Wednesday, November 1, 2000
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Wednesday, November 1, 2000 |
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Semi-private pools to get county inspection By DAVE HAMRICK
Swimming pools owned by homeowners associations, apartments and country clubs will be regulated under new guidelines approved by the Fayette County Commission last week. Fayette's new regulations go a step further than state rules that go into effect in December. The state's regulations affect only pools that are open to the general public. "We feel this would be a much more effective ordinance for our community than what the state is going to implement Dec. 31," said Rick Fehr, the county Health Department's environmental health director. State regulations were developed in response to a death last year from bacteria contracted from a leaking diaper in a public swimming pool in Marietta. But the so-called "Michelle's Law" doesn't go far enough, said Fayette Commissioner Linda Wells. "I felt that it was very important for our citizens to be protected whereever they swam," she said. The county's law requires that pool owners have approved plans in place for preventing disease transmission and be inspected annually. It provides for a $300 fee for review of the plan and an annual $100 inspection fee. Standards for pool construction, maintenance and operation also are included. Pools owned by individual homeowners are not regulated by the ordinance. Commissioners also adopted a new set of regulations designed to reduce the amount of concrete covering Fayette County land. The rules "encourage" developers to use alternative paving methods that allow rainwater to seep into the ground. Plans are to eventually require alternative paving in some circumstances, but those requirements will need to mesh with new federal regulations that are still "in a state of flux" according to county officials. "I wish it had come to us with more teeth," said Commissioner Glen Gosa, who has been the commission's most active environmental advocate. "But I understand the apprehension at this stage."
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