Barriers shall comply with the following requirements:
(A) Permissible barrier types. Barriers may be solid fences or walls without openings except for complying gates and doors; picket or vertical railing fences; chain link or similar fences composed of diagonal members; or the wall of a building.
(B) Height.
(1) The top of the barrier shall be at least five feet above grade measured on the side of the barrier which faces away from the swimming pool or outside body of water.
(2) The maximum vertical clearance between grade and the bottom of the barrier shall be two inches, measured on the side of the barrier which faces away from the swimming pool or outside body of water. An existing barrier erected to protect a swimming pool for which a building permit was issued prior to February l, 1994 may have a vertical clearance of four inches at the bottom of the barrier.
(C) Solid barriers. Solid barriers which do not have openings shall contain no indentations or protrusions, except for tooled masonry joints, on the side of the barrier which faces away from the swimming pool or outdoor body of water. Solid barriers may have occasional openings or cutouts provided such openings or cutouts shall not allow passage of a four-inch-diameter sphere and further provided that such openings or cutouts do not afford ladder-like access.
(D) Picket or vertical railing fences.
(1) Open type barriers shall consist of vertical rails or pickets which may be supported by horizontal members spaced so as to not create ladder-like access. Such horizontal members shall be spaced so that the distance between the tops of the horizontal members are not less than 30 inches;
(2) Where the distance between the tops of horizontal members is less than 45 inches, the spacing between vertical rails or pickets shall not allow the passage of a 1¾-inch sphere. Where such distance is 45 inches or more, the spacing between vertical rails or pickets shall not allow the passage of a four-inch sphere;
(3) Decorative cutouts or ornamentation within vertical members shall not create ladder-like access;
(4) Existing picket or vertical rail fences erected to protect a swimming pool for which a building permit was issued prior to February l, 1994 may have vertical members spaced so that they will not allow passage of a four-inch diameter sphere regardless of the distance between the tops of horizontal members, provided however, that such existing fences were not constructed in such a manner as to create ladder-like access.
(E) Chain link or similar fences composed of diagonal members. Openings in chain link barriers or barriers composed of diagonal members, such as a lattice fence, shall not allow passage of a 1¼-inch sphere. Chain link fences shall be constructed of not less than No. 9 gauge wire.
(F) Access gates. Access gates shall comply with the provisions of divisions (B) through (E) of this section and shall be equipped to accommodate a locking device. Pedestrian-access gates shall open outward away from the swimming pool or outside body of water and shall be equipped with a self-closing and self-latching device designed to keep, and capable of keeping such gate securely closed and latched at all times when not in actual use. Latches shall be mounted not less than four feet six inches above grade measured on the side of the barrier which faces away from the swimming pool or outside body of water.
(G) Building walls.
(1) Building walls which contain openings, other than the walls of a dwelling, shall not be used as a barrier or portion thereof. Where a wall of a dwelling serves as part of the barrier, doors with direct access to the swimming pool through that wall shall be equipped with an alarm which produces an audible warning when the door and its screen, if present, are opened. The alarm shall sound continuously for a minimum of 30 seconds immediately after the door is opened, and be capable of being heard throughout the house during normal household activities. The alarm shall automatically reset under all conditions. The alarm system shall be equipped with a manual means, such as touch-pad or switch, to temporarily deactivate the alarm for a single opening. Such deactivation shall last for no more than 15 seconds. The deactivation switch shall be located at least 54 inches above the threshold of the door. Other means of protection, such as self-closing doors with self-latching devices approved by the Building Official, shall be acceptable so long as the degree of protection afforded is not less than the protection afforded by the alarm system described above;
(2) Large windows which, in the opinion of the Building Official, may provide potential access to a swimming pool, shall be equipped with an alarm system;
(3) In addition to dwelling walls, walls of buildings accessory to a dwelling may also be used as the barrier or portion thereof for a swimming pool for which a building permit was issued prior to February 1, 1994. Doors with direct access to a swimming pool for which a building permit was issued prior to February 1, 1994 need not be equipped with an alarm system.
(H) Above-ground pools. Where an above-ground pool structure is used as a barrier or where the barrier is mounted on top of the pool structure, and the means of access is a ladder or steps, then the ladder or steps shall be capable of being secured, locked or removed to prevent access, or the ladder or steps shall be surrounded by a barrier which meets the requirements of divisions (B) through (F) of this section. When the ladder or steps are secured, locked or removed, any opening created shall not allow the passage of a four-inch-diameter sphere.
(I) Indoor swimming pools. Doors with direct access to an indoor swimming pool shall comply with division (G) of this section.
(J) Driveways. No barrier or access gate required by this chapter shall be constructed across any driveway.
(K) Posts. Supporting posts for barriers shall be set in concrete. Wood posts shall be treated or a wood of natural resistance to decay, as these terms are defined in the Building Code, and shall have nominal dimensions of four inches by four inches.
(`83 Code, § 15.16.060) (Ord. 93-28 § 1 (part), 1993)