‘Pools, Permits and Safety’ Is Focus of New Montgomery County Permitting Services Podcast Episode
For Immediate Release: Thursday, May 22, 2025
As Memorial Day weekend nears, some Montgomery County homeowners prepare their backyard pools for the summer swim season while others consider adding a pool to their property. The newest Montgomery County Department of Permitting Services (DPS) episode “ Pools, Permits and Safety ” focuses on permits for residential swimming pools and what to know about pool barriers for safety.
DPS Customer Support and Outreach (CSO) Division Chief Gail Lucas hosts the podcast. She is joined by DPS Residential Inspections Manager David Burch for a discussion about pool permits, construction documents, inspections and safety guidelines. Their conversation also covers hot tubs, spas, diving boards and slides.
“This is a really important topic especially at this time of year,” said DPS Manager Burch.
According to Burch, any pool that is 24 inches deep or less, is portable and has no circulating equipment, does not need a permit.
“It is the homeowner’s responsibility, when it is not attended, that it be empty,” Burch said. “If they are not emptying the pool, or if there is circulating equipment, then it must have a barrier and it must have a permit. Every other pool needs a permit whether it’s an above ground pool or an in-ground pool.”
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- Residential swimming pools installed after January 1990 must include a 60-inch-high barrier.
- Residential swimming pools installed prior to 1990 must be protected by a barrier at least 42-inches in height or have an automatic swimming pool cover.
- If the house is part of the pool barrier and there are doors or windows that open directly into the pool area, where a toddler may be able to open a door and get out, there is a requirement for alarms on those doors or to have an automatic pool cover.
Burch said pool owners should always prioritize safety, and that includes regular maintenance and inspections, especially on drain covers.
Other topics covered during the podcast include construction of the pool and how important it is to let DPS staff know of any design or orientation changes to the pool or pool equipment to ensure they do not create any setback issues.
The “Pools, Permits and Safety” episode of the Permitting Services Podcast is available now on the DPS website and various podcast platforms including Amazon , Apple and Spotify . It also is posted at permittingservicespodcast.buzzsprout.com/.
Subscribe by tapping the “follow” sign on the podcast provider’s platform. In addition, it can be viewed on the County’s YouTube channel.
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For more information about the permitting and inspections process for swimming pools, visit the DPS website .
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Previous DPS podcast episodes have covered accessory dwelling units (ADUs), building safety, the Design for Life Property Tax Credit Program, eSolar, fire code compliance, GIS maps, home improvements, new codes, public right-of-way, septic systems, special events, urban farming, use and occupancy certificates, vendor licenses and more.
Residents can send questions about a current or previous episode or ideas for future podcast episodes to [email protected] .
Last year, the Permitting Services Podcast was recognized with an achievement award from the National Association of Counties in the category of civic education and public information.
The Office of Broadband Programs in the County’s Department of Technology and Enterprise Business Solutions provides technical support for the Permitting Services podcast.
DPS is located at 2425 Reedie Drive, seventh floor, in Wheaton. The customer service lobby is open from 7:30 a.m.-4 p.m., Monday through Friday. An appointment is not necessary. Customers may reach DPS staff by calling MC 311 or 240-777-0311. For more information, visit the DPS website .
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Release ID: 25-223
Media Contact: Sonya Burke 240-855-9813
Categories: Permits , Podcast
For updates and link to press release, see here: http://www2.montgomerycountymd.gov/mcgportalapps/Press_Detail.aspx?Item_ID=47112