Vallejo, CA Special Events & Permits: Outdoor Heater Rules (2026)

Vallejo does not have a stand-alone 'seasonal heater' ordinance; the rules live inside the outdoor dining and seating chapter and apply to any portable gas-fired heater set up at a permitted sidewalk cafe, parklet, or other outdoor dining area covered by Section 16.330.02(C)(6)(g). The subsection opens by banning the appliances outright from specific locations: 'inside of any occupancy where connected to the fuel gas container,' 'inside of tents, canopies and membrane structures,' and 'on exterior balconies.' Where a heater is allowed, it must sit at least five feet from buildings under (ii), at least five feet from 'combustible decorations and combustible overhangs, awnings, sunshades or similar combustible attachments to buildings' under (iii), and at least five feet from any exit or exit discharge path under (iv). Only a 'listed and approved' unit with a fuel gas container that is integral to the appliance may be used, and it must be 'installed and maintained in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions' under (v)-(vi).

Every heater needs a mechanical safety feature the code spells out precisely: a 'tilt or tip-over switch that automatically shuts off the flow of gas if the appliance is tilted more than fifteen degrees (0.26 rad) from the vertical' under (vii). The heating element or combustion chamber must be 'permanently guarded so as to prevent accidental contact by persons or material' under (viii), and any spare fuel tanks must be stored 'outside in a well ventilated area' under (ix). The same subsection separately bans open flame devices such as candles at outdoor dining areas altogether under (C)(6)(h), so a restaurant cannot substitute candlelight for a noncompliant heater.