5 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 1 city in Washtenaw County, Michigan.
Verified from official government sources
Washtenaw County itself does not permit backyard pools. Michigan's statewide Residential Code requires a building permit for any pool, hot tub, or spa holding 24 inches or more of water. Apply through your city or township building department (Ann Arbor, Ypsilanti, etc.).
Under the statewide Michigan Residential Code (adopting the 2015 pool/spa code), any outdoor pool, spa, or hot tub must be surrounded by a barrier at least 48 inches tall. Ground clearance cannot exceed 2 inches, and openings must not pass a 4-inch sphere.
Michigan's Residential Code requires self-closing, self-latching gates that swing away from the pool, with the latch release on the pool side. Where the house forms part of the barrier, doors need alarms or the pool needs an ASTM F1346 power safety cover.
Above-ground pools still need a barrier under Michigan's Residential Code. If the pool wall serves as the barrier and access is by ladder or steps, the ladder must be removable, lockable, or fenced so children cannot climb in when the pool is unattended.
A residential hot tub or spa with a safety cover meeting ASTM F1346 is exempt from the pool-barrier requirement under Michigan's Residential Code. A backyard spa serving your own home is not a regulated 'public swimming pool' under state health law.
1 cities in Washtenaw County have their own swimming pools & spas rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.
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