[HISTORY: Adopted by the Borough Council of the Borough of Churchill 10-14-1997
by Ord. No. 663. Amendments noted where applicable.]
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings
indicated:
An outdoor swimming pool used or intended to be used solely by the
owner of a residential property, his family or lessee thereof and his family
and by guests invited to use it without the payment of any fee.
This chapter shall apply to all new outdoor swimming pools hereinafter
constructed as well as existing swimming pools whether aboveground or in the
ground and having a depth of 18 inches or more at any one point.
A.
Before any work is commenced on the construction of a
swimming pool or on any alteration, addition, remodeling or other improvement
to a swimming pool, an application for a permit for construction, together
with plans and specifications pertinent to the construction, as well as explanatory
data, shall be submitted to the Building Inspector. No part of the work shall
be commenced until approval has been granted the applicant by a written permit.
B.
The fee for the building permit authorizing the installation, inspection and/or alteration of private swimming pools, portable pools, pools less than 26 feet, pools 26 feet in length or longer and engineering reviews shall be set forth in Chapter A315, Fee Schedule.
[Amended 3-10-1998 by Ord. No. 667]
C.
All plans, including a plot plan, shall bear the name
and seal of a registered architect or registered engineer. The plot plan shall
show the location of all buildings and the proposed pool on the property,
distances on all property lines in the immediate vicinity of the swimming
pool and dwelling, and the location of wells, sewage disposal systems and
proposed enclosure or fence around the pool.
D.
Standard pools, properly designed by established swimming
pool companies and having the approval of a registered engineer or registered
architect shall be acceptable when accompanied by suitable plans and specifications,
including information as stated herein.
A.
Every swimming pool shall be completely surrounded by
a fence, wall or similar enclosure not fewer than four feet in height, which
shall be so constructed as to have no openings, holes or gaps larger than
two inches in any dimension. If the fence or wall is a picket fence, the horizontal
dimensions maintained shall not exceed four inches. A dwelling or accessory
building may be used as part of such enclosure.
B.
All gates or door openings through such enclosure shall
be equipped with a self-closing, self-latching device on the pool side for
keeping the gate or door securely closed at all times when not in use, except
that the door of any dwelling or accessory building which forms a part of
the enclosure need not be so equipped. The fence shall surround the pool and
the deck area. Fences shall be erected around all existing swimming pools
prior to filling.
A.
A swimming pool shall be located at the rear of a dwelling
or along the side of the dwelling where practical.
B.
There shall be a minimum of three feet of concrete, stone,
brick or block sidewalk or other all weather surface around all pools, except
portable aboveground pools.
C.
No swimming pool or appurtenances, including decks and shelters, shall be erected nearer to any property line than a building could be erected in the same use district as set forth in Chapter 304, Zoning.
D.
No swimming pool shall be so located as to interfere
with the operation of a well or on-site septic system, or to be located where
there is potential danger of a septic system discharging into the pool or
onto the adjacent area around the pool.
No permit to construct new swimming pools (existing pools are excluded
from this section) shall be issued unless and until the following design and
construction requirements are observed.
A.
Material. The material used for lining a swimming pool
shall be light in color, impervious and shall provide a tight tank with easily
cleaned surfaces. Sand or dirt bottoms are prohibited if uncovered.
B.
Walls and bottom. All pool walls and bottoms shall be
designed to withstand water pressure from within and to resist the pressure
of earth water and groundwater when the pool is empty.
C.
Steps, ladders and handholds. One or more steps, ladders,
step holes or handholds shall be provided for all pools. The coping of the
swimming pool, of not higher than eight inches above the water surface, shall
be considered a handhold.
D.
Makeup water. Pools shall be equipped with suitable facilities
for adding makeup water as required. There shall be no physical connection
between the water supply line and the pool system. When makeup water is added
to the pool, the inlet shall be at least six inches above the pool water surface.
E.
Drainage outlet. No pool water shall be drained at the
curb, along the gutter line of any street or on the surface of any street.
(A pool drainage system may be connected to the public sanitary sewer system
upon written approval of the Building Inspector.)
F.
Recirculation. Provision shall be made for complete circulation
of water throughout the pool. The system shall be designed and constructed
so that a turnaround at least once every twelve-hour period shall be provided.
Recirculation systems shall consist of pumping equipment, hair-and-lint catcher,
filters, together with all necessary pipe connections to the pool inlets and
outlets, facilities and pipe connections necessary for backwashing or cleaning
filters.
G.
Safety equipment. Life preservers, ropes and poles shall
be readily available at the pool site.
A.
Aboveground pools are not subject to the design and requirements
as set forth herein. However, all such pools having walls less than four feet
shall be enclosed in accordance with the provisions of this chapter.
B.
Portable aboveground pools having walls four feet or greater in height may be excluded from the fencing requirement, provided that such pools are equipped with access ladders which may be raised and locked in a near vertical position when the pool is unattended. An aboveground pool as described in this section which is served by a ladder or steps which cannot be raised and locked so as to prevent access by small children shall be enclosed in accordance with § 272-3.
No swimming pool shall be so located or maintained as to interfere unduly
with the enjoyment of the property rights of others.
Lights used to illuminate any swimming pool shall be so arranged as
to reflect light away from adjoining premises.
It shall be unlawful for any person to make, continue or cause to be
made or continued at any swimming pool, any loud, unnecessary or unusual noise
which disturbs, injures or endangers the comfort, health, peace or safety
of others. The use or operation of any radio, musical instrument, phonograph,
recording equipment or other machine or device for the producing or reproducing
of sound in such a manner as to disturb the peace, quiet and comfort of neighboring
inhabitants or at any time with volume louder than is necessary for convenient
hearing of persons at the swimming pool site shall be unlawful.
All electrical installations shall conform to the specifications of
the National Electrical Code. No electric wires or conductors shall cross,
either overhead or underground, on any part of a swimming pool, nor shall
any electric wiring be installed parallel to any pool wall closer than five
feet, if underground, unless enclosed in a rigid conduit, or within feet,
if overhead. All underwater lights must be watertight, self-contained units
with ground connections running from a waterproof junction box to a proper
grounding facility or medium. All underground electric wires supplying current
to said lights within a distance of five feet of the pool wall or walls shall
be enclosed in rigid conduits. All metal fences, enclosures or railings, near
or adjacent to a swimming pool, which might become electrically charged as
a result of contact with broken overhead conductors, or from any other cause,
shall be effectively grounded.
[Amended 3-10-1998 by Ord. No. 667]
Any person, firm or corporation who shall violate any provision of this
chapter shall, upon conviction thereof, be sentenced to pay a fine not more
than $600, plus costs, and, in default of payment of said fine and costs,
to imprisonment for a term not to exceed 30 days. Each day that a violation
of this chapter continues shall constitute a separate offense.
