Home > Gwinnett > Rick Badie / My Opinion > Archives > 2006 > October > 03 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USBarbecue joint’s critics not just blowing smoke
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Where there’s smoke, there might be some ‘cue.
Some say there’s a tad too much of the former flowing from Dreamland barbecue restaurant in Norcross. Residents and at least one business owner have complained about the thick smoke that pours out of its smokestacks.
It’s not the distinct smell of hickory that irritates people. It’s the smoke plume that occasionally wafts across Peachtree Parkway and settles in the parking lot of Interlochen Village, a strip mall behind Dreamland.
“I get a couple of calls every few weeks about the smoke,” said Bert Nasuti, the Gwinnett County commissioner.
The state Environmental Protection Division has heard the complaints, too. J. Tilden Bembry, an environmental specialist, recently paid a visit. The EPD can’t do anything about the smoke, though.
Dreamland cooks food for human consumption. Because of that, Bembry said, it’s exempt from having to have an air quality permit. He even cited the state code: 391-3-.03, under the exemption section at georgiaepd.org.
“Basically, they use wood as fuel to make their barbecue,” he said. “Essentially, (Dreamland) is like Burger King, which uses natural gas. Since it’s preparing food for immediate consumption, it’s exempt” from state air quality control laws.
Yeah, but what about county zoning?
Before Dreamland, the building was home to Mario’s Italian restaurant. Dreamland never came through the zoning process because the site was already approved for a restaurant.
“Had it come through the zoning process, we probably would have put some smoke abatement requirements on it,” Nasuti said. “I love having good barbecue in Peachtree Corners, but there aren’t a whole lot of restaurants putting out that kind of smoke.”
Poppycock, said Tony Williams, Dreamland’s general manager.
“It’s not that heavy of a smoke,” he told me. “It’s aromatic. It disperses quickly. We get a lot of business from people who come through the intersection and smell it.”
They can’t help but smell it.
And see it.
State Rep. Tom Rice of Peachtree Corners dropped by the strip mall one morning to see what his constituents were crowing about. He saw a parking lot covered in blue smoke.
“I think it’s offensive to people who not only work but shop there,” he said. “I don’t necessarily know whether it’s hazardous, but it’s certainly offensive.”
Sticky, too.
Staff at Interlochen Village Cleaners de-grease their windshields before they head home. Smoke apparently leaves a film. Jill and Gary Tabor don’t open the doors of the dry cleaners anymore. If they do, they get smoked out.
“I’m for anybody making money,” Jill Tabor said. “But this is aggravating.”
When Tabor complained to Williams, she suggested raising the restaurant’s smokestack. He obliged. The smoke is still an issue, though.
Dreamland isn’t going anywhere. It’s too popular and too good. Residents, business owners and mall patrons shouldn’t have to put up with all this smoke, either.
Maybe a deal can be meted out.
“I’d love to chat with them about this,” Rice said.
Nasuti plans to schedule a meeting so he and Rice can huddle with the owners.
For the sake of some tasty pig, I bet they work something out.
Comments
By Marlene
October 3, 2006 09:23 AM | Link to this
How arrogant of Tony Williams, General Manager of Dreamland Barbeque, to only care that the smoke coming from his establishment smells good to the public. What kind of neighbor displays this kind of attitude? A bad one! I think Mr. Williams needs to know that the community he is irratating will NOT continue to patronize Dreamland as long as he continues to pollute our Peachtree Corners area.
By O LEE REED
October 3, 2006 09:32 AM | Link to this
The smoke is offensive? What does that even mean?
By Christy
October 3, 2006 09:37 AM | Link to this
I don’t like polution, so are you going to stop driving your car, I don’t like the smell of a landfill either, so should they move it cause I have to pass it to get to work? If the smoke is not harmful to your health, then get over it already! People complain about every little thing these days, we have much bigger fish to fry, how about getting the gas prices back down, if you want to complain about something, complain about that!
