Woodbury, MN Outdoor Cooking: BBQ & Propane Rules (2026)

Woodbury's barbecue-grill rules come from City Code Section 8-4 and apply most strictly to multi-family housing. For any structure containing three or more dwelling units that share a common hallway or means of egress, no person may kindle, maintain, or cause any fire or open flame on any balcony above ground level or on any ground-floor patio within 15 feet of the structure. The ordinance bans grills of every type - electric, gas, charcoal or open flame - in those zones, and prohibits storing or using fuel, barbecue torches, or similar devices on above-ground balconies. The single exception is where the entire building, patio or balcony is constructed of non-combustible material and protected by a sprinkler head. The city adopted these limits because solid-fuel and propane cooking equipment on patios has caused a number of fires in Minnesota and Woodbury. These provisions mirror the Minnesota State Fire Code's open-flame-on-balconies rules for Group R occupancies; the State Fire Code's exception for permanently mounted, plumbed-in grills with required clearances may apply when approved by the fire chief. Single-family detached homes are not subject to the balcony/patio prohibition, so residents may grill on their own property, observing manufacturer instructions and keeping the grill a safe distance from the house. The Minnesota State Fire Code also requires propane cylinders to be stored outside, at least 10 feet from building openings.