Alpharetta, GA Fire Regulations: Fire Pits & Backyard Fires (2026)

Section 4.4.5.K of the Unified Development Code defines a recreational fire pit as a pit dug and/or constructed into or on the ground in which a contained outdoor fire is made, then sets two firm limits: the pit's diameter cannot exceed three feet, or alternatively its burn area cannot exceed seven square feet, and it must be located at least 25 feet from all structures and at least 25 feet from property lines. This provision sits within the City's building permit article, which is administered by the Building Official together with the Fire Marshall under Section 4.4.5.C, the same office that coordinates plan review for the Georgia State Minimum Standard Fire Prevention Code adopted at Section 4.4.5.L.

Because the fire pit rule is a specific standard rather than a listed permit exemption, it applies regardless of whether the property owner is also seeking a building permit for other site work, and it operates alongside the Building Official's general authority under Section 4.4.5.F to decide any safety issue not otherwise addressed by the adopted codes. The 25-foot setback runs independently from both structures and property lines, so a pit close to one boundary can still fail the rule even if it clears a neighboring structure, and the size limit is written as an either/or test, meaning a pit that stays under three feet across easily satisfies the seven-square-foot alternative as well.