Updated as of June 2018
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This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the “Swimming Pool Ordinance of the Township of Shamong.”
For the purpose of this chapter, the following terms, phrases, words and their derivations shall have the meaning given herein:
Any private swimming pool which remains in a particular location at times other than during the calendar months between May 1 and October 1, whether or not disassembly or movement of such pool is feasible or possible.
Any private swimming pool of a type entirely above ground surface with a capacity not exceeding a depth of two feet, not stationary or fixed and capable of being moved or removed for storage at will.
Includes any body of water in an artificial receptacle or other container, whether located indoors or outdoors, designed to be used, intended to be used or in fact utilized for swimming purposes by an individual for use by his household and guests without fees. Further, it shall mean and include flow-through and recirculation pools which are artificially constructed to provide recreational facilities for swimming, bathing or wading and all buildings, equipment and appurtenances thereto, but does not include natural lakes, rivers or ponds.
A private swimming pool which is removed from the area in which it is used or available for use and stored for a period not less than six months during each year.
150-3Private swimming pool permits.
Application for permits for the installation, construction, placement or maintenance of any private swimming pool other than a portable swimming pool shall be made to the Construction Code Official by the owner of the property on which it is to be constructed or by the contractor who will construct the same. The application shall be accompanied by duplicate sets of plans, specifications and plot plans of the property. The plot plan shall show the accurate location of the proposed pool on the property, together with any proposed accessory buildings. The plot plan shall also show the location height and type of all existing fencing or walks on the boundary lines of the property, together with the height and type of fencing or enclosure as may be required by this chapter.
Permit fees. A permit fee shall be paid to the Township for the permit to erect any private swimming pool other than a portable swimming pool, which permit fee shall be exclusive of any permit fee required for the construction of any accessory structure to be used in connection with such swimming pool, in the following amounts:
Permanent swimming pool:
| Cost of Pool | Fee | |
| Up to $3,000 | $25 | |
| Over $3,000 | $35 |
Temporary swimming pool: All fees shall be $10.
No permit for a private swimming pool shall be issued by the Construction Code Official until the plans, specifications and plot plan have been reviewed by the Zoning Officer and the Plumbing Inspector.
150-4Construction and maintenance.
Swimming pool walls and floors shall be constructed of any impervious material which will provide a tight tank with light-colored finish and easily cleaned surfaces.
Private swimming pools shall be designed to withstand water pressure from within and to resist the pressure of the earth when the pool is empty to a pressure of 2,200 pounds per square foot.
Pools shall be so designed and constructed as to facilitate emptying and cleaning and shall be maintained and operated in such a manner as to be clean and sanitary at any time when any such pool shall be in use or at such times as the same shall be subject to use. Sand or earth bottoms shall not be used.
There shall be no physical connection between a potable water supply system and any private swimming pool, below the maximum water line of the pool or to a recirculating or heating system of a pool. The piping system shall be designed to circulate the pool water through filtering equipment.
The installation, repair and control of plumbing facilities shall comply with the Plumbing Code of the Township.[1]
Editor’s Note: See Ch. 186, Plumbing.
Private swimming pools with a water depth of more than two feet hereinafter constructed or installed within the Township shall be provided with the necessary equipment to completely pump out or empty the pool or shall be emptied by providing one drainage outlet, to be installed at the lowest point of the pool, not in excess of three inches in diameter extending from the pool to either a storm sewer, storm sewer catch basin, lawn watering system, adequate dry well or sand filtering pit on the premises on which the pool is located. Discharge of water from such pool into a storm sewer shall be permitted only where the capacity, as determined by the Township Engineer, is adequate to accept said discharge. Pool water may not be discharged at the curb or on the surface of any street.
In each permanent or temporary swimming pool at least one skimming device shall be provided for each 800 square feet of surface area or fraction thereof, which skimming device shall adequately remove floated oils and waste, and be supplied with an easily removable and cleanable basket or screen through which overflow water must pass to trap large solids.
