Backyard smokers are open-flame cooking devices under Michigan's fire code. At single- and two-family homes they are allowed with safe clearances. In multifamily buildings, smokers may not be used on combustible balconies or within 10 feet of the structure, matching the grill rules.
Michigan's adopted fire code treats charcoal, wood and pellet smokers the same as grills. In multifamily housing, open-flame cooking devices cannot be operated within 10 feet of the building and are not allowed on combustible balconies or decks unless the building is fully sprinklered. One- and two-family dwellings are exempt, so a smoker in a single-family Ottawa County backyard is fine with normal clearance from the house, deck and fence. Watch smoke drift toward neighbors, which can trigger nuisance complaints under city or township ordinances even where the smoker itself is legal. There is no separate Ottawa County smoker rule; enforcement is by your local fire marshal, who may adopt stricter multifamily limits.
Operating a smoker contrary to the fire code in multifamily housing can be ordered stopped and cited by the fire marshal; excessive smoke may draw nuisance enforcement under city or township ordinances.
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See how Zeeland's smoker rules rules stack up against other locations.
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