Killeen, TX Outdoor Cooking: Smoker Rules (2026)

Killeen does not have a smoker-specific ordinance. Wood smokers, pellet grills, offset smokers, and wood-fired pizza ovens are legal on residential property and are not restricted by Bell County burn bans when used in commercially manufactured equipment for food preparation under Texas Local Government Code § 352.081. Persistent dense smoke that materially interferes with neighbors' use of their property can be cited under Killeen's general nuisance provisions, but enforcement against residential backyard smoking is rare. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality regulates commercial wood-fired equipment but does not regulate residential smokers. Killeen Fire Department requires safe clearance from combustible construction under Code Ch. 11 (2024 IFC effective Jan. 1, 2026). There is no city permit, decibel limit, or time-of-day limit for residential smokers. For multi-family buildings the same IFC § 308.1.4 balcony restrictions as charcoal grills apply — wood/pellet smokers cannot be operated on combustible balconies within 10 feet of combustible construction unless the building is fully sprinklered. HOAs in newer master-planned subdivisions south of US-190 and in apartment communities serving Fort Cavazos soldiers commonly impose stricter rules on smoker frequency, placement, and smoke control. Central Texas barbecue culture is deeply rooted, and Killeen-area residents commonly operate smokers for weekend cookouts and tailgates around Fort Cavazos events.