Charleston, WV Swimming Pools & Spas: Fencing & Safety Requirements (2026)
Key Facts
- Fence height
- 6 to 10 feet
- Gate/fence
- Must be lockable when unguarded
- Pool setback
- 100 ft from residential lot line
- Applies to
- Community/membership pools, not private
Summary
Charleston's zoning ordinance requires community swimming pools to be enclosed by a wall or fence between 6 and 10 feet high that can be locked whenever the pool isn't staffed by a guard.
Community swimming pools shall comply with the following:
a. No pool or accessory facilities shall be located less than 100 feet from any lot line of a
residential district.
69 City of Charleston, West Virginia Zoning Ordinance
b. The City-County Health Department shall certify the adequacy of the locations and the
capacities of toilet, shower and dressing facilities for bathers and the adequacy of the
proposed pool purification system.
c. The use in a residential district of any radio, recording device, public address system or
other speaker shall be restricted solely to that necessary for safety purposes of organized
sport activities, and shall not be used for the playing out-of-doors of music or other
entertainment.
d. The pool or zoning lot shall be surrounded by a wall or fence no less than 6 feet high, nor
more than 10 feet high, which can be locked when the pool is not guarded.
43. Travel trailer parks shall comply with the following:
a. The maximum period of time that any trailer may be located in a travel trailer park shall
be 14 days.
b. Within a travel trailer park, trailers shall be spaced a minimum of 15 feet apart.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: the cited page had not changed since it was quoted.
Full Breakdown
Under the Charleston Zoning Ordinance, a "community swimming pool", one operated by a public or nonprofit entity or for a private membership, as opposed to a household's own backyard pool, must sit at least 100 feet from any residential district lot line and be surrounded by a wall or fence no less than 6 feet and no more than 10 feet high. That barrier has to be capable of being locked so the pool can be secured any time it isn't under guard supervision. The City-County Health Department also signs off on the restroom, shower, and pool-purification facilities before the pool can operate.
Violations & Fines
Violating the zoning ordinance is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of $50 to $500 (Sec. 37-020); the city can also seek a court injunction to force compliance or removal.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this fence rule cover my backyard pool?
How tall does a Charleston community pool fence have to be?
What's the penalty for skipping the required pool barrier?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Charleston
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