Clawson planning commission delays decision on House of Barbecue smoker after neighbor complaints

The Clawson Planning Commission postponed final action on a proposed site‑plan amendment for 220 South Main — home to House of Barbecue — after extended public testimony from nearby residents who said smoke from a commercial smoker has repeatedly drifted into their yards and homes.

Planner Joe Tangieri summarized the applicant’s request to move a smoker closer to Main Street and to expand hours beyond the original approval. Fire Marshal John Lisonbee told the commission the city’s emergency equipment is not designed to measure volatile organic compounds from cooking smoke and noted that fire code requires a 10‑foot clearance from structures; he said a permanent stack tall enough to clear adjoining rooflines (roughly 25–30 feet) would be impractical in most cases.

Neighbors told the commission they have smelled smoke inside their houses, been unable to use outdoor spaces because of pervasive odor, and experienced nuisance soot and odor. “None of us should have to live with that smell,” said Jason Wiper, a nearby homeowner, who added neighborhood complaints to staff starting in May. Another resident, Stephanie Colville, said the arrangement has trapped her inside her home and described respiratory concerns for family members.

The restaurant’s representative, identified in the record as Collier, said he reduced the size of the smoker to respond to earlier complaints and that his mobile grills are used for off‑site events. “I downsized the grill,” Collier said, adding that long‑cook items like brisket require many hours and that health‑department rules prevent cooking off‑site and transporting prepared meat back to the restaurant.

Commissioners discussed technical options — third‑party air sampling, chimney enclosures, temporary screening and permanent signage — and noted costs and feasibility. Staff said a calibrated environmental test run by a certified vendor would cost roughly $2,000 and that the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE, the successor to the DEQ) could perform professional air monitoring, though state agencies typically respond where there is a broader public‑health or commercial hazard.

Rather than approve expanded hours, the commission voted to postpone final action until Sept. 10 and to allow the smoker to remain temporarily at the front of the lot only while the operator complies with the original site‑plan conditions (including the previously approved operating hours). The motion included a direction to add clear signage and consider a more substantial barrier or fencing so passersby will be warned the equipment is hot. The commission also asked staff to resubmit the original site‑plan materials and minutes from the earlier approval for review.

The next step is for staff to return the original approval materials, provide ordinance language and confirmed complaint records, and to bring a draft of any proposed new conditions to the commission at its Sept. 10 meeting. If the commission later adopts different hours or conditions, those changes would require a formal amendment to the existing site plan.