Bannock County, ID Swimming Pools & Spas: Fencing & Safety Requirements (2026)

Bannock County Code Section 17.52.060, part of the accessory-use article that Section 17.52.010 makes applicable to every zoning district in unincorporated Bannock County, sets three rules for private swimming pools and tennis courts. Subsection (A) treats the pool as part of the yard: pools and courts, including their aprons, walls, and equipment rooms, cannot protrude into any required setback, so decking and equipment sheds count against the same setback lines that apply to the house. Subsection (B) is the fencing rule: 'Pools shall be fenced or otherwise protected against intrusion.' The ordinance does not spell out a minimum fence height, a self-closing gate mechanism, or a specific barrier design, leaving the method up to the property owner as long as it functions to keep out uninvited access.

A separate 2018 International Residential Code amendment in Section 15.04.200 exempts prefabricated swimming pools that are no more than four feet deep from needing a building permit, but that construction-permit exemption is distinct from the Section 17.52.060(B) fencing duty, which is not tied to permit status or pool depth. Subsection (C) bars operating a pool as a business or private club unless the development is part of an approved planned unit development or is otherwise permitted by the zoning ordinance. Because Section 17.52.060 sits in the general regulations chapter rather than a single district's rules, Planning and Development Services applies it to pools built anywhere in unincorporated Bannock County, not just one zoning district.