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Council rejects lowering pool-fence requirement to 4 feet with automatic cover option
Summary
A proposed ordinance amendment that would allow a 4-foot fence (instead of 6 feet) if an automatic pool cover meeting ASTM F1346 standards is in place failed on council vote.
The City Council voted down a proposed amendment to Watertown’s pool fencing ordinance that would have permitted a fence height as low as 48 inches if an automatic pool cover meeting ASTM F1346 specifications is installed.
City planner Carla Hoyer said the amendment was prompted by a denied variance and a review of building-code provisions; the city does not adopt the International Swimming Pool and Spa Code in full but staff sought to align fence-barrier language with modern standards. "If you have the safety cover in place, to the specs listed there, the ASTM 1346, then you're able to drop down to a 4 foot fence," Hoyer said.
Council members debated safety and liability. Councilman Danforth urged caution and said he would vote against lowering the minimum: "The last thing I wanna do when I'm off this council in a couple weeks is to look back a year, 2 years from now and see where some little child jumped a 4 foot fence... I will be voting no on this and purely from a child protection standpoint," he said. Councilman Tupper and Councilman Bealer also voiced concern and said they preferred retaining the 6-foot requirement for additional safety. Other council members said they were persuaded by peer communities that allow the reduction with an automatic cover and by the fact the amendment would still allow property owners to install a taller fence if they choose.
When the council called the roll, the measure failed. Interim City Manager Bob Zine read votes: Mayor Helene (Aye), Durand (Aye), Peters (Aye), Shetty (Nay), Tupper (Nay), Bueller (Nay), Danforth (Nay). The chair declared the motion failed.
The amendment would have changed Chapter 21.29 to allow a 4-foot fence only where an automatic pool cover meeting the ASTM F1346 standard is used and required appropriate self-latching hardware; Hoyer said code enforcement could act if owners did not use their cover as required. Council defeated the change on safety grounds and by a recorded vote.
