Williamson County, TN Swimming Pools & Spas: Fencing & Safety Requirements (2026)

04(D)(13) of the Williamson County Zoning Ordinance treats a residential swimming pool as an accessory use and conditions it on a permanent safety fence. The fence must stand a minimum of four feet high, run continuously around the pool area, and sit no more than four inches above finished grade so nothing can slip underneath. Gaps in the fencing cannot be wide enough to pass a four-inch sphere. The ordinance specifically bars temporary alternatives: T-post fencing wrapped in nylon webbing or chicken wire does not satisfy the requirement, and the barrier must be built of durable, permanently installed material.

Access gates carry the same height and gap rules as the rest of the fence, but add two more conditions found nowhere else in the section: the gate must swing outward, away from the water, and it must be self-closing and self-latching so it cannot be left propped open. The duty to maintain the fence does not end at installation; the ordinance requires it to remain in place and in good repair for the life of the pool, so a homeowner who lets the barrier deteriorate is still out of compliance years after the original installation.

Above-ground pools get a narrow substitution: if the pool's own sides run a full four feet from grade to the rim, and the ladder or steps can be locked, removed, or otherwise secured against unauthorized climbing, the pool wall itself can satisfy the fence standard without a separate perimeter fence. Fail either half of that test and a standalone fence is still required. 01(A); Franklin, Brentwood, Spring Hill, Fairview and Nolensville enforce their own municipal pool codes.