Title 17 BUILDINGS AND CONSTRUCTION*
Chapter 17.12 SECURITY OF BODIES OF WATER TO BE USED FOR THE PURPOSE OF HUMAN IMMERSION*
Editor’s Note:
17.12.010 Protective enclosures for swimming pools, etc.
17.12.020 Doors or gates.
17.12.040 Filling swimming pool illegal without fence surrounding pool.
17.12.050 Penalty for violation.
Editor’s Note:
* Prior ordinance history: Ord. 581.
17.12.010 Protective enclosures for swimming pools, etc.
A. Every person who owns or is in possession of any lot or premises on
which there is situated a swimming pool, or pool, any structure intended for
swimming or recreational bathing, including in-ground and above-ground
structures and includes, but is not limited to, hot tubs, spas, portable spas,
non-portable wading pools, fish ponds, wading pools or any other outside body of
water created by artificial means designated or used for swimming or other
immersion purposes by men, women or children, any portion of which body of water
is one and one-half feet or more in depth and in which the surface area of water
does not exceed ten thousand square feet, public swimming pools operated for the
use of the general public with or without charge, or for the use of the members
and guests of a private club, (public swimming pool does not include a swimming
pool located on the grounds of a private single-family home), shall maintain a
fence, wall, or other structure on the lot or premises completely surrounding
such body of water to make same inaccessible to children. Such fence, wall, or
other structures shall comply with Article 2, commencing with Section 115920 of
the State Health and Safety Code, relating to swimming pools as
follows:
1. The top of the barrier shall be at least five feet above the
grade measured on the side of the barrier that faces away from the swimming
pool;
2. Any openings, gaps, or voids, if any, in the barrier shall not
allow passage equal to or greater than a four inch diameter sphere;
3. Solid
barriers which do not have openings, such as masonry or stone walls, shall not
contain indentations or protrusions excepting tooled masonry joints;
4. If
the barrier is composed of horizontal and vertical members and the distance
between the tops of the horizontal members is less than forty-eight inches, the
horizontal members shall be located on the swimming pool side of the fence.
Spacing between vertical members shall not exceed one and three-quarters inches
in width. If there are decorative cutouts, they shall not exceed one and
three-quarters inches in width;
5. If the barrier is composed of horizontal
and vertical members and the distance between the tops of the horizontal members
if forty-eight inches or more, spacing between vertical members shall not exceed
four inches. If there are decorative cutouts within vertical members, spacings
or openings within the cutouts shall not exceed one and three-quarters inches in
width;
6. The maximum mesh size for chain link or wire fences shall be two
inches structure. The wire shall not be less than twelve gauge;
7. If the
barrier is composed of diagonal members, such as a lattice fence, the maximum
opening formed by the diagonal members shall be no more than one and
three-quarters inches;
8. a. Each access gate shall comply with the
requirements of subsections (A)(1) through (A)(7) of this section, inclusive,
and shall be equipped to accommodate a locking device.
b. Pedestrian-access
gates shall open outward away from the pool and shall be self-closing and
self-latching.
c. Gates other than pedestrian access gates shall have a
self-latching device. If the release mechanism of the self-latching device is
located less than fifty-four inches from the bottom of the gate, the release
mechanism shall be located on the pool side of the gate and barrier have no
opening greater than one-half inch maximum dimension within eighteen inches of
the release mechanism.
9. a. The forgoing provisions shall apply to all
permanent and to all portable or temporary structures including those designed
or used for swimming or other immersion purposes by men, women or children
irrespective of the nature of the materials used in the construction and or the
design thereof and irrespective of the length of time of use of such portable or
temporary structure.
b. A pool located on a lot with a single-family
dwelling or duplex may be protected by a fence around the pool or a fence around
the entire lot; the walls of any such building may be used for a partial or
complete enclosure of the pool. All other pools shall be protected by a fence
around the pool itself.
c. In lieu of a permanent fence being required prior
to starting of construction, a temporary enclosure may be installed at time of
excavation. Height and gate requirements for temporary enclosures shall be the
same as those for permanent fences. The temporary enclosure is to be removed and
the permanent enclosure installed in conjunction with installation of the finish
decking around the pool or prior to final inspection. (Ord. 943 N.S. § 1,
2008: Ord. 762 N.S. § 1 (part), 1999: Ord. 628 N.S. (part), 1992)
17.12.020 Doors or gates.
A. All doors or gates shall be of such size as to completely fill any
opening in the fence, wall, or other structure large enough to admit a child and
shall be of such size and design so as not to admit any child when it is in a
closed position. Such door or gate shall be secured with a locking device or
equipped with self-closing and self-latching devices capable of keeping such
gate or door securely closed. Such closing or latching devices shall be located
not less than fifty-four (54) inches above grade or otherwise be inaccessible
from the outside to small children. Where a wall of a dwelling serves as part of
the barrier, doors with direct access to the pool through that wall shall be
equipped with an exit alarm that produces an audible warning when the door
and/or its screen, if present, are opened. The alarm shall be listed in
accordance with UL 2017. The audible alarm shall activate within seven seconds
and sound continuously for a minimum of thirty seconds after the door and/or its
screen if present, are opened and be capable of being heard throughout the house
during normal household activities. The exit alarm shall automatically reset
under all conditions. In lieu of self-closing and self-latching devices at pools
where a direct fee is charged and/or where continuous lifeguard service is
provided, doors and gates may be equipped with locks which shall be kept locked
at all times when said pool, pond, or other body of water is not in actual use.
Lifeguard service shall be as defined in Section 115028 of the Californian
Health and Safety Code. (Ord. 943 N.S. § 2, 2008: Ord. 762 N.S. § 1
(part), 1999: Ord. 628 N.S. (part), 1992)
17.12.040 Filling swimming pool illegal without fence surrounding pool.
The requirements contained within this chapter shall be applicable to any
pool building or installed after adoption of this chapter. Consistent with
Section 17928 of the State Health and Safety Code any pool transferred to a new
owner on or after July 1, 1992, shall be entirely enclosed with a barrier which
restricts access to the swimming pool from public or adjacent private
property.
Every person who fills with water, causes the filling with water
any swimming pool required to be fenced by this chapter before the required
fence is erected is guilty of a misdemeanor. (Ord. 762 N.S. § 1
(part), 1999: Ord. 628 N.S (part), 1992)
17.12.050 Penalty for violation.
Any person who violates any of the provisions of this chapter, or fails to
comply with any order made thereunder, or who builds in violation of any
detailed statement of specifications or plans submitted and approved thereunder,
or any certificate or permit issued thereunder, and from which no appeal has
been taken or who fails to comply with such an order as affirmed or modified by
the jurisdiction, within the time affixed herein, shall severally for each and
every violation and noncompliance, respectively, be guilty of a misdemeanor.
(Ord. 762 N.S. § 1 (part), 1999)
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