5 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 2 cities in Santa Barbara County, California.
Verified from official government sources
In unincorporated Santa Barbara County, a building permit from the Planning & Development Building & Safety Division is required to construct or remodel a residential swimming pool or spa. The Building & Safety Division enforces the California Building and Residential Codes plus County amendments.
CA Health & Safety Code § 115922, as adopted via Santa Barbara County Code Ch. 10 (CRC Appendix V)
When a building permit is issued for the construction of a new swimming pool or spa or the remodeling of an existing swimming pool or spa at a private single-family home, the respective swimming pool or spa shall be equipped with at least two of the following seven drowning prevention safety features...
Pool barrier requirements in unincorporated Santa Barbara County come from California's Swimming Pool Safety Act (Health & Safety Code 115922-115923). An enclosure used to satisfy the law must be at least 60 inches high with no more than a 2-inch ground gap and a self-closing, self-latching gate.
California Health & Safety Code § 115923, as adopted via Santa Barbara County Code Ch. 10 (CBC/CRC Appendix V)
Any access gates through the enclosure open away from the swimming pool, and are self-closing with a self-latching device placed no lower than 60 inches above the ground... A minimum height of 60 inches... A maximum vertical clearance from the ground to the bottom of the enclosure of two inches... Gaps or voids, if any, do not allow passage of a sphere equal to or greater than four inches in di...
When the County issues a building permit for a new or remodeled residential pool or spa, California's Swimming Pool Safety Act (Health & Safety Code 115922) requires at least two of seven approved drowning-prevention safety features, such as an isolating enclosure, ASTM mesh fencing, a safety cover, door/window exit alarms, or self-latching home doors.
Above-ground pools in unincorporated Santa Barbara County are treated as accessory structures under the County Land Use & Development Code. They must keep at least five feet from any property line, stay out of front and side setbacks, and meet the state Swimming Pool Safety Act barrier rules when a building permit is issued.
Spas and hot tubs in unincorporated Santa Barbara County are accessory structures that must keep at least five feet from any property line under the County Land Use & Development Code. State law (Health & Safety Code 115922) allows a listed safety cover to count as a drowning-prevention feature for spas.
2 cities in Santa Barbara County have their own swimming pools & spas rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.
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