Royal Oak, MI Outdoor Cooking: BBQ & Propane Rules (2026)

Royal Oak amends the 2015 International Fire Code through § 340-2 of the Fire Prevention chapter, and one of those amendments, codified as IFC § 6104.5 and captioned "Balconies," directly addresses propane grills on apartment and condo balconies. The provision prohibits the use or storage of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cylinders, the tanks used to fuel a propane grill, on balconies in Use Group R-2 (apartments, condominiums, and other multifamily buildings) and Use Group R-3 (one- and two-family dwellings). A resident of a Royal Oak apartment or condo building cannot keep a propane tank on the balcony even when not actively grilling, because the rule bars both storage and use.

The restriction is narrower than a blanket grill ban: it targets the LPG cylinder itself rather than charcoal grills or electric appliances, and it applies specifically to balconies rather than patios, yards, or ground-level decks outside those two use groups. The amendment sits within Article I, Adoption of Standards, alongside the City's other local fire-code changes, including the residential outdoor-fire fuel restriction at § 340-5C. Because § 340-6 applies to any provision of this article, a violation of the balcony LPG ban carries the same penalty as other Chapter 340 violations: a fine of not more than $500, imprisonment of not more than 90 days, or both, at the discretion of the court.

The Royal Oak Fire Department and Fire Official enforce the fire code amendments, including this balcony restriction, as part of routine inspections and complaint response in multifamily buildings.