Residential Pool and Spa Guide

This guide page outlines the minimum documentation necessary to allow a permit application for the construction, alteration or repair of a pool or spa accessory to an existing single-family, duplex triplex or townhome building to be taken in for review. Applicants may be required to submit additional information as necessary to clearly demonstrate compliance with all applicable codes.

• Scope of Work Form (complete the city form)
• Stormwater & Flood Management Plant Investment Fee Calculation Form
• Technical Specifications (for lights, heater, pool cover, and pump(s), as applicable to your scope)
• Renewable Energy Offset Requirements (required for heated pools and spas)
• Site Survey (stamped by a Colorado Licensed Land Surveyor)
  • See the Land Survey Informational Handout to determine which type of survey is required for your project scope.

The following permits, approvals and supplemental information may be required based on scope of the project and/or the location and development constraints of the property:

• Historic Approval (Demolition Review of buildings more than 50 years of age when the work meets the definition of demolition in B.R.C. (1981) Section 9-16 or Landmark Alteration Certificate required for exterior alterations in a Historic Preservation District or for Individual Landmarks)
• Floodplain Development Permit (required for structures located in a regulatory floodplain)
• Stream, Wetland and Water Body Permit (required for structures located in a regulatory wetland)
• Grading and Drainage Plan (required for structures located on a steep slope or area of mass movement)
• Soils Report (required for structures located in an area of a steep slope or area of mass movement)
• Previous Approvals (Notice of Disposition and a copy of any city-stamped approval(s) required prior to the review and approval of this application, such as a Variance, Minor Modification or Site Review)
  • Modifications to properties regulated by a Planned Unit Development (PUD) or Site Review may require an additional review process such as an Administrative Review for a Minor Modification or other development review process may be required. If your property is zoned RL-2, there is a good chance that this applies to your property.
  • Records of past City of Boulder approvals can be requested through pdsrecordrequest@bouldercolorado.gov. If after researching your property history, you are unsure if a Minor Modification is required for your scope of work, please submit a request to our Property Use & Design (Regulations) Team.
• Separate Permit Application (required for any framed deck or pergola)
  • For decks attached to a single family home, duplex, triplex or townhome
    • Addition and Remodel to a single family home
    • Addition and Remodel to a duplex, triplex or townhome
  • For free standing decks or pergolas, Accessory

• Plan drawings shall be drawn to scale, with a graphic scale bar on every page.
• A 3" x 3" square shall be provided in the lower right corner of the first sheet for the city's approval stamp.
• All sheets shall be the same size (oriented so that north is up) throughout the entire plan set, and of adequate size to clearly convey all information.
  • Site Plan (including but not limited to the following information)
    • North arrow
    • All existing and proposed structures including the existing dwelling(s) and any existing detached accessory buildings, as well as proposed pool/spa and any proposed decks, pergolas, mechanical equipment, and pads.

    • Distances to property lines from existing and proposed structures and equipment. Please identify the setback requirements for pool/spas in your zoning district. Required minimum setbacks may be found in B.R.C. Section 9-7-1. To determine your zoning district, go to the City of Boulder eMaplink webpage, turn on the zoning layer, and enter the property address in the search bar. Pool/spa setbacks for common residential zones are provided below.

      Residential Zoning District	Front Property Line Minimum Setback	Rear Property Line Minimum Setback1	Interior Side Property Line Minimum Setback1	Side Yard Adjacent to a Street Minimum Setback2
      RL-1, RM-2, RMX-1	25 feet	0 or 3 feet	0 or 3 feet	12.5 feet
      RL-2, RM-1	20 feet	0 or 3 feet	0 or 3 feet	10 feet
      RR-2, RE	25 feet	0 or 3 feet	25 feet	25 feet
      RR-1	25 feet	0 or 3 feet	15 feet	25 feet

      ¹ If the structure is to be built at the 0 setback to an interior side or rear property line that does not back to an alley or street, a maintenance easement agreement with the affected neighbor that has been recorded with the Boulder County Clerk and Recorder must be submitted at the time of building permit application.
      ² On corner lots the setback for a side yard adjacent to a street may be the same as a front yard setback if the neighboring property fronts on the street. Please submit an inquiry to verify setbacks.

• *If the structure is to be built at the 0 setback to an interior side or rear property line that does not back to an alley or street, a maintenance easement agreement with the affected neighbor that has been recorded with the Boulder County Clerk and Recorder must be submitted at the time of building permit application.

  **On corner lots the setback for a side yard adjacent to a street may be the same as a front yard setback if the neighboring property fronts on the street. Please submit an inquiry to verify setbacks.

• Location of overhead or buried electrical service, gas, water, or sewer.
• Extent of any easements, as applicable. No structures or any portion of a structure (including below ground sections) may encroach into an easement.
• Extent of any flood zones and regulated wetlands.
• Pool/Spa Plan (including but not limited to the following information as applicable under current ISPSC regulations).
  • Location of structure above or below-ground.
  • Walking surface around the structure and the drainage slope for deck surfaces
  • Slope(s) of pool floor. The first slope change shall not exceed 1:3 or 33 percent.
  • Entry and exits locations for shallow and deep areas of pool.
  • Details for ladders, steps, handrails and grab rails within the pool.
  • Details for raised deck, stairs, landing, handrails, and guards surrounding pool.
  • Depth of underwater benches, seats, and swim outs.
  • A new pool adjacent to an existing house may create a hazardous condition as it relates to glazing that may require existing windows to be replaced with tempered glazing. Provide location and height of existing windows adjacent to proposed pool where walking surface is located within 36 inches of windows.
  • Barrier Requirements
    • Where a pool cover is proposed, provide demonstration of code compliance.
    • Where an alternative barrier such as a fence is proposed, provide demonstration of code compliance.
  • Suction entrapment avoidance.
  • Location and area of skimmers.
  • Indicate the turnover rate base on volume of pool and proposed pool equipment. For residential pools the circulation system equipment shall be sized to provide a turnover of the pool water not less than once every 12 hours.
  • 2024 City of Boulder Energy Conservation Code (COBECC) Mandatory Measures Checklist (indicate N/A for any areas of outside of the proposed scope of work)
  • Electrical Plans
  • Grounding for proposed equipment including heaters, pumps, pool lights, etc. as applicable.
  • Bonding plan for the pool and the perimeter surfaces around the pool.
  • Structural Drawings (stamped by a Colorado Licensed Engineer)
    • Pool vault design or structural details for a shotcrete pool.

May Be Required

• Rope and float (required in pools with varying depths)
  • At the point that the first slope break occurs, a rope and float assembly shall be installed across the width of the pool. The rope assembly shall be located not less than 1 foot and not greater than 2 feet towards the shallow side of the slope break.
• Vapor-retardant cover (required for heated pools and spas where 75 percent or less of the energy for heating, is from a heat pump or an on-site renewable energy system
• Hydrostatic relief valve (required if soils report indicates groundwater within pool extents).
• Height Information (required for an above-ground pools)
• Landscape and Street Tree Plan (required where the value of work exceeds 100% of the existing structure)