Old Bridge, NJ Outdoor Cooking: Smoker Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Setback
- 10 feet from any building wall or overhang
- Exception
- One- and two-family dwellings
- Governs
- Barbecue, charcoal and propane grills
- Enforced by
- Fire Official / Bureau of Fire Prevention
- Source chapter
- Ch. 185 Schedule A, Article 70
Summary
In Old Bridge Township, the local Fire Prevention Code bars barbecue grills from sitting inside or on top of any building and requires them to stay at least 10 feet laterally from any building wall or overhang, under Fire Code F-7005.2 of the local amendments the Township Council added to Chapter 185. One- and two-family dwellings are exempt, so the rule targets condos, apartments, restaurants and other multi-unit or commercial buildings.
Barbecue grills shall not be located or used within or upon any building, or within 10 feet laterally of any building wall or overhang. Exception: One- and two-family dwellings.
Full Breakdown
Old Bridge Township's Fire Prevention Code, Chapter 185, incorporates a set of local amendments as "Schedule A, Local Provisions" under Article 70. Section F-7005.2, titled "Barbecue grills," says grills "shall not be located or used within or upon any building, or within 10 feet laterally of any building wall or overhang," with a single carve-out for one- and two-family dwellings. That means a homeowner in a detached single-family or duplex home can grill against the house wall, but anyone living in a townhouse, condo, apartment building, or operating a restaurant patio in Old Bridge Township must keep any barbecue grill at least 10 feet from the nearest building wall or roof overhang, and can never set one up inside a garage, breezeway, or on top of a structure.
The Bureau of Fire Prevention and the Fire Official administer Chapter 185, which the Township Council originally adopted as Ord. No. D-12 and rewrote in its entirety in 1979 by Ord. No. D-278; the Schedule A local provisions containing the grill setback were added 1-3-1989 by Ord. No. 71-88 and last amended 5-22-2000 by Ord. No. 23-00. The same Article 70 chapter also regulates open burning and small cooking campfires in the adjoining F-7005.3.7, so multifamily property managers dealing with both charcoal grills and fire pits are working under the same local fire-safety article.
The Fire Official may inspect properties and order compliance, and reinspection fees under F-7009.1 apply if a property fails to correct a grill-placement violation after a first notice.
Violations & Fines
Chapter 185 violations, including a grill placed too close to a building, are punished under Chapter 1, Article II, Penalty of the Township Code, with Uniform Fire Code penalties under N.J.A.C. 5:70 and 5:70-2 applied first. Each day a violation continues after the Bureau of Fire Prevention gives notice counts as a separate offense, so an uncorrected grill setback can generate daily fines, and the Township may also pursue abatement through civil action.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I grill on my apartment balcony in Old Bridge?
Does the 10-foot grill rule apply to my single-family house?
Can I use a propane or charcoal grill inside my garage?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Old Bridge
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