At single-family and two-family homes in Forsyth County there are no distance restrictions on charcoal or propane grills. The North Carolina Fire Code only bans open-flame cooking within 10 feet of combustible construction and on balconies of larger multi-family buildings.
Under North Carolina Fire Code Section 308.1.4, charcoal burners and other open-flame cooking devices shall not be operated on combustible balconies or within 10 feet of combustible construction. This restriction does not apply to one- and two-family dwellings and townhouses, so backyard grilling at a house is unrestricted by distance. For apartments and condos, LP-gas cooking is allowed only with containers of 2.5 pounds water capacity or less (nominal 1-pound canisters) unless the building is sprinklered. Winston-Salem and Forsyth County adopt the state fire code without a stricter local grilling ordinance. Common sense still applies: keep grills clear of siding, decks, and overhangs and never grill indoors.
At multi-family buildings, grilling on combustible balconies or within 10 feet of the structure violates the fire code and is enforced by the fire marshal; single-family homes are exempt.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
forsyth-county-nc
Home backyard composting is allowed in Winston-Salem/Forsyth County. There is no ordinance requiring or banning it, but a compost pile must not become a nuis...
forsyth-county-nc
Neither Winston-Salem nor Forsyth County has a specific ordinance banning or mandating artificial turf for home lawns. Its use is governed by general zoning,...
forsyth-county-nc
Since 2024 Winston-Salem lets residents replace lawns with registered Natural Landscape Areas of native plants. Turf grass must stay under eight inches, area...
forsyth-county-nc
Collecting rainwater is legal in North Carolina, and no county or city may prohibit cisterns or rain barrels used for irrigation. Forsyth County sets no ban....
forsyth-county-nc
North Carolina has no statewide homeowner watering ban, and there is no permanent year-round schedule in Winston-Salem/Forsyth. Mandatory odd/even watering d...
forsyth-county-nc
Winston-Salem defines 'rank noxious vegetation' over eight inches as a nuisance, including non-native grasses, invasive plants, poisonous plants, and untende...
See how Forsyth County's bbq & propane rules rules stack up against other locations.
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.