Los Banos, CA Swimming Pools & Spas: Fencing & Safety Requirements (2026)

4405(f), part of the accessory-structures article for R-1 and R-2 zones, sets separate standards for in-ground and above-ground pools. An in-ground pool can sit in the rear or side yard with a minimum 3-foot setback from the rear and side property lines and a 5-foot setback from the principal dwelling; it must then be secured by fencing or building walls at least 5 feet high, and any gate in that fencing has to be self-closing and self-latching. An above-ground pool follows the same 3-foot and 5-foot setbacks, but the fencing requirement only kicks in once the pool holds more than 50 gallons, at which point it needs the identical 5-foot fence or wall enclosure with self-closing, self-latching gates.

Because Article 44 defines a swimming pool as an accessory structure, it also falls under the article's general standards: it is excluded from the lot-coverage percentage calculations that apply to sheds and other structures, but the pool and its enclosure still have to respect the setback and separation rules for whichever category of structure the fencing itself qualifies as. A pool built without the required fencing, or with a fence under 5 feet or gates that do not self-close and self-latch, does not meet the article's development standards, and the Community and Economic Development Director can require correction through the same zoning clearance process that applies to every other accessory structure in Article 44.