Akron, OH Swimming Pools & Spas: Pool Permits (2026)

102, a swimming pool and its appurtenances cannot be constructed, installed, enlarged, or altered until plans are submitted and a permit is issued by the Superintendent. Before applying, the owner must first secure approval from every city, county, and state authority with jurisdiction over the pool, and certified copies of those approvals must be filed with the permit application. Plans must accurately show the pool's dimensions and construction, its established distance to lot lines, buildings, walks, and fences, plus the water supply, drainage, and disposal systems and all appurtenances.

Detail plans covering structures, vertical elevations, and cross-sections showing depth are also required. 101 sets the threshold for coverage: the chapter applies to pools used for swimming or bathing, but exempts any pool less than 24 inches deep or with a surface area under 250 square feet, unless that small pool is permanently fitted with a water recirculating system or involves structural materials, in which case the permit and design rules still apply. 103: a private pool cannot encroach into a required front or side yard, and the pool wall must sit at least six feet from any rear or side property line and ten feet from any street property line.

104 cover wall and floor slope, skimmers or overflow gutters, walkway width for public pools, and slip-resistant steps and ladders. All of these provisions trace to Ordinance 388-1998, which established the current pool chapter of the building code.