Onslow County Swimming Pool Ordinance Goes Into Effect November 2, 2010
Swimming Pool Ordinance
(Onslow County
The ordinance applies to any permanent outdoor structure intended for swimming or recreational bathing that contains water over 24 inches deep including in-ground, above-ground, and on-ground swimming pools, hot tubs, and spas. A structure is considered “outdoor” if it is not totally contained within a roofed structure and surrounded on all four sides by the walls of the enclosing structure.
The ordinance requires all permanent swimming pools, hot tubs, and spas to be completely surrounded by a fence or solid wall not less than four feet in height. The fence or wall may be made of wood, metal, wire, masonry, concrete, tile, or plastic, or any combination of those materials. Homeowners can use the wall(s) of a principal or accessory building to meet the enclosure requirement. All gates or doors opening through such fence, wall, house, or building shall have self-closing and self-latching devices for keeping the gate or door closed at all times when not in actual use. Fence gates must open outward away from the swimming pool.
Temporary or inflatable pools that having a depth of 24 inches or less are exempt from the requirements of the ordinance, as are spas or hot tubs with a locked safety cover. However, covers must be closed and locked when the spa or hot tub is not in use.
Violations of the ordinance are considered a public nuisance and violators may be subject to civil fines or criminal penalties if they fail to bring their swimming pool, hot tub or spa into timely compliance as established in the ordinance.
The ordinance will go into effect on November 2, 2010. This allows pool, hot tub, and spa owners a period of one year to bring their structures into compliance.
The ordinance will be enforced by the Planning and Development Department.
County Attorney Ron vonLembke (910) 557-7771 or Planning and Development Director Scott Shuford (910) 455-3661 can be contacted to provide additional details about this new ordinance.
Angela Cole
Chief Operations Officer/PIO
P: 910/347-4717
F: 910/455-7888
