Apartments BBQers

I live in an upstairs condo and it's a no go. I usually park the Shirley in my numbered parking spot and torture the neighbors with the great smells. Funny they are very friendly to you when you're doing that but asshats, otherwise.

Farking PITA going up and down, up and down.

I guess the exercise doesn't hurt with all the "good" stuff coming off the smoker, though...

Apartment BBQing

I live in a complex of 160 apartments. The apatments are 2-3 story. I live on the first floor and have the privilege of storing my WSM and Master Touch under the stairwell. I have never had any adverse comments from the neighbors. I have cooked briskets etc for probably 20 different neighbors and all I ask is respect. I cooked a brisket for myyself Monday and will be cooking 4 more Fri & Saturday. I have a 10 foot EZ up for rain protection. I am within view of Apt. Office and never cheat on the required 10 foot rule.

Oh by the way, one of Friday briskets is for the apartment staff. Politics!!

This is the reason I bought my traeger. Balcony-approved.

What is the 10' Rule? I assume it means you have to have your pit located at least 10' away from the building?

That's why my number 1 qualification on any house I was considering was no hoa. Sucks to see people going through such hoops to enjoy themselves.

JimmyR1Rider said:

That's why my number 1 qualification on any house I was considering was no hoa. Sucks to see people going through such hoops to enjoy themselves.

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I have never heard any HOA says you cant BBQ in your own yard.

I gave my buddy an old gasser, and a year later he gave it back and said they couldnt have grills. I wonder if a pellet grill, even a small green mountain or treager would be allowed close to the building?

jermoQ said:

I gave my buddy an old gasser, and a year later he gave it back and said they couldnt have grills. I wonder if a pellet grill, even a small green mountain or treager would be allowed close to the building?

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My apartment complex (temporary until April) is no grills on the PREMISES (not even STORED). I wish there was a 10ft rule.

10 ft rule

Tomball TX is a beautiful REDNECK community. Every person loves to eat or cook BBQ. We have a fire department rule says no open flames within 10 ft of any structure. I think this is for apartments and multi family situations. The apartments I live in forbid even oil lamps and candles in the apartment. I have no problem with rules. I am cooking 2 briskets Friday and 2 more Saturday on my WSM between my apartment & the pool. If you're really into BBQ rules work.

Rockinar said:

I have never heard any HOA says you cant BBQ in your own yard.

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Maybe not grill, but with a smoker any complaints from neighbors that don't like smelling it and I GUARANTEE they'd find a hidden gem they have in the reserve banks of you can't do that's.

They tell you want height and type of fence you put up, where you can and cant park, what noise you can and can't make.

Problem with them is you normally dont think to ask about everything like lets say a smoker because you don't have it moving in lets say. Then you get one, they get complaints and you get compliance letters.

Rockinar said:

I have never heard any HOA says you cant BBQ in your own yard.

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HOAs scare the crap out of me. Had a friend that had to move because his neighbor got upset with his family being loud in their pool after a certain time at night. I think they set a time he couldn't use his pool or something to that effect. He also got turned in all the time for leaving his boat on his property too long. He only had a gasser so that was never an issue.

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How you handle HOAs is get you and some like minded people to get elected to the board and change the stupid rules. My HOA tried to outlaw sheds and I really needed one due to only a one car garage that my wife used for her car so no place to put my tools and smoker in the winter. My friend and I ran for President and Vice President and won. Now no nitpicking neighbors and I have a nice new 12x12 shed!

Lomey said:

How you handle HOAs is get you and some like minded people to get elected to the board and change the stupid rules. My HOA tried to outlaw sheds and I really needed one due to only a one car garage that my wife used for her car so no place to put my tools and smoker in the winter. My friend and I ran for President and Vice President and won. Now no nitpicking neighbors and I have a nice new 12x12 shed!

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1 out of God knows how many can work out like your situation. The rest, not so much. I have enough friends retired also from my job that moved into hoa controlled communities and regret it.

I wasn't taking that chance of a crotchety old 85 year old telling me what I can't do at my house. I'll never have to worry about it. I just put up a shed last year myself.....It's 35X45 by 22 at the peak. Went to the town, got my permit and never looked back. And I can put my smoker anywhere i want with never a word except from my wife being spoken about it.

The problem with HOA's is that they change over time.

5 or 10 years later, some people move out, some new people move in, and things are different.

I lived in a wonderful place with an HOA. Lots of young professionals, small families, and some snowbirds. The young professionals moved on with job relocations, the small families got priced out by HOA dues and taxes and, the geriatric crowd moved in. While I was at work, 'they' walked around with a yardstick and cell phone camera photographing everything thing they did not like.

Oh my! They found a weed in my yard I missed after dark when I got home mid-week that was 14" tall (one by some bushes I didn't see in the dark as I can't have light pollution destroying the night sky)!

No cars in the driveway. Oh my again! How dare my neighbor wash his car in his own driveway!

Never mind the 2-ton service truck caked in mud parked in the driveway about 50 yards from me each night, your Lexus parked in the driveway midday is an eyesore. Never mind the mud caked driveway a few doors down. Now add the renter with open pipe Harleys, motocross bikes and, other various issues. Sure, in theory, the owner of the rent house had to pay the fines but, the 'blue haired crew' didn't report them as noting would 'happen'.

The one that really got to me was the animal lovers that thought a pot belly pig rescue by a 'strange cat lady' animal hoarder was wonderful even though her front yard smelled like a classic pig yard. The rooting destroyed the yard and the standing putrid water with pig feces was a bit much for me in a residential HOA community. If I lived next door in a quarter million dollar house, I would have been upset that the HOA thought it was wonderful to house those rescue pigs at a residential house a few doors down from me.

I left and swore never to return to an HOA. Yes, it can keep cars on blocks off the front yard with trees growing out of the engine compartment but, they can drive you nuts with constant harassment like gnats buzzing your head while they ignore the rotting corpse in the yard a few doors down.

It's almost like telling this middle-aged bachelor I need mamogram and prenatal health care coverage or I'm going to be fined when I file my taxes! Really? Are you serious?