Above-ground pools in unincorporated Alpine County need a building permit if 24 inches or deeper or holding more than 5,000 gallons (California Building Code 105.2, adopted in ACC 15.04.020). Even exempt pools must meet the Swimming Pool Safety Act barrier rules under Health & Safety Code 115923, and the pool counts as a 'structure' subject to zoning setbacks.
Alpine County adopts the California Building Code in Alpine County Code 15.04.020. Under California Building Code Section 105.2, a prefabricated above-ground pool accessory to a single-family home is permit-exempt only if it is less than 24 inches deep, holds no more than 5,000 gallons, and is installed entirely above ground; above those thresholds a building permit is required. Regardless of permit status, once the pool holds water more than 18 inches deep it is a 'swimming pool' under Health & Safety Code Section 115921 and triggers the Section 115922-115923 safety and barrier rules adopted through California Residential Code Appendix AX. For an above-ground pool with walls at least 48 inches high, the pool wall can serve as the barrier if the access ladder is removable or lockable when the pool is unattended and any attached deck or steps are gated. Separately, ACC 18.08 defines a swimming pool as a 'structure,' so an above-ground pool must respect the yard setbacks of its zone (for example, in the RN zone, 30-foot front yards and 20-foot side and rear yards under ACC 18.36.040).
Installing an above-ground pool over the 24-inch/5,000-gallon thresholds without a permit allows the building official to issue a stop-work order under the adopted CBC. Leaving a fixed ladder in place on a barrier pool when unattended is a barrier violation. Placing the pool in a required setback violates the zoning yard requirements (e.g., ACC 18.36.040) and can require relocation.
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