Sterling Ranch has specific rules about grills and fire pits in the neighborhood
As your Sterling Ranch realtor, I'm often asked what you can - and can't - do in and to your Sterling Ranch home. We thought the Sterling Ranch Roundup would be a helpful forum to answer the frequently asked questions we receive from our friends and clients.
Keep in mind the community's policies and rules change from time to time, so check first with the Community Authority Board (the CAB is Sterling Ranch's equivalent to a HOA) regarding your particular issue. In other words, don't rely exclusively on this Roundup post - ask your realtor or the CAB for the latest and great information.
With that said, on to today's question!
Question: What are the CAB rules on installing grills and fire pits?
Let's talk barbecue grills first. According to the Sterling Ranch Residential Property Owners Guidebook (December 18 2019 version), here are the CAB rules for grills:
• PORTABLE free-standing grills do not require DRC (Design Review Committee) approval provided they are kept in rear yards for primary use. They may be used at the front of the home temporarily, but must be returned to the rear yard or garage after each use.
• PERMANENT outdoor grills require DRC approval. Built-in outdoor cooking facilities of any kind must be submitted to the DRC and must include specifications as to size, height, location, materials, colors, and fuel supply.
How about fire pits?
According to the Guidebook, you'll need DRC approval before you install a permanent outdoor fireplace or fire pit. That said, portable, commercially available fire pits, chimeneas, etc. located in your backyard yard a minimum of 5 feet from any property line do not require DRC approval.
As you'd expect, outdoor gas fire pits must be installed and operated in accordance with local and state safety standards and guidelines. If your gas fire pit utilizes natural gas, all applicable permits and permissions for the installation of the natural gas line must be obtained from Douglas County and the appropriate utility provider.
If you have a question you would like the Roundup to look into, feel free to e-mail me at Mariel@Focus-Realtors.com. As your Sterling Ranch real estate expert, I'm just as interested in finding out the answers to your questions as you are! We will continue to post FAQs, and answers to those FAQs, from time to time so please check back with the Roundup often!
Mariel Ross is a realtor who specializes in helping clients budget for, design, and build their dream homes. At Focus Real Estate we've helped clients build hundreds of new homes around Denver with Lennar, Parkwood, Richmond, Wonderland, Shea, and many other builders.
Learn more about what I do here, as well as the cost (in short, your builder pays your realtor, not you, so our services are at no additional cost to you - which is how we're able to offer our free New Home Package).
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