Arvada, CO Outdoor Cooking: BBQ & Propane Rules (2026)

4, Open-flame cooking devices, to read: charcoal burners and other open-flame cooking devices shall not be operated on combustible balconies or within 10 feet of combustible construction. That default rule targets multifamily buildings, where charcoal grills and propane barbecues on wood-framed balconies and decks create a fire-spread risk between units. Three exceptions apply. First, one- and two-family dwellings are exempt entirely, so single-family homeowners can grill on a wood deck without the 10-foot clearance. Second, the restriction lifts wherever the building, balcony, or deck carries an approved automatic sprinkler system.

Third, a gas burner supplied by an LP-gas container with a water capacity up to 20 pounds, the size of a standard portable propane tank used on most home grills, may be used on combustible construction regardless of the 10-foot rule. Practically, that means renters and condo owners in a non-sprinklered building without one of these exceptions must move a charcoal grill or a gas grill running on a larger cylinder at least 10 feet from the building or off the balcony entirely. The section sits in Chapter 42, Article II, which the city adopted alongside the rest of the International Fire Code and enforces through the Arvada Fire Protection District, Adams County Fire Protection District, or Coal Creek Fire Protection District fire code officials, depending on where the property sits.