Weber County, UT Swimming Pools & Spas: Fencing & Safety Requirements (2026)

Section 108-7-18 treats an outdoor, permanent, in-ground swimming pool as an accessory use permitted to the side or rear of a dwelling or a private or public facility, but only if the pool meets three listed requirements; the section explicitly does not reach outdoor, temporary, above-ground pools. First, the pool and its accessory machinery must sit at least ten feet from every property line, and if the zone where the pool sits calls for a larger setback than ten feet, that stricter zone setback controls instead.

A structure built to enclose the pool's pump or filtration machinery only needs the ordinary accessory-building setback for its zone. Second, the pool must be completely enclosed by a substantial fence of not less than six feet in height, or, as an alternative, by a power safety cover that meets International Building Code requirements. The code defines "substantial fence" specifically: it must be a fence that will not allow normal passage by any person except through a gate that is otherwise locked. A low decorative fence, an unlocked gate, or a fence with gaps a person or small child could pass through would not satisfy the definition.

Third, any lighting used to illuminate the pool or its accessories has to be arranged so the light reflects away from adjoining properties, protecting neighbors from glare and light trespass. Because § 108-7-18 sits in Title 108's supplemental development standards, compliance is checked when the county issues the land use and building permits required for pool construction; a pool built without the required fence or cover is out of compliance with the Land Use Code from the day it holds water.