Franklin County, KY Swimming Pools & Spas: Fencing & Safety Requirements (2026)

The pool barrier rule is note (3) to the accessory use table in § 155.217 of the Franklin County Code. It applies to permanently installed above ground swimming pools equal to or greater than 30 inches deep, and it requires safety barriers to be constructed simultaneous to the pool's construction. The barrier cannot be added later, after the pool is already filled. The table row for swimming pool lists front setback 'X', meaning not permitted, and 2 feet for the side and rear, with no height limit applying.

The required barrier can be a wall or fence at least 48 inches in height around the pool or around the property. Fencing the whole property therefore satisfies the rule as long as it meets the height. A fence or wall used as a barrier must have a self-latching gate with the release mechanism on the pool side of the gate, which keeps a child outside the barrier from reaching the latch.

The note also covers pools whose own wall is the barrier. Where an above ground pool structure is used as a barrier, or where the barrier is mounted on top of the pool structure, and the means of access is a ladder or steps, the ladder or steps must be capable of being secured, locked or removed to prevent access, or must be surrounded by a barrier wall or fence. An existing barrier on the property at the time of pool construction fulfills the barrier requirement, so a fenced yard that already meets the 48-inch standard needs nothing further.

The note speaks to permanently installed above ground pools. It does not print a barrier standard for in-ground pools, which is an open question for those owners. Fence height limits in § 155.215(C) still apply to the barrier, and a barrier fence cannot be barbed wire or electric in a residential district. The Frankfort-Franklin County Planning and Community Development office administers Chapter 155 for the Franklin County Fiscal Court, and Frankfort has its own separate code.