By Rick Madewell
Assistant Editor

John Howard just wants to sell his Philly cheese steaks, pizzas and other baked foods at the Corner Bistro. But every time he turns around, he said, Osceola County code enforcement workers are badgering him.

Howard, a Cornell University graduate who has an extensive background in high-level food management — including stints at Marriott Starwood and Omni international hotels — is becoming about as hot as the grill he makes his food on because of what he cites as harassment at his business at 1943 E. U.S. Highway 192.

“It’s incredible how bad and unprofessional this thing is getting,” he said.

But Tom Wilkinson, chief code enforcement officer with the county, said he and his crew of seven are only doing their jobs by carrying out the laws regarding business ordinances.

“He (Howard) is in violation of land development codes,” Wilkinson, who has led the code enforcement department for the past three years, said. “He’s got a box truck in the parking lot that has an advertising logo. He’s painted it all different colors and he’s parking it all over his lot.”

Aside from several warnings, Howard has been given a citation for using his truck, which sits in front of the shop, as a business sign. That citation came with a $250 fine.

Howard has become so upset with what he terms “harassment and discrimination,” that he has painted the truck several different colors so it stands out much more. The wall of his business, which can be seen easily by westbound traffic heading toward Kissimmee, is a maze of colored blocks and squiggly lines that code enforcement has termed “graffiti.”

“Oh no, that’s art,” Howard said with a smile. “I can give a story for every block and line up there … that’s art.”

Just recently, Howard had the front of his business painted with colorful psychedelic designs, giving way to a very 1970s look.

He said code enforcement officers are making daily stops at the business to take pictures of the underside of the truck’s carriage. Code enforcement is doing this, he said, in an attempt to capture cobwebs in photos to show the truck is stationary and serving as a business sign.

Howard has gone to such extreme measures to disprove the accusations that he is having a picture of himself taken with the truck out on delivery – to show its movement – with a new, daily edition of USA Today somewhere in the photo

The business owner said he has already met with County Commissioner Frank Attkisson and is scheduled to have another sit-down with him soon on the subject.

Wilkinson said that although Howard has been cited only once, he is actually in violation of two county codes — not parking the truck with the signage in the rear of the business and not having a permit for the signage.

To the last alleged code violation, Wilkinson said Howard would not be granted a permit even if he sought one because the truck is being parked horizontally to take up two spaces.

Wilkinson also denied that he was harassing Howard.

“Our ultimate goal,” he said, “is voluntary compliance. But after that we’ll issue verbal and written warnings.”