Bensalem, PA Swimming Pools & Spas: Fencing & Safety Requirements (2026)

Section 232-588(a) of the Bensalem Township Zoning Code sets the area rules for swimming pools, spas, and hot tubs accessory to one- and two-family detached residential dwellings. Any such pool 18 inches deep or more cannot be located in any front yard and must be positioned so that every point on the pool sits at least ten feet from any property line. On a corner lot, the pool cannot go in either front yard setback, cannot sit closer to the street line than the house itself, and still needs the ten-foot minimum from any side property line.

The same subsection then imposes the enclosure requirement: all such pools, spas, and hot tubs must be enclosed in accordance with Section 421.10 of the BOCA National Building Code of 1993, as amended, which is the barrier standard the Township adopted by reference rather than writing its own fence specifications. Commercial or public pools are treated differently under Section 232-588(b): they are regulated as a building, must meet the area and dimensional requirements of the zoning district they sit in, and any application for one must be submitted as a land development application under the Bensalem Township Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance. The Department of Building and Planning reviews residential pool applications against the ten-foot setback and BOCA enclosure standard before issuing a permit.