OUTDOOR COOKING FOR COMMERCIAL PURPOSES.
Fresno Municipal Code § 15-2743
in effectSEC. 15-2743. - OUTDOOR COOKING FOR COMMERCIAL PURPOSES.
Outdoor cooking, in conjunction with a restaurant or grocery store, may be permitted in accordance with the conditions below.
A. Part of an Established Business. Sales shall be part of the normal business of the establishment. Transactions may be made outdoors however patrons shall also have the option of making transactions inside of the establishment. Should transactions solely be made outdoors and not part of the normal business, it shall be considered a Mobile Vendor.
B. Setback from Residential. A minimum separation of 100 feet from Residential Districts is required to ensure that outdoor cooking facilities do not emit odors into homes. The scale of the operations, prevailing wind patterns, and building orientation will be taken into consideration during the review process and a greater setback may be required to mitigate obnoxious odor.
C. Setbacks from Property Lines. Cooking apparatus shall comply with all setbacks for the underlying zone district, however in no case shall it be closer than 15 feet to any property line.
D. Smells/Odors. The applicant shall provide a written statement outlining how smoke, smells and/or odors will be confined and limited from traveling into Residential Districts.
E. Hours of Operation. For facilities located within 100 feet of residential units that are not part of a Mixed-Use development, outdoor cooking shall be limited between 8 a.m. and 10 p.m. An exception, to extend the hours of Outdoor Cooking, may be made if the operator obtains written approval from all owners and tenants within 100 feet from the subject site.
F. Location of Equipment.
1. If located in a parking area, grills shall be located in a designated area and may not be relocated freely throughout the parking area. The area dedicated to the use shall be permanently blocked and barriers shall be installed to protect the public.
2. Equipment shall not encroach into designated fire lanes and egress paths from buildings, and shall be located no closer than 10 feet to building openings, and no closer than 10 feet from buildings of combustible construction.
G. Attendance. Fires must be attended at all times.
H. Grease. The applicant shall detail how grease will be captured and disposed of.
I. Cleanliness. The area shall be cleaned daily and shall be free of oil, grease, etc.
J. Traffic Circulation. If proposed on an existing parking area, a plan depicting drive aisles, parking areas, etc., shall be submitted for review and approval.
K. Other Approvals. The applicant shall be responsible for obtaining permits from other agencies, if applicable, including, but not limited to, the County Health Department, the Fire Department, and San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District.
L. Additional Conditions. The Director may impose additional conditions to ensure that the use does not create a nuisance to surrounding properties.
(Added Ord. 2015-39, § 1, eff. 1-9-16).
Source: City of Fresno, California, Municipal Code and City Charter (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/ca/fresno/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=MUCOCHFRCA_CH15CIDECOINRE_PTIIIREAPSOALDI_ART27STSPUSAC_S15-2743OUCOCOPUFetched: 11/1/2026