Above-ground pools holding water over 18 inches deep are regulated identically to in-ground pools in Sonoma - building permit, 5-foot side/rear setback under SMC 19.40.110, and the HSC §115922 two-feature drowning-prevention requirement all apply.
Permit Sonoma CNI-044 explicitly defines a 'private swimming pool' as any structure - in-ground or above-ground - designed for swimming or recreational bathing containing water exceeding 18 inches deep. That triggers SMC 19.50.080 (accessory use), SMC 19.40.110 (a five-foot minimum setback from side and rear property lines for pools and spas), the city-adopted California Building Code (CBC Appendix V/Chapter 31), and HSC §115922's two-of-seven safety-feature mandate. Above-ground pool walls themselves can satisfy part of the barrier requirement only if they are at least 48-60 inches high, lack handholds, and any access ladder is removable or enclosed by a compliant gate - otherwise a separate enclosure is required. Electrical: receptacles and bonding requirements under CEC Article 680 (10-foot setback for circulation power, 6-foot exclusion zone for general receptacles, GFCI within 20 feet) apply equally to above-ground installations.
Installing an above-ground pool >18" deep without a permit is a code violation; Permit Sonoma can issue stop-work notices and double permit fees as an investigation surcharge. Failure to maintain the 5-foot setback can require relocation or variance.
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