Santa Cruz County, CA Swimming Pools & Spas: Fencing Requirements (2026)

The Santa Cruz County Swimming Pool Enclosure Ordinance (SPEO), effective January 1, 2008, applies to single-family homes and duplexes in the unincorporated area of the County that have a swimming pool, spa, or hot tub. Under the SPEO compliance checklist, an outdoor pool, spa, or hot tub area must have a barrier or fence 60 inches high measured on the outside (away from the pool), with openings at the bottom of the barrier that do not allow passage of a 2-inch sphere. Other openings in the barrier must not allow passage of a 1 3/4-inch sphere, and the barrier must not be easily climbable by children due to planters, indentations, or protrusions. Chain-link barriers must be a minimum of 11 gauge with a maximum mesh size of 2.25 inches. All access gates must be self-closing and self-latching, with the release mechanism at least 60 inches high, and all gates must swing away from the pool. Where the home itself serves as part of the barrier and has doors or windows opening into the pool area, at least one of three features is required: self-closing/self-latching doors with a latch 60 inches above the floor; an audio door/window alarm with a deactivation switch at least 54 inches above the floor; or an approved safety cover on the pool, spa, and hot tub. Building permits are required to build or rebuild an enclosure fence, but minor changes such as moving a gate latch or changing the gate swing direction are exempt.