Eagan, MN Swimming Pools & Spas: Fencing & Safety Requirements (2026)

Eagan's pool-fencing rule, City Code § 4.70, applies to any 'outdoor swimming pool,' defined in Subd. 1 as a structure, basin, chamber or tank holding an artificial body of water for swimming, diving or recreational bathing at a single-family dwelling, with a depth exceeding 24 inches at any point and a surface area over 150 square feet. Subdivision 2(A) requires every such pool, whether already built or newly constructed, to be completely enclosed by a security fence or wall between four and six feet high, set at least four feet from the pool's edge.

The bottom of the fence or wall can be no higher than four inches off the ground, closing off the gap that lets small children reach the water. Any gate or other opening into the pool enclosure must be self-closing and self-latching, with a lockable latch. Subdivision 2(B) adds a design standard on top of the height and gate rules: the fence or wall must be of a nonclimbing type, built so toddlers cannot get over it, and it cannot offer external handholds or footholds that make climbing easier.

Above-ground pools get a narrower exception under Subd. 3: if the pool itself has vertical or outward-inclined sidewalls at least four feet high, the surrounding yard fence is not required, provided the pool's own access point is either a self-closing, self-latching lockable gate, or a removable ladder, ramp or stairs that is taken away whenever the pool is not in use. Eagan's Protective Inspections division enforces these standards alongside the building permit required for pool construction, and Subd. 4 makes clear the fencing rule applies on top of, not instead of, the city's other building and zoning requirements for pools.