.  I ordered one beef rib, just one.  It was close to 1 1/2 lbs and had a huge chuck of meet on the top of it (looked like a long version of some of the short ribs I've seen cooked here. This was the most amazing thing I've eaten in a long time.  Stupid me didn't take any pics, but this thing just melted, the fat content was amazing, the bark was amazing and the smoke ring was intense.  I will go back just for that rib, at least until they close the place.  Unlike the Schmidt Family place out in Bee Cave, they're definitely smoking all of the meat there.  There aren't a lot of houses around at all, but what are there are up the hill from it.  I can see how that would get annoying, but the approved a BBQ restaurant for that location, including all of the pits they have, so maybe the city should be kicking in for the smoke scrubbers.

How much for one?

The Cen-Tex Smoker

Great movie if you haven't seen it ^^^^^^^

nolaegghead

Embracing anarchy will solve these issues.   If someone can buy some land they can do whatever they want with it.  F your neighbors. Oil refinery next to asthma clinic? F-in fine.  Hire your own police and fire departments,  guvmnt is just ideologically evil and buy guns.  Lots of them, as you are either the lord of the flies or you die as an apocalyptic sheep.

Ozzie_Isaac

How is this progressing?