Salem · about 4 mi from our shop
Plunge Pool Installation in Salem, MA
Salem's city lots are small, and that is where a plunge pool earns its place. The city puts pools in side or rear yards, 6 feet off the lot lines.
Plunge pools in Salem
What to know before you start.
The paperwork starts with the plot plan. Salem wants a certified one at 1 inch to 30 feet or larger, showing the pool, the house, the fence and the gate. The fence has to be 48 inches with a self-latching gate at least 36 inches wide, and rail styles don't count. In the four historic districts, a barrier you can see from the street should follow the design guidelines, which favor picket, capped board or lattice over vinyl and chain-link.
What's under the yard varies a lot across the city. Ledge breaks the surface from Gallows Hill to the Willows, while downtown sits on marine clay and old fill that hold water, so we dig a test hole before choosing a spot. Near wetlands, the ordinance's 25-foot no-disturbance zone keeps the pool and its deck back from the edge. Plan the fill date, too: in a declared drought, Salem counts filling a private pool as nonessential water use.
Local rules that can affect your plunge pool project.
Salem's wetlands ordinance
Updated in 2022, it adds a 25-foot no-disturbance zone and a 50-foot mitigation zone from wetlands, protects isolated wetlands and vernal pools, and weighs climate change in reviews.
Source: Salem Conservation Commission ↗Pools
Pools go in side or rear yards only, at least 6 feet from side and rear lines, with a 48-inch fence and a self-latching gate at least 36 inches wide. Rail fences don't count. A certified plot plan is required.
Source: Salem: installing a pool, spa or hot tub ↗Pool permits and plot plan
Any pool, spa or hot tub that holds 24 inches of water or more needs a building permit. The plot plan must be certified, drawn at 1 inch to 30 feet or larger, and show the pool, house, fence, gate and distances to the lot lines. A licensed electrician pulls a separate electrical permit.
Source: Salem: installing a pool, spa or hot tub ↗Filling a pool in a drought
Salem's restrictions list filling a private pool as nonessential outdoor water use. At Level 1 that means one day a week, before 9 A.M. or after 5 P.M. From Level 2 up, it isn't allowed.
Source: Salem Water Use Restrictions ↗
We check the current requirements for every project before we start.
Pool decks, coping and site work by our crew around the North Shore. See more of our work.
Can I fill a new pool while Salem has water restrictions?
It depends on the level. At Level 1, filling a private pool counts as nonessential use and is held to one day a week, before 9 A.M. or after 5 P.M. At Level 2 and above it's banned, so we check the city's notice before setting a fill date.
What drawing does Salem need for a pool permit?
A certified plot plan at 1 inch to 30 feet or larger, showing the pool, house, fencing, gate and distances to the property lines. Above-ground pools can use a mortgage plot plan instead.
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Let's talk about your plunge pool in Salem.
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