Overland Park, KS Outdoor Cooking: Smoker Rules (2026)

The Overland Park Fire Marshal interprets NFPA 1 §10.10.6.1 to cover all open-flame and ember-producing cooking devices, including: traditional charcoal smokers (offset, vertical, bullet), wood-fired smokers, pellet smokers (which ignite wood pellets with an electric heating element but produce open embers), kamado-style ceramic smokers (Big Green Egg, Kamado Joe), and any solid-fuel cooking appliance. These are subject to the same multi-family prohibition as propane and charcoal grills: not permitted on any balcony, under overhanging structures, or within 10 feet of combustible construction in buildings of three or more dwelling units. Exceptions parallel those for grills: sprinklered structures (NFPA 13/13R), one- and two-family dwellings and townhomes, and listed electric smokers. At single-family residences, smokers are unrestricted by city code beyond manufacturer clearances from combustible siding and overhangs. Smoke nuisance: persistent smoke crossing property lines may be addressed under the OPMC Title 7 (Health and Sanitation) nuisance provisions, administered by the Community Services Division (913-895-6270) through Code Compliance. Air quality: residential smoker operation is generally not a regulatory air-quality concern under Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) rules, but neighbor complaints during prolonged low-and-slow cooks can trigger code-compliance review. Burn restrictions: during declared high fire-danger conditions, open burning may be restricted; check the Overland Park Fire Department and Johnson County Emergency Management for current advisories.