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Parks board begins rewrite of municipal pool ordinance to align with state rules, clarify conduct and fees
Summary
The Alpine Parks and Recreation Board reviewed the city's municipal pool ordinance, directing staff to update language to match state public-pool requirements, move admission charges to the city's fee schedule, and draft clearer rules on alcohol, supervision ages, signage and lifeguard staffing.
The Alpine Parks and Recreation Board on Feb. 12 began a line-by-line review of the city's municipal pool ordinance and directed staff to draft updates that keep state health-and-safety requirements while clarifying local enforcement, fees and operations.
Board members said the ordinance is outdated and asked staff and legal counsel to produce a revised draft for later review. Megan, a city staff member involved in the ordinance review, said the city must remain at least as strict as state public-pool regulations: "We can always go stricter, but we cannot go weaker." She also noted the city will consult municipal peers and its legal team before finalizing changes.
The board identified several specific changes it wants to see in a draft ordinance: move admission charges from a yearly council resolution into a consolidated fee schedule; remove or tighten a clause that would allow "other rules, regulations, and administrative policies" to become part of the ordinance without explicit council direction; and add clearer penalties and fine amounts so municipal court referrals are unambiguous. The board agreed to "take it out" of the ordinance if the supplemental-rules language proved unnecessary and to have legal staff confirm the proper phrasing.
Members discussed operational rules where clarity matters to lifeguards and users. Items flagged for revision include: allowing nonalcoholic beverages but banning glass and alcohol in the pool area and adjacent parking; permitting nonbarbecue food and limited concessions; specifying that vaping and smoking are prohibited; clarifying when diapers or special swimwear are required; and keeping limits on running, rough play and diving-area use. The board also asked staff to add explicit guidance on the number of swimmers per lifeguard and on required lifeguard breaks and rotation.
The board debated the child-supervision standard currently in the ordinance, which reads "all children under 6 must be accompanied by a parent or responsible adult." Members said the board's current practice uses a higher supervision age and discussed changing the ordinance language to reflect that practice; several members voiced support for supervision for children 12 and under or a compromise near age 13. No formal motion was made to set a new age; the board asked staff to return with recommended language.
Board members also asked staff to remove archaic requirements such as mandatory bathing caps if state guidance no longer requires them and to confirm which rules must remain because of state law. Megan said the city has a certified public pool operator on staff in addition to her review role and will consult that operator during drafting.
The board did not adopt final ordinance language at the meeting. Next steps: staff will prepare a draft that incorporates the board's feedback, send it to the city's legal team for review, and circulate sample language from other cities for comparison.
The item will return for further review once legal counsel and the certified pool operator have weighed in.
