Chapter 8.20
POOLS AND BATHING BEACHES
Sections:
8.20.050 Rules and regulations.
8.20.060 Design, construction and equipment.
8.20.160 Communicable disease.
8.20.200 Repealed.
8.20.010 Purpose.
It is the declared purpose of the city council in adopting the ordinance codified in this chapter, as recommended by the planning commission, to provide rules and regulations for the construction, maintenance, use and operation of pools, and thereby minimize the hazards they present. (Ord. 47 § 1, 1963)
8.20.020 Definitions.
The following definitions give the meaning of certain terms used in this chapter:
A. “Bathing beach” means a bathing place, together with buildings and appurtenances used in connection therewith, on natural pond, lake, stream or other body of water which is open to the public for bathing by express permission of the owner or which is provided by a private club as a facility for members or guests.
B. “Building official” means the building inspector of the city.
C. “Pool” means a swimming pool, semipublic pool, private pool, wading pool and spray pool.
D. “Private pool” means a swimming pool, wading pool or spray pool maintained by one or more individuals for the use of family and friends and not otherwise conforming to “semipublic pool” as defined in this section.
E. “Semipublic pool” means a swimming pool provided by a private club as a facility for members or guests.
F. “Spray pool” means a pool or artificially constructed depression for use by children, into which water is sprayed but not allowed to pond in the bottom of the pool.
G. “Swimming pool” means an artificial pool of water used for swimming or recreational bathing, together with buildings and appurtenances in connection therewith, and shall be construed as including all pools of water used for swimming or recreational bathing in which it is necessary to employ such measures as the addition of clean water or disinfectant or both for the purpose of maintaining water quality standards.
H. “Wading pool” means any artificial pool of water for wading purposes not more than 12 inches in depth. (Ord. 47 § 2, 1963)
8.20.030 Approval of plans.
Before the building official issues a building permit for the construction of a semipublic pool, or bathing beach, the plans and specifications therefor shall first have been submitted and approved by the State Director of Health. The design, construction, equipment, water quality, disinfection, operation, sanitary control and safety measures of semipublic pools shall be in accordance with current rules and regulations of the State Director of Health, together with any more restrictive provisions of this chapter. (Ord. 47 § 3.A, 1963)
8.20.040 Permit – Fee.
A permit is required to be issued by the building official for the construction of any swimming pool, semipublic pool, private pool or wading pool. The permit fee shall be as established periodically by city council resolution. (Ord. 787 § 1, 1999; Ord. 47 § 3.B, 1963)
8.20.050 Rules and regulations.
The building official is authorized and empowered to make any rules or regulations not inconsistent with the provisions of this chapter relative to water quality, disinfection, sanitation and sanitary control of pools and bathing beaches as are reasonably necessary for the protection of the public health and safety. No pool or bathing beach shall be used, constructed, altered or maintained except in strict compliance with the terms of this chapter and with such rules and regulations as the building official may have promulgated and which are applicable thereto. (Ord. 47 § 4, 1963)
8.20.060 Design, construction and equipment.
The design, construction and equipment criteria set out through LFPMC 8.20.140 apply to all pools except as specifically noted. (Ord. 47 § 5, 1963)
8.20.070 Location.
A pool may not be located closer than 10 feet measured from the edge of the water surfaces to the rear or side property line, and must not be closer than 20 feet measured from the edge of the water surface to the front property line. (Ord. 47 § 5.1, 1963)
8.20.080 Material.
Pools shall be constructed of concrete or other material with an impervious finish approved by the building official and suitably constructed to withstand normal weather cycles. (Ord. 47 § 5.2, 1963)
8.20.090 Walkway.
A walkway shall be provided around the entire perimeter of all swimming pools, and shall slope away from the pool, be provided with adequate drains, and constructed of an impervious material with a nonslip finish, and shall be not less than three feet in width. (Ord. 47 § 5.3, 1963)
8.20.100 Fencing.
A. Outdoor swimming pools shall be fenced. The fencing shall be a solid structure or fence not less than five feet in height, with no opening therein, other than gates or doors, larger than four inches and of a nonclimbable design. The fence or other solid structure shall completely surround such pool in such a manner as to minimize the danger of unsupervised children and animals gaining access thereto.
B. All gates or door openings through such enclosure shall be equipped with a self-closing and self-latching device designed to keep and capable of keeping such door or gate securely locked at all times when not in actual use, and all latches shall be placed at least four and one-half feet above the ground or shall be made inaccessible to small children from the outside; provided, however, that the gate or door to any dwelling forming any part of the enclosure required in this section need not be so equipped. Such fencing and latches shall be installed prior to the filling of the pool with water for use.
C. When a pool is located within a yard enclosed by a fence which satisfies the requirements of this section, no fence immediately surrounding the pool is required. (Ord. 47 § 5.4, 1963)
8.20.110 Lighting.
All pools and walkways used at night shall be provided with an adequate system of artificial lighting. (Ord. 47 § 5.5, 1963)
8.20.120 Ladders and stairs.
Convenient stairs or ladders, preferably with treads rather than rungs, shall be provided in all swimming pools. All step treads and their corresponding platforms used in conjunction with the swimming pool, particularly those steps leading to the high diving board and its platform, shall be covered with an abrasive or nonslip material. (Ord. 47 § 5.6, 1963)
8.20.130 Depth.
Low diving boards shall not be placed at any pool or bathing beach over water having a depth of less than six and one-half feet. A greater depth of seven feet to seven and one-half feet for a distance of approximately 10 feet in front of springboards is advisable for safety. Minimum depth of eight and one-half feet shall be provided for high diving boards which are 12 feet or more above the water surface. (Ord. 47 § 5.7, 1963)
8.20.140 Cross-connections.
No piping arrangement shall exist which will permit sewage or wastewater to enter the recirculation system of the pool. (Ord. 47 § 5.8, 1963)
8.20.150 Cleanliness.
All parts of all pools, including their premises and appurtenances, shall be maintained in a clean and sanitary condition at all times while the pool is open to bathers. (Ord. 47 § 6, 1963)
8.20.160 Communicable disease.
No person having skin lesions, sore or inflamed eyes, mouth, nose or ear discharge, or known to be a carrier of any communicable disease, shall use any pool. (Ord. 47 § 6.1, 1963)
8.20.170 Pollution of pool.
Urinating, expectorating, blowing the nose or depositing any foreign matter in any pool is prohibited. (Ord. 47 § 6.2, 1963)
8.20.180 Bathing beaches.
No bathing beach shall be maintained or operated when such water is determined by the building official to be so polluted or subject to pollution as to constitute a menace to health if used for bathing. Where bath house and toilet facilities are provided for use of bathers they shall be constructed, maintained and operated in a sanitary manner approved by the building official. (Ord. 47 § 7, 1963)
8.20.190 Preexisting pools.
Pools which were in existence on the effective date of the ordinance codified in this chapter, but do not then comply with this chapter, shall within a period of not more than 60 days after notice by the building official, be brought into conformity with the requirements of this chapter regarding fencing, cross-connections, operation, sanitary control and safety measures. (Ord. 47 § 8, 1963)
8.20.200 Nuisance – Fine.*
Repealed by Ord. 784. (Ord. 47 § 9, 1963)
*Code reviser’s note: Penalty provisions can be found in Chapter 8.90 LFPMC.