Manitou Springs, CO Outdoor Cooking: BBQ & Propane Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Base rule
- no open-flame cooking on combustible balconies, or within 10 ft
- Exempt
- one- and two-family dwellings
- Exempt
- sprinklered buildings, balconies, or decks
- Exempt
- LPG grills with tank capacity of 47 lb or less
- Extra rule
- propane valves off when not in use, § 308.1.4.1
- Max penalty
- $300 fine or 90 days jail, or both
Summary
Manitou Springs bars charcoal, solid-fuel, and other open-flame cooking devices from combustible balconies or within ten feet of combustible construction, Fire Code section 308.1.4 as locally amended. One- and two-family homes, sprinklered buildings, and small twenty-pound LPG grills are exempt from the distance rule.
308.1.4 Open-flame cooking devices. Charcoal and solid-fuel burners and other open-flame cooking devices shall not be operated on combustible balconies or within 10 feet (3048mm) of combustible construction. Exceptions: 1.One- and two-family dwellings.2.Where buildings, balconies, and decks are protected by an automatic sprinkler system.3.LPG cooking devices having LPG container with a water capacity not greater than 47 pounds [nominal 20-pound LPG capacity].
Full Breakdown
020, sets the base rule: no charcoal, solid-fuel, or other open-flame cooking device on a combustible balcony or within ten feet of combustible construction. Three exceptions carve out the situations where that ban does not apply: one- and two-family dwellings, buildings, balconies, or decks protected by an automatic sprinkler system, and LPG cooking devices whose tank holds no more than forty-seven pounds of water capacity, roughly a standard twenty-pound propane cylinder. 2 separately bars storing or using any open-flame device in or near stairwells, corridors, or other egress paths.
5 for open-flame activity tied to assembly or educational occupancies, torch work removing paint from a structure, operations in wildfire risk areas, or flame effects performed before an audience, none of which cover an ordinary backyard or balcony grill. 010.
Violations & Fines
Violating the open-flame cooking rules, including grilling on a banned balcony or leaving a propane valve on, is a misdemeanor under section 112.4, punishable by a fine of not more than three hundred dollars, imprisonment of not more than ninety days, or both, with each day the violation continues after notice counted as a separate offense. A notice of violation may be served on the responsible person by personal service, mail, or by posting it on the premises.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I grill on my apartment balcony in Manitou Springs?
Does the ten-foot rule apply to my backyard grill at a single-family home?
Can I leave my propane tank's valve on between uses?
What is the penalty for violating the open-flame cooking rules?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Manitou Springs
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BBQ & Propane Rules in Nearby Cities
How other cities in El Paso County handle bbq & propane rules.