Appleton, WI Outdoor Cooking: BBQ & Propane Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Balcony ban
- Charcoal/open-flame devices barred on combustible balconies
- Clearance
- 10 feet from combustible construction
- 1-2 family exception
- Fully exempt from the balcony/clearance rule
- Sprinklered exception
- Piped natural gas grills, if building is sprinklered
- Cylinder cap
- 2.5 lbs water capacity max on upper-floor multifamily balconies
- Applies to
- Buildings with 3 or more living units
Summary
Charcoal burners and open-flame grills cannot sit on a combustible balcony or within 10 feet of combustible construction in Appleton, though one- and two-family homes are exempt. Propane cylinders over 2.5 pounds water capacity are banned from upper-floor balconies on buildings with three or more units.
Charcoal burners and other open-flame devices shall not be operated on combustible balconies or within ten (10) feet of combustible construction in all dwellings. Exceptions: a. ... One- and Two-family dwellings. b. Permanently piped natural gas fired barbecue grills, where dwellings, balconies, and decks are protected by automatic sprinkler system. (2) Cylinders having water capacities greater than 2½ lb. (1 kg) [nominal 1 lb. (0.5 kg) LP-Gas capacity] shall not be located on balconies above the first floor that are attached to a multiple family dwelling of three (3) or more living units.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: the cited page had not changed since it was quoted.
Full Breakdown
Section 6-12(b)(1) bars charcoal burners and other open-flame devices from operating on combustible balconies, or within 10 feet of combustible construction, in all dwellings. Two exceptions apply: one- and two-family dwellings are excluded from the balcony/combustible-construction restriction entirely, and permanently piped natural gas fired barbecue grills are exempt where the dwelling, balcony and deck are protected by an automatic sprinkler system. 5 pounds (roughly 1 pound of LP-gas capacity) cannot be located on balconies above the first floor of a multifamily dwelling with three or more living units, which covers the small disposable and standard 20-pound-class cylinders typically used with portable gas grills.
These grill rules sit inside the same Section 6-12 that requires a Fire Department permit for other open outdoor fires, but grills, kettles and hibachis are addressed separately in subsection (b) because they present a different fixed-location, multifamily-balcony risk rather than the setback risk that governs recreational fire pits under subsection (a).
Violations & Fines
Operating a charcoal burner or other open-flame device on a combustible balcony, or within 10 feet of combustible construction, outside the one- and two-family or sprinklered-natural-gas exceptions, violates Section 6-12(b)(1) and is unlawful under Section 6-18, citable under Section 1-17. Keeping a propane cylinder over 2.5 pounds water capacity on an upper-floor balcony of a three-or-more-unit multifamily building violates Section 6-12(b)(2) on the same citation basis.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a charcoal grill on my apartment balcony in Appleton?
How big a propane tank can I keep on my balcony in Appleton?
Do single-family homes in Appleton follow the same grill balcony rules as apartments?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Appleton
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