Irvington, NJ Swimming Pools & Spas: Fencing & Safety Requirements (2026)

Section 571-57 sits in Article II of Chapter 571, Swimming Pools, added July 14, 1970, by Ord. No. MC 2255, alongside the article's building permit and license requirements. For a permanent outdoor pool, subsection A sets the fence between a floor of four feet and a ceiling of five feet, requires 'substantial gates of at least the height of the fence,' and demands that the whole enclosure be 'so designed and constructed as to reasonably prevent any child or person from gaining access,' with every gate 'kept securely locked at all times when the pool is not in use,' not just at night or when the owner is away.

Subsection B gives portable pools a different compliance path: instead of a permanent fence, the owner may use 'a suitable strong covering' that must be secured in place whenever the pool is not in use, and any access ladder or steps must be removed so a child cannot climb in unsupervised. The fencing rule works alongside the article's other safety sections: § 571-48 bars pool lighting from glaring onto neighboring properties and requires it switched off once the pool closes for the night, and § 571-53 gives the Building Inspector, Plumbing Inspector, Health Officer, Sanitarian or any police officer standing to inspect the enclosure at any time.

Operating a pool that does not meet the enclosure standard is treated as operating a 'nonconforming pool' under § 571-55, and the Municipal Council can revoke the pool's operating license under § 571-47 if the unenclosed pool becomes a hazard to users or neighboring occupants.