Bellevue, WA Outdoor Cooking: BBQ & Propane Rules (2026)

6 to restrict propane use for outdoor grilling on occupied rooftops of Group R-2 buildings, the classification covering apartment buildings and multifamily condos. 465 kg), the size of a standard disposable one-pound propane cylinder sold for camping stoves and small grills, rather than the larger 20-pound tanks common on full-size backyard grills. The rule sits inside the same Section 307 that covers bonfires and recreational fires generally, but this subsection targets rooftop deck and patio grilling specifically because occupied roofs on multifamily buildings put propane fuel and open flame close to shared means of egress and adjacent units.

1, immediately following, adds a maintenance duty: portable outdoor barbecues must be periodically cleaned by removing grease or fat accumulations from the grill surface and from the trays underneath it, since accumulated grease is itself a fire-load and flare-up hazard. 1 attaches to whoever operates the barbecue. The provision does not address ground-floor patios or single-family backyards, which fall under the broader recreational-fire and portable-fireplace rules in the rest of Section 307 rather than this rooftop-specific propane cap.