B.P. from New York State writes:
Dear Mister Condo,
Is a firepit owned by Condo association a problem waiting to happen?
Mister Condo replies:
B.P., yes and no. Fire pits are one of those highly divisive issues in many condominium associations. On one hand, any amenity or feature that could potentially cause damage to an association is a bad idea. Local fire codes sometime prevent them and even the association’s insurer may refuse coverage for damage caused by a fire pit. On the other hand, many unit owners wish to use fire pits, especially as the weather allows for gathering around a flame as man has done since the invention of fire. One stray ember hitting a building or setting a tree on fire and the fun ends and the liability begins. I have been writing about fire pits almost since the inception of this column 10 years ago. Not much has changed. Here’s a piece I wrote on the matter back in 2014: https://askmistercondo.com/condo-fire-pit-rules-and-restrictions/ All the best!