HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 05151984 - IO TO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
Contra
FROM: Internal Operations Committee
Costa
'�
DATE: May 7, 1984 �rly
SUBJECT: Swimming Pool Fencing Ordinance
SPECIFIC REQUEST(S) OR RECOMMENDATION(S) & BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION
RECOMMENDATIONS:
1 . Acknowledge receipt of committee's report.
2. Direct the Building Inspector to establish a committee to be advisory to him,
consisting of representatives from the swimming pool industry and from those
who originally advocated in favor of a swimming pool fencing ordinance. The
charge to the committee is to include the following:
A. In cooperation with the Building Inspector, develop and implement a program
of public awareness regarding the dangers of allowing small children near
swimming pools without adequate supervision and steps that can be taken
to improve pool safety.
B. Evaluate the impact any revised swimming pool ordinance has had on drownings
or near drownings one year after the effective date of' such revisions,
and report their findings and recommendations to the Board of Supervisors.
C. Provide advice to the Building Inspector on standards he should follow in
approving the use of any alternatives to a completely fenced enclosure
around a pool which may be permitted under a revised swimming pool ordinance.
3. Direct the Building Inspector to determine how much additional work will be
generated for his office from the proposed swimming pool ordinance amendments
and report his findings to the Board of Supervisors, along with his recommenda-
tions for any changes required in the existing building permit fee schedule to
offset in full any such increased costs.
4. Remove this item as a referral to our Committee.
BACKGROUND:
On March 6, 1984, the Board of Supervisors referred to the Building Inspector the
proposed swimming pool fencing ordinance and directed him to explore all possible
alternatives to a fence entirely enclosing a swimming pool with representatives of
the proponents and opponents of such an ordinance amendment and report back to our
Committee. We met with Mr. Giese on May 7, 1984, along with the proponents and
opponents to such an ordinance.
Mr. Giese reported that he had held several meetings with all concerned parties to
determine what alternatives would be acceptable if a mandatory fencing ordinance
CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: X YES SIGNATURE:
RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR _ RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE
_ APPROVE OTHE
SIGNATURES) onh��Ow Nancy C Fanden
ACTION OF BOARD ON Ma)j 15, 1984 APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED X OTHER
VOTE OF SUPERVISORS
X UNANIMOUS (ABSENT ) 1 HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE
AYES: NOES: AND CORRECT COPY OF AN ACTION TAKEN
ABSENT: ABSTAIN: AND ENTERED ON THE MINUTES OF THE B"D 125
OF SUPERVISORS ON THE DATE SHOWN.
County Administrator
CC: Building Inspector ATTESTED 198-1
County Counsel J.R. OLS N, COUNTY CLERK
AND EX OFFICIO CLERK OF THE BOARD
M382/7-63 BY DEPUTY
x
-2-
lacked sufficient support for passage. We heard testimony from both proponents
and opponents and after considerable discussion reached agreement on a compromise
ordinance which would require a fence entirely enclosing a swimming pool , but
which would authorize the Building Inspector to approve one of the following
alternatives in lieu of the fourth side of the fence separating the pool from
the residence:
(1) A safety-type pool cover, either manual or automatic, or a pool dome.
(2) An alarm capable of detecting unauthorized entry into the pool which,
,.when activated, emits a sound of sufficient volume to be heard in the
dwelling.
(3) An audible alarm(s) on all rear exits of the dwelling.
(4) Self-closing and self-latching devices on all rear exits from the
dwelling.
It was emphasized that these alternatives are acceptable if standards are set
which will insure that the alternative devices are workable and will , in fact,
accomplish the goal of reducing the incidents of drowning or near drowning of
small children.
Supervisor Fanden again emphasized that there is no substitute for parental
supervision and that the public discussion of this issue has been helpful in
increasing public awareness of the need for constant supervision of small children
when they are around swimming pools.
Our Committee has directed the Building Inspector and County Counsel to draft the
necessary ordinance and circulate it well in advance of bringing it to the Board
of Supervisors so all concerned parties will have an opportunity to review the
precise language of the final ordinance amendment.
00 126