It's likely the condo board restricts it. They restrict a ton of stuff you can do with your condo. That's why Condo's are huge scams. you pay the price of a house for what is a apartment and you pay up the buttocks in fees and are given tons of restrictions. Sell your condo and buy a house with a nice balcony. you'll be much happier

Decorating your balcony is a good thing, no body should have any problem with that.But as you say nobody else has anything in their balcony, so, its better to check out the apartment rules & regulations...

it's a decorative add on and not supposed to accommodate any real weight.

I think it is a fire escape for rescue in high rise apartments. The reason they are cleared. You should ask, just in case. Because, for that, you maybe able to stand on to get out, and let it be known you are there. Or, in case of any other emergency.

You will die.

I have a tiny balcony that is 2 feet x 6 feet and actually inside the railings it's more like 18" deep... there are some chairs that are 15" that could be cute there, with some plants, maybe a tiny table... but are you actually meant to use those little tiny balconies or are they just for decoration? Nobody else in the condo complex has anything on their balconies... to me it's weird that nobody even has flower pots.