Westminster, CA Outdoor Cooking: BBQ & Propane Rules (2026)

Westminster has no special barbecue ordinance, so grilling is governed by the California Fire Code, adopted through Municipal Code Chapter 15.22 and enforced for the city by the Orange County Fire Authority. At detached single-family homes, residents may freely use gas, charcoal, or pellet grills in their yards, keeping the grill a safe distance from the house, fences, and combustibles and never leaving it unattended. The significant restriction is for apartments, condominiums, and other multiple-unit residences. Under California Fire Code section 308.1.4, charcoal burners and other open-flame cooking devices may not be operated on combustible balconies or within 10 feet of combustible construction. An exception applies where the building is protected throughout by an automatic fire-sprinkler system, and grilling is generally acceptable on balconies and patios built of noncombustible materials such as concrete or stucco. For propane specifically, the fire code permits LP-gas cooking devices that use small containers (water capacity not greater than 2-1/2 pounds, about 1 pound of LP-gas) in these multifamily settings; larger cylinders are restricted. Smoke and odor that persistently affect neighbors can also be addressed as a public nuisance under WMC Chapter 8.20.