By Joe
October 3, 2006 10:04 AM | Link to this
How about opening A Dreamland BBQ in Lawrenceville/Snellville/Grayson ? I’d love to smell the smoke !!
By Michael
October 3, 2006 10:06 AM | Link to this
Is the cue any good?
By Lovely Smell!
October 3, 2006 10:45 AM | Link to this
I work down the street from the Roswell Dreamland and open my windows when the wind is blowing just right. I love that smell!
Michael - the cue is out of this world!!! Try it.
By moviedude
October 3, 2006 10:55 AM | Link to this
Aren’t we in the South? Dreamland BBQ is great! If the smell was cause by something foul, then by all means, complain, but c’mon it’s bbq…what a fine establishment!
By Bob
October 3, 2006 11:12 AM | Link to this
Alright Dreamland… we’d like to smell that smoke up here in Dalton.
By John
October 3, 2006 11:24 AM | Link to this
Anybody who complains of smoke and smells coling from a barbecue restaurant just doesn’t belong in the South.
By kim
October 3, 2006 11:30 AM | Link to this
Hey Dreamland,
How about blowing some of that ‘cue smoke over to Augusta!
By Marv's Marvlus Pit Bar-B-Q
October 3, 2006 11:33 AM | Link to this
I live in WA state and cater BBQ (I do not have a resturant). My BBQ’s are all wood-fired as well. Recently I catered a party for our local Costco at a local park. Of course we had to arrive HOURS earlier than the party go’ers as they were having pork ribs & chicken. There was a group using the shelter where Costco was going to have thier event later that day. I no more got my BBQ’s going and that group left. When I got home later that evening, there was an email from a gal that was at the shelter that left. She “claimed” our smoke “ruined” their event and they had to leave early. While on the other hand, other people in the park through out the day came by to ask when THEY could eat ‘cause it smelled SOOOO good.
Point is, you are NOT going to satisfy everyone no matter what you do!! I just can’t wait ‘till a neighbor of this complaining lady hires me to cater at THIER house! ha ha
Marv www.marvsbb.com
By Donna
October 3, 2006 11:55 AM | Link to this
Folks are gonna find something to gripe about reguardless.
By Theeny
October 3, 2006 03:22 PM | Link to this
Love thy neighbor as thyself. Is Dreamland good to its neighbors or only good to its customers? I’d boycott the place if I ate pork.
By jim d
October 3, 2006 03:26 PM | Link to this
Thanks for the reminder Rick,
While I’m only about 6 miles away I’d forgotten to visit them for some time.
WOW, I’m full and ready for a nap.
By jim d
October 3, 2006 03:30 PM | Link to this
OH and Rick,
The cleaners doors were standing wide open at lunch time today. :-)
By Michael
October 3, 2006 06:05 PM | Link to this
Which gang color should I wear to get safe passage through that part of Norcross?
By ATICO
October 3, 2006 10:42 PM | Link to this
Put Dreamland to sleep!
By jr
October 4, 2006 09:35 AM | Link to this
The smell and smoke are’nt going too far. I lived in Scotts Mill until this past summer. I never smelled it until I got out on to Peachtree Pkwy. Boy, did it smell good. Keep the fires going boys. Once in a while I do drop by for some lip smackin good BBQ. QUIT COMPLAINING!
By jr
October 4, 2006 09:37 AM | Link to this
Sorry, that’s “aren’t”
By larry p
October 5, 2006 06:21 PM | Link to this
If you cannot smell the smell and see the smoke,it ain’t real BBQ. we love Dreamland BBQ for cooking que, the way nature intended slow and over a real hickory fire. Keep it coming,
By Bob
October 9, 2006 09:11 AM | Link to this
Badie - any coincidence you ran a flack piece for Gay Shook about highway beautification and then run her hit piece on Dreamland? She posted the same stuff on August 30 in her netcolumn. Your column is her diatribe rewritten where she threatens to intimidate the establishment because they don’t run the way SHE wants PC to be.
Read her columns - she is a bigoted blogger, nothing more.