Above-ground pools are allowed in Dakota County, but rules on permits, setbacks, and fencing come from your city, not the county. Once a pool holds water over about 24 inches deep, the Minnesota State Building Code barrier requirement usually applies.
There is no county-wide above-ground pool ordinance in Dakota County. Cities such as Apple Valley, Burnsville, Eagan, and Lakeville decide whether a permit is needed, where the pool may sit relative to lot lines, and how it must be enclosed. Under the Minnesota State Building Code, an outdoor pool capable of holding water deeper than roughly 24 inches is treated as a pool requiring a barrier at least 48 inches high; an above-ground pool wall of adequate height can serve as part of that barrier if any ladder or steps are removable or secured. On unsewered rural lots, county Ordinance 113 septic and Minn. R. 4725 well setbacks still apply.
Installing an above-ground pool without a required city permit or without the code barrier can bring city correction notices, denied final inspection, and fines until the enclosure is brought into compliance.
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See how Dakota County's above-ground pools rules stack up against other locations.
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