Rockville planning commission approves pool permit for Lowe property on West Grafton Road

The Rockville Planning Commission on June 10 approved a building permit for a residential pool at the Lowe property on West Grafton Road and clarified local code and state-code requirements related to pool construction and accessory structures.

The commission voted to approve the application after the applicant confirmed plans to comply with state pool-code requirements and to submit missing contractor license numbers. Commissioners and staff also discussed filling the pool from a private well rather than a municipal hydrant and required safety and enclosure features.

Commissioners raised several technical matters before voting. Staff noted the submitted plans did not show a pool deck, fence or pool cover and asked the applicant to update plans to reflect state code requirements. The applicant confirmed he would update the plans and submit contractor license numbers. Commissioners also discussed whether excavation and grading for pools should be permitted through a separate excavation permit or included in the pool permit when excavation was already covered in the home's building permit. The commission agreed to treat a pool permit as sufficient in this instance if excavation had been included in the original house construction documents, but signaled the town should clarify permitting language for future applications so excavation rules and limits are explicit in the pool permit form.

Commissioners reiterated that plumbing is not permitted inside accessory buildings under current town rules. Staff said plumbing for the pool may run on the exterior of the accessory building but that water fixtures must remain outside the building envelope (for example, a hose bib). The applicant said the pool house plumbing shown on an older civil site plan had been removed from the building documents and that current building documents reflect no plumbing inside the accessory structure.

The commission discussed project details with the applicant and contractor, including pool model and dimensions; the applicant said the fiberglass pool planned is shown on the site plan as the Monaco/Illusion model, about 40 feet by 15 feet 4 inches, with a 5-foot-5-inch by 5-foot-5-inch hot tub. Commission members asked whether the pool would be filled from the property's well or irrigation; the applicant confirmed the well would likely be used.

The commission formally approved the permit by roll-call vote. The motion as entered states that the application complies with Chapter 5.1 of the Rockville Land Use Code and the Rockville General Plan, that the applicant has been made aware of state pool-code requirements and agrees to comply, and that no plumbing shall be added to the accessory unit associated with the pool. Staff will follow up with the applicant to obtain contractor license numbers and any revised plan sheets.

The applicant was present on Zoom and the permit passed by roll call. The commission did not require an additional excavation fee in this case where excavation had been covered by the original house permit; staff indicated they will draft clearer permit language for future pool applications.