Swimming Pools & Spas in James City County, VA (2026)
2 rules for unincorporated James City County, Virginia.
Verified from official government sources
Pool Permits
James City County treats an in-ground swimming pool as an accessory use under the Chesapeake Bay Preservation Ordinance, so any modification or expansion of an existing pool needs a formal exception review. Because a pool counts as impervious cover, it also has to fit inside the 60 percent impervious-cover cap that applies to every lot in the county's Chesapeake Bay Preservation Area, which covers the whole county.
Building a Residential Pool in James City County
Some RestrictionsJames City County Code §§ 23-3, 23-9(b)(1)b
Accessory uses include, but are not limited to, in-ground pools, patios, terraces, tennis courts, synthetic turf, and other impermeable landings that do not permit infiltration to groundwater. Any modification or expansion to an accessory use must be reviewed and approved using a formal exception process. ... Impervious cover shall not exceed 60 percent of the site unless it can be demonstrated...
Fencing & Safety Requirements
Any swimming pool in a James City County residential zoned area must have a code-compliant barrier in place before it is built, maintained, used, possessed or controlled, and that barrier cannot be modified, altered, demolished or left unsecured while the pool sits idle. Section 15-28 defines a covered pool as any in-ground structure holding water more than two feet deep and points to the Building Code for the barrier standard itself.
James City County Pool Barrier Requirement
Some RestrictionsJames City County Code § 15-28
It shall be unlawful for any person in any area zoned for residential use to: (a)Construct, maintain, use, possess or control any swimming pool without having in place a proper barrier, not to include automatic covers, as defined by the currently applicable Building Code; or(b)Modify, alter or demolish in any such swimming pool barrier, and shall be unlawful for any person using, possessing or ...
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