Town of Chelmsford, MA Chapter 146 Swimming Pools

[HISTORY: Adopted by the Annual Town Meeting of the Town of Chelmsford 10-22-1998 by Art. 27. Amendments noted where applicable.]

§ 146-1 Enclosure required.

Any constructed pool located above or below the ground, whether portable or fixed, used or capable of being used for swimming, wading or bathing purposes and having a depth of at least two feet and a capacity of at least 200 cubic feet in volume shall be subject to the following requirements:

A. Every outdoor swimming pool shall be completely surrounded at all times, whether or not filled with water, by a fence or wall not less than four feet in height, unless the pool wall itself is four feet or more above grade at all points.

B. Every such fence, wall, door or gate shall be constructed so as not to have openings, holes or gaps larger than two inches in a horizontal dimension and four inches in a vertical dimension or shall be otherwise designed, constructed and maintained to be nonclimbable by small children. The wire sizes for all fences and doors fabricated with wire mesh shall not be less than No. 16 wire. The gates or door openings in the fence shall be at least of the same height and construction as the fence or wall and shall be equipped with a self-closing and self-latching device located at least four feet above the underlying ground and inaccessible from the outside to small children. Every gate or door shall be kept locked at all times when the swimming pool enclosure is not in use.

C. All ladders used to gain access to aboveground pools shall be removed or placed so as not to allow entrance by small children when the pool is not in use. No permanent ladders may be attached to aboveground pools on the outside unless the pool is surrounded by a separate fence as specified above.

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