Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Safety Pool Safety topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Planning commission to study whether high-quality pool covers can substitute for 6-foot fences
Summary
After a resident asked that high-end safety pool covers be accepted in lieu of 6-foot self-latching fences, the planning commission asked the council to direct staff to research other cities' ordinances and report back; council members emphasized child-safety concerns and legal exposure and asked for more information next month.
The planning commission asked the council to consider whether municipal pool-safety rules should be updated to allow specific, certified safety pool covers to fulfill the current 6-foot self-latching fence requirement.
A resident raised the idea that a high-quality pool cover could substitute for a fence; planning commissioner Darren (S14) said some Utah cities have adopted similar exceptions. "They claim that this pool company...has done all over the state," he said, referring to the vendor claim that some cities accepted covers in lieu of fences.
Council members expressed caution. The city attorney (S7) advised that not having an ordinance—or repealing an existing one—could expose the town to liability; several council members stressed that fencing is a proven child-safety measure and requested the planning commission gather examples and legal guidance to present at the next meeting.
Next steps: the planning commission will research how peer cities have structured pool-safety exceptions and return with suggested ordinance language and liability considerations; the council asked staff to include the item on a future agenda for deliberation.