Recirculation system for permanent and temporary swimming pools.
The swimming pools’ recirculation systems shall consist of pumping equipment, hair and lint catcher, filters, together with the necessary pipe connections to the pool inlets and outlets, facilities and pipe connections necessary for backwashing filters, and facilities and equipment for disinfecting the pool water.
The recirculating system shall have an hourly capacity equal to the pool volume divided by eight.
The pump used for back-washing filters shall have sufficient capacity to provide a filter backwash rate of at least 12 gallons per minute per square foot of filter area.
All permanent or temporary swimming pools shall be provided with equipment for the disinfection of all pool water. Any disinfection method using materials other than chlorine compounds shall be subject to the approval of the Construction Code Official. Disinfection equipment installed for the use of chlorine compounds shall have sufficient capacity to maintain a minimum free chlorine residual of 0.5 part per million. The disinfectant shall be introduced into the recirculation system ahead of the filters. The Board of Health is hereby authorized to take samples to insure compliance with these requirements.
150-5Enclosure of swimming pools.
All private swimming pools now existing or hereafter constructed, with the exception of portable swimming pools, shall be completely and continuously surrounded by a permanent durable wall, fence or other structure not less than four feet nor more than six feet in height, above grade, with no opening, mesh, hole or gap larger than four inches in any dimension, except for doors or gates, which doors or gates shall be equipped with a self-closing and self-latching device for keeping such door or gate closed at all times when not in actual use.
All doors or gates shall be of such size as to completely fill any opening in the fence or wall and shall conform to the specifications above as to height and dimension of opening of holes or gaps. The owner or person in possession of the premises upon which such swimming pool exists shall keep such door closed and securely latched at all times when such pool is not in use.
No fence or other structure shall be required of a private swimming pool extending four or more feet above grade, provided that the stairs or other means of access to the pool is effectively closed with a gate as provided above, which shall be closed and securely latched at all times when such pool is not in use.
Portable pools (wading pools) shall be enclosed by a durable wall or fence as described above unless one of the following regulations is carried out:
The pool is emptied when not in use or unattended.
The pool is covered with a suitable, strong protective covering, securely fastened or locked in place when not in use or unattended. A cover shall be considered to be of sufficient strength and securely fastened or locked in place if, when fastened or locked in place, it will support a minimum dead weight of 100 pounds.
Lighting used to illuminate any private swimming pool shall be so arranged and shaded as to reflect light away from adjoining premises. No unshaded lighting shall be permitted, nor shall any lighting be so arranged as to be a nuisance or any annoyance to neighboring properties.
No permanent or temporary swimming pool or accessory building shall be erected or placed nearer to a street property line or nearer to a side or rear property line than would be allowed for auxiliary buildings in the various zoning districts of the Township.
150-8Abatement of nuisances; accessory buildings.
Any nuisance which may exist or develop in or in consequence of or in connection with any private swimming pool shall be abated and/or removed by the owners, as the case may be.
Any accessory buildings such as bath houses, shower rooms, locker rooms, runways or other physical facilities or equipment incident to the maintenance and operation of any of the above described shall be in conformance with the rules, regulations and ordinances of the Township Committee and the Board of Health.
It shall be the duty of the Construction Code Official and the Secretary of the Board of Health to enforce the provisions of this chapter.
The owner or operator of any private swimming pool within the Township shall allow the Construction Code Official or the Secretary of the Board of Health or their agents’ access to any private swimming pool and appurtenances thereto for the purpose of inspection to ascertain compliance with this chapter and all other pertinent Township ordinances at all reasonable times.
150-10Violations and penalties.
[Amended 5-6-2008 by Ord. No. 2008-005]
Any person, firm, corporation, association or legal party whatsoever who or which shall violate, or authorize or procure a violation, or cause to be violated, any provision of this chapter shall, upon conviction thereof, be punishable as provided in Chapter 1, General Provisions, Article II, General Penalty, § 1-15, governing general penalty provisions.
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