‘I can't keep this up': Sebastopol BBQ owner looks for path forward amid enforcement, complaints

Kris Austin no longer starts his days tending smokers in the quiet, twilight morning hours next to his Sebastopol restaurant.

Instead, the pitmaster of A&M BBQ now fires up his two commercial smokers at an undisclosed location outside of city limits more than three miles away from the Main Street eatery. Then throughout the day, he drives his diesel truck into town - often between five and six times - to make sure the restaurant is stocked for the line of customers Austin is sure to expect.

"No restaurant transports food back and forth like this," Austin told The Press Democrat on June 3. "It's miserable. I am missing valuable family time that I already don't have much of and that is the hardest part of it all."

Austin has split his time, focus and locations since receiving a notice of violation from the city of Sebastopol last week, which ordered him to stop using commercial smokers at the Main Street property. The notice said the smokers did not comply with the site, which is zoned for commercial office use. Small-scale restaurants are allowed in the zone, but outdoor barbecues, even with a use permit, are prohibited.

The city violation came after nearby residents filed dozens of complaints with the city in early May over alleged harmful levels of smoke emanating from two commercial smokers Austin brought to the restaurant last fall.

Austin said he recognizes the business, which frequently has lines out the door, has outgrown its current location, but said he just needs time to try and find a suitable location and move his operations - especially during the peak barbecue season.

Austin's efforts come as dozens of residents, business owners and barbecue enthusiasts packed the chamber at the Sebastopol City Council meeting on Tuesday, June 2, urging city leaders to find a path forward for the popular restaurant.

Through tears, Austin's mother-in-law, Linda Helton, urged city leaders to work with the restaurant rather than risk losing it to another city.

"All of these people are his fans and they will follow him wherever he goes," Helton said to the council. "He is actively being recruited by other cities to move his business there."

Helton, a lifelong Sebastopol resident, said Austin has consistently been a pillar of the community who supports local causes, offering donations, gift cards and his time.

Kirstyne Lange, president of the Santa Rosa-Sonoma County branch of the NAACP, said the organization, who is representing Austin, got involved due to their concerns that the city has not operated in a fair or transparent way about the matter.

"We are here because we believe that every business and every business owner deserves transparency, consistency and a fair opportunity to address concerns before facing actions that could jeopardize their livelihood," Lange said. "As one of only a few Black-owned businesses in this community, A&M BBQ's experience sends a message about whether diverse entrepreneurs are welcomed, supported and treated equitably in this city."

No commenters spoke against the business at the meeting.

However, in an email to The Press Democrat, neighborhood resident Megan Kaun said the impacts of the smokers are largely invisible to restaurant patrons and daytime visitors.

"The smoke primarily impacts our neighborhood between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m.," Kaun said in an email.

"The residents of this neighborhood are not trying to shut down A&M BBQ. We want them to succeed," she wrote. "We have simply been asking for the city to enforce its own zoning code and protect its residents."

City Manager Mary Gourley said the city would not pursue additional enforcement measures while city officials meet with Austin and representatives from the NAACP to discuss potential solutions.

At the end of the four-hour meeting, Council Member Neysa Hinton asked city staff about bringing the issue back to the council for discussion, including a report on meetings between the city and Austin and the possibility of rezoning the area to allow commercial smokers.

No such meeting has been agendized yet.

For now, Austin said he will continue to make his daily treks outside city limits to keep his customers fed and his staff employed while continuing to look for new locations and having discussions with city staff.

But after a week of late nights and little-to-no sleep, Austin isn't confident he can keep operating under the current conditions.

"Staff should have a comfortable and conducive work space to do their jobs effectively and efficiently," Austin said. "This is the total opposite. I'd really hate to lose employees over this. I can't keep this up very long while also trying to find a location and be an active parent."

You can reach Staff Writer Anna Armstrong at 707-521-5254 or at anna.armstrong@pressdemocrat.com. On X (Twitter) @annavarmstrongg.

Copyright 2026 Tribune Content Agency. All Rights Reserved.