Residential smokers (wood, pellet, propane, charcoal) are legal for home cooking in Polk County. They generally qualify for the burn-ban barbecue exemption when the fuel area stays under 3 feet diameter and 2 feet high. Nuisance smoke and commercial use can trigger other rules.
Home smokers are treated as cooking appliances, not open burning, so backyard smoking of meat is permitted in Polk County. During a countywide burn ban (Ordinance 08-015), a smoker qualifies under the same barbecue-grill/pit exemption — a non-commercial cooking fire contained in a grill or pit with a total fuel area not exceeding 3 feet in diameter and 2 feet in height. Keep the smoker outdoors, attended, and a safe distance from structures, fences, and combustibles. Persistent heavy smoke drifting onto neighbors can be addressed under the county's nuisance provisions. Commercial or event-scale smokers may require additional fire-code review or a temporary permit.
Excess smoke is enforceable as a nuisance by Polk County Code Enforcement; oversized burns during a burn ban violate Ordinance 08-015 (up to $500 fine or 60 days jail).
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
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