![]() Floor tiles or turf designed for outdoor use easily add polish and warmth to an outdoor space but that may not fly with your board, even if they’re just temporary additions. The vast majority of condo balconies are concrete pads that extend out from the floor of the unit – and cold grey stone isn’t exactly inviting underfoot. This requirement alone disqualifies many smaller spaces from having a grill. There are also regulations on how much distance a barbecue must be from openings – a minimum of one foot from windows and doors, and three feet from appliance intakes. While barbecues can present fire hazards, smoke and smell concerns for neighbours, provincial laws that specify how propane tanks can be transported are mainly to blame for cramping chefs’ style not only must a number of criteria be satisfied to safely move a tank, but it’s against the law to take them up main elevators (in buildings where there is no freight elevator, the main elevator must be booked and the tank can only be accompanied by one person). ![]() This may even be enforced at the municipal level – for example, the City of Guelph doesn’t allow balcony barbecues in dwellings with more than two units with the exception of electric grills, and only if allowed by the board. Whether or not your building allows grills can vary widely – some residents are lucky enough to have a built-in gas line for a combustible model, while others can’t have a grill at all. Nothing says spring and summer like the sizzle of a barbecue – but unfortunately, many condos ban keeping one on your balcony. Here are four important things to consider when decorating a condo balcony: While most cases aren’t as extreme as the resident who was taken to court over owning too many patio chairs, it’s wise for condo dwellers to know what they can and can’t do with their outdoor space. Not complying with these bylaws can lead to confrontation with your board, neighbours, and, in extreme cases, result in fines or mediation. That means their appearance and use is subject to the rules laid out in the condo corporation’s bylaws. Condo owners don’t actually own their balconies – as they’re located on the façade of the building, they are considered to be common areas. ![]() However, before you run off to the garden nursery for hydrangeas and manure, be sure to check in with your condo board. For many of Toronto’s high-rise residents, these cement pads in the sky provide the only private slice of outdoor living, and with a few decorative touches, can be a green oasis amid the urban jungle. They say March comes in like a lion and out like a lamb – and for urban condo residents, it also ushers in the beginning of balcony season. ![]()
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