Dothan, AL Swimming Pools & Spas: Fencing & Safety Requirements (2026)

Dothan City Code § 114-183(b)(2)a requires every swimming pool or wading pool to be set back at least ten feet from the waterline to the nearest property line and completely enclosed by a fence or wall standing a minimum of four feet high, maintained in accordance with whatever swimming pool code the city has adopted for building permits. Every gate in that barrier must be locked at all times the pool is not actively in use, and the fence and gate materials must be built and installed so they keep children and ordinary household pets from getting into the pool area, not just present a token barrier.

A related standard in the same subsection, § 114-183(b)(2)b, addresses screened or roofed pool enclosures: an enclosure is not treated as part of the main house unless it is roofed with something other than transparent screening and is closed on every side except where it attaches to the house, and such an enclosure cannot sit closer than five feet to any property line. Planning and Development reviews pool fencing as part of the building permit for the pool, since the code ties the fence requirement to the same paragraph governing pool setbacks, and inspectors verify the four-foot minimum height and gate hardware before signing off on the installation.

Homeowners who install an above-ground or in-ground pool without the required enclosure, or who leave a gate propped open, are out of compliance with § 114-183(b)(2)a regardless of whether the pool itself was permitted.