Huntington, NY Swimming Pools & Spas: Fencing & Safety Requirements (2026)
Key Facts
- Section
- Huntington Code § 156-5
- Gate requirement
- Self-closing, self-latching, childproof lock
- Barrier standard cross-ref
- § 87-81
- First-offense fine
- $500 to $5,000
- Enacted
- L.L. No. 19-2020, amended L.L. No. 64-2021
Summary
Huntington bans maintaining a swimming pool without a code-compliant fence or barrier, a self-closing, self-latching gate with a childproof lock, or leaving the gate unlocked while the pool sits unattended. The fence must meet the separate barrier standard in § 87-81.
It shall be unlawful for any person or business entity to maintain a swimming pool without a fence or barrier that complies with § 87-81 of this Code, to maintain a swimming pool without a self-closing and self-latching gate with a childproof lock, or to leave a swimming pool gate unlocked when the pool is unattended.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4940543; v75 updated 2026-06-09; through 06-09-2026).
Full Breakdown
Town Code § 156-5, added in 2020 and amended in 2021, makes it unlawful for any person or business entity to maintain a swimming pool without a fence or barrier that complies with § 87-81 of the Code, to maintain a pool without a self-closing and self-latching gate equipped with a childproof lock, or to leave a pool gate unlocked when the pool is unattended. The section sits in Chapter 156, Article I, Hazardous Containers, Structures, and Conditions, alongside related bans on open wells, cesspools, recharge basins and catch basins, reflecting the Town's focus on drowning and injury hazards from unsecured openings on residential property.
Because the barrier specification itself is cross-referenced to § 87-81 in the building chapter, an inspector checking a pool complaint verifies both that a barrier exists and that it meets the separate fence-height and construction standard before citing a property, and a self-latching gate left propped open or with a broken latch is itself a violation even if the fence is otherwise intact. The Director of Engineering Services and code enforcement officers in the Department of Public Safety handle inspections and complaints arising under this article.
Violations & Fines
Violations of Article I, including § 156-5, are penalized under § 156-11: a fine of $500 to $5,000 for a first offense, $1,000 to $10,000 for a second offense within five years, and $1,500 to $15,000 for a third or subsequent offense within five years. Each day the unenclosed or unlatched condition continues after notice is a separate offense, and the Bureau of Administrative Adjudication may impose penalties within the same ranges.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Huntington require a fence around a residential swimming pool?
Is it a violation to leave the pool gate unlocked overnight in Huntington?
What is the fine for an unenclosed pool in Huntington?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Huntington
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