Macon-Bibb County, GA Fire Regulations: Propane Storage (2026)

02, "Aboveground Tank Storage," sits in Chapter 23's Heavy Industrial article but applies wherever an outside aboveground tank for gasoline, liquefied petroleum gas (propane), oil, ethanol or other inflammable liquids or gases is a permitted use. The section sets a single, absolute distance standard: the tank cannot be located within 500 feet of any residential district. That 500-foot buffer is measured to the district line, so a propane distributor, bulk fuel dealer or industrial user siting a tank close to a residential zone needs a survey confirming the setback before a certificate of zoning compliance can issue.

On top of the zoning distance, the section layers a second, independent compliance requirement: all tanks must meet the standards and specifications established by the Environmental Protection Agency, the Georgia State Fire Marshal and any other applicable regulations, so passing the 500-foot test does not excuse a tank from EPA storage-tank rules or the state Fire Marshal's LP-gas code, which separately governs tank construction, venting, and its own spacing from property lines, buildings and ignition sources. Residential propane use for home heating or cooking, ordinary small cylinders and grill tanks, sits outside this section's outdoor "aboveground tank storage" framework, which targets bulk commercial and industrial storage rather than a homeowner's backyard tank; homeowners' equipment is instead governed by the adopted fire code's LP-gas provisions and the manufacturer's listing requirements enforced by the Fire Marshal.

Placing or operating a qualifying tank inside the 500-foot residential buffer, or without EPA or State Fire Marshal compliance, is enforceable as a Resolution violation under Chapter 33.