Minnetonka, MN Outdoor Cooking: Smoker Rules (2026)

Smoker and charcoal grill rules in Minnetonka are in Appendix O of the state fire code, which Minnetonka adopted in § 910.010 and rewrote in § 910.020. The rewritten Appendix O is titled Fires or Barbecues on Balconies or Patios and applies to institutional, apartment or condominium buildings two or more stories in height. A detached house is not named in these provisions.

Item 1.3.4 reads that listed charcoal grills and smokers are allowed only on ground level and may not be used or stored within 15 feet of the building. That means a smoker cannot sit on a balcony above ground level, and a ground level smoker has to be moved 15 feet from the wall to be used or even stored. Item 1.1 goes further for open flame: in those buildings, 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 word listed matters, since 1.3.4 speaks of listed charcoal grills and smokers. Other grill types have their own paragraphs: listed electric grills with an 18-inch clearance and a GFI protected exterior outlet, listed natural gas grills that are permanently mounted and plumbed, and listed propane grills only at ground level. Backyard recreational fires are a different subject, governed by section 307 as amended in the same section, which requires an annual fire department permit and a 25 foot distance from structures.

The Minnetonka fire marshal can issue an order to any person who violates the state fire code or the city fire regulations. A person can appeal the order, or apply for a variance, by written notice to the city clerk within 30 days after the order is issued, with a hearing before the city council or an ad hoc board of appeals within 30 days of receipt.