Outdoor Cooking in Scottsdale, AZ

If you live in Scottsdale or are thinking about moving there, outdoor cooking are one of those things you probably won't think about until they affect you directly. Scottsdale has 3 specific rules on the books covering different aspects of outdoor cooking, and some of them might surprise you.

Smoker Rules

Scottsdale requires outdoor wood-burning fireplaces, woodstoves, fire pits and similar smoker-style devices to sit at least 8 feet from a neighboring property line, or 10 feet in a zero lot line subdivision, under Section 2116 of the city's amended masonry chapter. Construction and alteration of these devices needs a building permit and inspection, with only the masonry surround exempt.

Key details: Standard setback: 8 feet from neighboring property line. Zero lot line setback: 10 feet from property line. Permit required: For the device, not masonry surround. Gas-only devices: Vented per International Fuel Gas Code. Governing section: Scottsdale Code § 31-26, IBC § 2116.

Scottsdale's Building Code carries no separate penalty clause for Chapter 31, so an unpermitted or undersized outdoor fire pit, woodstove or smoker falls under the citywide general penalty in Section 1-8: a violation is a Class 1 misdemeanor once cited, and each day the noncompliant installation remains is treated as a separate offense. The city can also require removal or relocation to meet the 8-foot or 10-foot setback.

BBQ & Propane Rules

Scottsdale bans charcoal burners, chimineas, barbecues and other open-flame cooking devices from combustible balconies and from within 10 feet of combustible construction. One- and two-family homes are exempt, and a narrow exception allows gas grills on sprinklered multifamily balconies with a small LP-gas tank.

Key details: Setback from structure: 10 feet of combustible construction. Single-family exemption: One- and two-family homes exempt. Sprinklered building exception fuel: Natural gas or LP-gas only. Max LP-gas tank for exception: 5-gallon water capacity. Maximum civil fine: $2,500 per Sec. 36-19.1.

A charcoal grill or open-flame device kept in violation of Section 308.1.4, on a combustible balcony or within 10 feet of combustible construction, is a civil sanction under Section 36-19, carrying a court fine of up to $2,500 under Section 36-19.1. A second violation within two years is a Class 1 misdemeanor, and Section 36-19.9 counts each day the device remains in place as a separate offense.

This is not one of those rules that cities tend to ignore. Scottsdale actively enforces its bbq & propane rules requirements.

Outdoor Kitchen Permits

Scottsdale requires a permit for outdoor fireplaces, fire pits and gas or solid-fuel cooking devices under City Code § 31-26, and sets an 8-foot setback from neighboring property lines (10 feet on zero-lot-line lots), except the masonry surround itself, which needs no permit.

Key details: Citation: Scottsdale Code § 31-26 (IBC §§ 2116.2, 2116.5). Setback, standard lot: 8 feet from abutting property line. Setback, zero-lot-line: 10 feet from property line. Permit required for: Outdoor fireplaces, fire pits, gas/solid-fuel devices. No permit needed: Masonry surround only.

Installing an outdoor fireplace, fire pit or built-in gas or solid-fuel cooking device without the required permit, or building it inside the 8-foot (or 10-foot zero-lot-line) setback without an approved safety variance from the building official, is unpermitted construction under § 2116.5. The building official can require the owner to submit the missing site plan, obtain the permit and pass inspection after the fact, or remove or relocate a device that cannot meet the setback.

The Bottom Line

Scottsdale's outdoor cooking rules are a mixed bag. Some areas are strict, others are relaxed, and the details matter. The best approach is to check the specific rule that applies to your situation rather than assuming Scottsdale is broadly strict or permissive.

All of the above reflects Scottsdale's municipal code as of our last review. If you need specifics on fines, exemptions, or filing requirements, the detailed ordinance pages linked above have the full breakdown.