Swimming Pool Regulations and Setbacks in the City of Arlington
Private swimming pools are permitted accessory uses in all residential and mixed-use districts within the City of Arlington, provided they are for the exclusive use of residents. The City of Arlington requires the outside wall of a swimming pool and its associated decking to maintain a minimum setback of five feet from any lot line. Additionally, the City of Arlington strictly prohibits the installation of swimming pools within any front yard area.
District Permissions and Classifications
In the City of Arlington, a private swimming pool is defined as an accessory structure constructed for the exclusive use of the residents of a single-family or duplex dwelling [Section 12.3.5.P]. Under the City of Arlington Unified Development Code, swimming pools are also broadly classified as "buildings" [Section 12.7.1].
The following table outlines the districts where private swimming pools are permitted as an accessory use:
| District Type | District Name (Abbreviation) | Permission Status |
|---|---|---|
| Residential | Residential Estate (RE) | Permitted (Accessory) |
| Residential | Residential Single-Family 20, 15, 7.2, 5 (RS-20/15/7.2/5) | Permitted (Accessory) |
| Residential | Residential Medium-Density 12 (RM-12) | Permitted (Accessory) |
| Residential | Residential Multi-Family 22 (RMF-22) | Permitted (Accessory) |
| Residential | Village on the Green at Tierra Verde (VG) | Permitted (Accessory) |
| Mixed-Use | Downtown Business (DB) | Permitted (Accessory) |
| Mixed-Use | Neighborhood Mixed-Use (NMU) | Permitted (Accessory) |
| Mixed-Use | Regional Mixed-Use (RMU) | Permitted (Accessory) |
[Section 3.3.4.A, Section 3.3.4.B]
Location and Setback Standards
The City of Arlington enforces specific placement and distance requirements to ensure safety and neighborhood compatibility. Swimming pools and their surrounding decks are permitted to project into required side or rear setbacks, but they must meet the minimum distance from property lines specified below.
Front Yard Prohibition
Swimming pools in the City of Arlington shall not be located between the front property line and an imaginary building line drawn from each front corner of the main building to the side property line [Section 3.3.6.P]. This essentially mandates that pools must be located in the side or rear yards of a property.
Setback Requirements
The following table details the minimum setbacks required for swimming pool installations:
| Feature | Minimum Setback Requirement |
|---|---|
| Outside Wall of Pool | 5 feet from the lot line |
| Pool Decking | 5 feet from the lot line |
| Pump and Filter Equipment | Must be behind the building line and screened |
[Section 4.1.6.H.8, Section 5.3.2.B.1.a]
Lot Coverage and Site Design
For single-family uses in the City of Arlington (specifically in RE, RS-20, RS-15, RS-7.2, RS-5, RM-12, VG, and PD districts), swimming pools and paving are excluded from maximum lot coverage calculations [Section 4.1.4.B]. This allows homeowners more flexibility in site design without the pool area counting against the percentage of the lot that can be covered by buildings.
In larger residential projects, such as those in the Village on the Green at Tierra Verde (VG) district or multi-family developments, swimming pools are often utilized as required site amenities for residents [Section 5.5.4.C.3.a, Section 5.11.14.A.1].
Equipment Screening and Safety
The City of Arlington requires that any mechanical equipment associated with a swimming pool, such as pumps and filters, be screened from public view. On residential lots, this equipment must be located behind the building line of the primary house and obscured by a screening device or landscaping [Section 5.3.2.B.1.a].
Furthermore, while swimming pools may encroach into required landscape buffer areas in residential districts, they must still comply with all other applicable safety and building codes of the City of Arlington [Section 5.3.2.B.i].
Sections Cited
- Section 3.3.4.A Accessory Uses – Residential Districts
- Section 3.3.4.B Accessory Uses – Non-Residential and Mixed-Use Districts
- Section 3.3.6.P Swimming Pools (Supplemental Use Standards)
- Section 4.1.4.B Lot Coverage
- Section 4.1.6.H.8 Permitted Projections into Required Setbacks
- Section 5.3.2.B.1.a Single-Family and Two-Family Residential Screening
- Section 5.3.2.B.i Permitted Structures and Uses in Landscape Buffers
- Section 5.5.4.C.3.a Site Amenities (Multi-Family)
- Section 5.11.14.A.1 Site Amenities (Cottage Community)
- Section 12.3.5.P Swimming Pool, Private (Accessory) (Definitions)
- Section 12.7.1 Other Terms Defined (Building)