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

010(k) (Swimming Pools, Spas, and Hot Tubs) sits within the zoning code's Accessory Uses and Structures section and applies citywide to any in-ground or above-ground pool, spa, or hot tub. Pools may be located anywhere on a lot except within the required front or corner side yard setback and within existing easements. The core safety standard is the fence or wall: it must be at least six feet high and must enclose the pool, spa, or hot tub completely so that unauthorized access is prevented; hedges or other plant material are explicitly barred from substituting for a solid fence or wall.

If the barrier is a nonsolid fence rather than a wall, the code limits any openings in it to a maximum of four inches, closing off the gaps a small child could otherwise squeeze through. Every gate or door in the enclosure must be self-closing and self-latching so it cannot be left propped open. For safety access during an emergency, a three-foot-wide clear path must be maintained around at least fifty percent of the pool's perimeter, though this emergency-access requirement does not apply to spas and hot tubs.

Pool and spa equipment, such as pumps and filters, must sit back a minimum of two and one-half feet from the property line, and the equipment must be screened with a surround that matches the exterior of the principal structure. These standards apply on top of, not instead of, any state Building Code or Health and Safety Code pool barrier requirements, and compliance is verified through the building permit process before a pool permit is finaled.