Highland, CA Swimming Pools & Spas: Pool Permits (2026)
Swimming pool permit rules in Highland, CA, also covering above-ground pools, in-ground pools, and spa installations, set fencing, barrier, alarm, and inspection requirements.
Key Facts
- Governing section
- Highland Municipal Code § 16.44.230(C) and (D)
- Permit
- Department review permit before construction if independent or after occupancy
- Rear setback
- Five feet from rear property lines
- Side setback
- Five feet from side property lines
- Measured to
- Edge of the swimming pool coping
- Building permit exemption
- Prefabricated above-ground pools under 18 inches deep, up to 5,000 gallons
Summary
In the City of Highland, California, a private swimming pool is an accessory use to a home, and a department review permit is required before construction when the pool is proposed independently of the house or after the home is occupied. Pools sit at least five feet from the rear and side property lines, measured to the edge of the coping. The rule is Highland Municipal Code § 16.44.230.
B. Applicability. The provisions of this section shall apply to the construction of swimming pools or recreational courts located on individual residential lots as accessory uses to primary residential use of the same lot. C. Permit Required for Accessory Use. 1. Swimming pools and recreational courts may be permitted as accessory uses to the primary residential uses. 2. Permits issued for the primary use shall also apply to the accessory uses except that a department review permit shall be required prior to the construction of swimming pools and recreational courts, if such uses are proposed independently or subsequent to the occupancy of the primary use. D. Swimming Pools. 1. Swimming pools shall be set back a minimum of five feet from the rear property lines and five feet from the side property lines as measured to the edge of the swimming pool coping. 2. Swimming pool equipment shall not be located within a side yard setback area that is also in the front yard setback.
Full Breakdown
Highland Municipal Code § 16.44.230 applies to swimming pools and recreational courts located on individual residential lots as accessory uses to the primary residential use of the same lot. Its stated intent is to keep pool construction within residential districts consistent with the residential character of the neighborhood.
Permit path. Swimming pools are allowed as accessory uses to primary residential uses. Permits issued for the primary use also apply to the pool, except that a department review permit is required prior to construction when the pool is proposed independently or subsequent to the occupancy of the primary use. That is the route for a homeowner in the City of Highland adding a pool to an existing house. Separately, the building code chapter, § 15.04.030(A), amends the California Building Code list of work exempt from permit: prefabricated swimming pools accessory to a Group R-3 occupancy are exempt only when they are less than 18 inches deep, do not exceed 5,000 gallons and are installed entirely above ground. The city fee schedule in Chapter 2.36 carries separate line items for a swimming pool or spa permit inspection without a heater, with a heater, and for a fiberglass or vinyl pool.
Setbacks and equipment. Swimming pools are set back a minimum of five feet from the rear property lines and five feet from the side property lines, measured to the edge of the swimming pool coping. Pool equipment cannot be located within a side yard setback area that is also in the front yard setback. Under § 16.16.040(B)(3), pool, spa or sauna equipment must be screened from surrounding properties and streets, kept out of the required front yard and street side yard setbacks and at least 10 feet from any residential dwelling on adjacent properties, and approved by the community development director prior to installation.
Construction hours. Under § 15.48.020, construction activities cannot commence prior to 7:00 a.m. and must terminate no later than 7:00 p.m. Monday through Saturday, with no construction activities on city or federal observed holidays.
Violations & Fines
Under HMC § 16.04.040(E), work started without a required permit triggers a penalty equal to the permit fee set by city council resolution, collected in addition to the permit fee whether or not a permit is later issued. Building code violations under § 15.44.010 are punishable as a misdemeanor, with each day a separate offense, and the city attorney can specify an infraction instead. A violating condition can also be abated as a public nuisance under Chapter 8.28.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to build a pool at my Highland home?
How far from the property line must a Highland pool be?
Where can pool equipment go on a Highland lot?
What hours can pool construction run in Highland?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Highland
California rules heatmap·Compare Highland to another location·View the California swimming pools & spas overview
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Pool Permits in Nearby Cities
How other cities in San Bernardino County handle pool permits.