De Pere, WI Swimming Pools & Spas: Pool Permits (2026)

Sec. 54-8(d) of the Code of Ordinances requires a permit before commencing the construction and installation of a swimming pool, hot tub, spa, or pond, obtained from the building inspector. The application must come with fully dimensioned plans showing the pool's location and its distance from property lines, easements and structures; the location of overhead or underground wiring nearby; the pool's dimensions and depth; the type, location and height of any fence, existing or proposed; and the type, dimensions and location of any deck. Sec.

54-8(e) layers site standards on top of the permit review: pools, hot tubs, spas and ponds cannot sit in the front yard or interior side yard setback of an interior lot, or in the front, corner side or interior setback of a corner lot, and the interior side and rear yard setback is a minimum of ten feet from the property line. A pool cannot be located closer than five feet to any structure other than a deck, and none of these features may sit in a utility or drainage easement or in a conservancy.

Sec. 54-8(e)(6)-(7) also folds the state plumbing and electrical codes into the permit review, requiring plumbing to meet Wis. Admin. 85 and electrical work to meet the state electrical code and the National Electrical Code. Because the definition in Sec. 54-8(c) covers any pool 18 inches deep or greater, that permit and setback package reaches ordinary above-ground pools, not just in-ground construction.