The Rochester Ordinance You’re Probably Breaking When Grilling Out
Making burgers, hot dogs and other delicious food on the grill is major part of summer in Minnesota. But have you been violating this Rochester ordinance when you fire up the grill?
I don't know about you, but one of the best smells of summer here in the Land of 10,000 Lakes is the smell of a big 'ol burger or steak, cooking away over the open flame of a charcoal grill. (Heck, just the smell of any charcoal grill right after you lit the coals is a great smell too.)
But are you violating THIS city of Rochester ordinance when you fire up your charcoal grill? The Rochester Fire Department has published THIS list of fire requirements, and while it covers recreational fires in fire pits, there's also a section that pertains grills as well.
First, there's this part of Rochester Code of Ordinances Chapter 141, which states "Fire extinguishing equipment such as buckets, shovels, garden hose or fire extinguisher, having a 4A rating, must be available to extinguish and control the fire."
I know we have a fire extinguisher in a closet upstairs, and we do have a hose in the backyard. But neither are close enough to our backyard upstairs deck, which is where our grill is located. I guess I'm in violation!
And, it goes onto say, "When using charcoal, properly dispose of the ashes in a metal disposal container outside of the building." Whooops-- here's another violation. While I usually wait until the coals are completely cool before I clean the ashes out, I then put them in our garbage can outside, which, like most residential garbage containers in Rochester, is made of... plastic! Ooops.
Now, seeing as those ashes are no longer warm when I put them in the plastic garbage contain, I'd guess it's really not much of a fire hazard-- but technically, it looks like I'm in violation of said ordinance. Are you too? (I won't tell the fire department if you won't... 😉)
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