WORKSHOP ITEM Bryan Schafer, Community Development Director
Title
POWERED POOL COVERS VERSUS FENCES
Background
For many years, the typical way homeowners secured their outdoor swimming pools was to erect a 4-foot high fence with a lockable gate mechanism. With the more recent advent of powered pool covers, the City Council was asked whether the code should be amended to allow these pool covers as an alternative to the 4-foot fence. The national swimming pool code introduced the option a number of years ago and is the standard practice in many states. The City Council agreed and the ordinance was amended in February 2016 to allow that as an option.
Late last fall a homeowner contacted the City Council and asked that the City to once again look at the code to maybe remove the covers as an option. Her concern was that a fence with gate was more likely to provide a secure barrier from a neighbor’s pool. She lived next door to one of the pools installed with a powered cover versus a fence and was concerned about her own children’s safety.
While almost all in-ground pools have a powered cover, only two (2) of the 14 in-ground pools have made that choice their security requirement. The vast majority of homeowners have fences in place to meet the security requirement.
It is Council’s discretion whether or not to continue to allow the pool cover option.
Attachments
Pool Cover Picture
Recommendation
Provide direction on whether to continue to allow powered pool covers as a security option.